My Residency Experience ~ Part 1
Applying & Planning
When I applied for this residency, I knew I wanted more than uninterrupted studio time. I wasn’t looking for a quiet retreat or a gentle creative break ~ I wanted structure and accountability.
This residency came with clear expectations, and I appreciated that from the start. It wasn’t simply “make art and see what happens.” It was a real program with real responsibilities, designed to support growth while also asking something meaningful in return.
When I submitted my application, I included a formal proposal document outlining my professional development goals and my process intentions. I wanted to be clear about my intentions ~ not only in terms of finished artwork, but in how I would grow personally and within the community.
That proposal became both a commitment and a map for the season ahead.
(The full proposal document is linked here for those who would like to read it.)
Residency Requirements:
During the program, each artist was expected to:
- Commit to at least 20 hours per week in the studio
- Complete a body of work to be exhibited
- Help coordinate two Artist Receptions
- Spend two hours per month mentoring with a Resident Artist
- Hang one exhibit during the residency program
- Create weekly Resident Progress updates for social media
- Attend two workshops during the residency program
- Attend the Artists In Residency Exhibition
At first glance, it reads like a checklist. But living it felt like something else entirely. It meant showing up again and again ~ even when nothing felt clear yet, even when social interactions felt awkward, even on cold winter days when hibernation and retreat felt tempting.
Why I Applied
More than anything, my goal for this residency was to experience and learn as much as possible. I wanted this time to connect with the art community, to stretch my practice, and to grow.
I also wanted to prove something ~ to myself and to anyone interested in my resume. I wanted to demonstrate that I can manage a challenge, that I am serious about my career, and that it is not all about painting for me.
I wanted the residency to be productive and rewarding, but also nourishing.
I did not want to simply make paintings in isolation. I wanted proximity to other artists. I wanted conversations. I wanted to see exhibitions, attend receptions, and understand more fully how art contributes to our culture and daily life.
This residency felt like an intentional container for that kind of growth.
The Studio Space ~ Light, Height, and a Sense of Place
The Art Center is housed in a renovated mill building with high ceilings and interesting architectural details that made the space feel inspiring. The building had elevators, views of the river, and a sense of history that felt deeply New England. It was also filled with other businesses and residences, which gave it a lived-in energy beyond the studios.
Trips to the bakery down the hall were joys!
Being in Dover added to the experience in a way I did not fully anticipate. The city felt beautiful and layered ~ old New England history combined with modern-day bustle, shops, and daily life. It gave the residency a sense of place that extended beyond the studio walls.
The commute time was beautiful ~ it allowed me to witness color and shape, and set my mind for the tasks ahead. Every trip in and out, from the October foliage, to the mid-winter ice and snow, provided opportunity to be grateful and inspired.
My studio space was bright and welcoming from the start. It had a window that looked into the shared community area of the other artist studios in The Loft ~ the third-floor studio space at The Art Center.
I brought a shamrock plant with me for luck. It sat in the studio window, welcomed guests, and reached for the light.
At the end of the residency, when I brought it home, I noticed how much it had grown. The before and after photos of that plant tell a quiet story ~ not dramatic, just steady growth.
In many ways, it mirrors the residency itself.
Growth rarely announces itself while it is happening. It unfolds slowly, leaf by leaf, day by day. You only recognize it when you step back and compare where you began to where you are now.
I loved having that visual connection to the life and movement of other artists nearby. I was grateful for the balance of quiet time when it was just me, a cup of tea, and my art ~ and I appreciated when artists arrived and the atmosphere shifted.
I met and learned from artists who were printmakers, crafters, some involved in the local art commission, some who have been painting for decades, and others who were transitioning to art after raising toddlers to independence. It made the experience feel both independent and communal at the same time. I learned from each one, intentionally and with pleasure.
Setting Intentions
From the beginning, I viewed this residency as a season of growth. I wanted to show up fully ~ not only in my studio practice, but also in the community around me.
I focused on pursuing light and sharing it. I wanted the work from this residency to reflect that sense of light, both in color and in spirit.
In the coming weeks, I would begin creating studies, experimenting with materials, and building toward a body of work that could carry the weight of exhibition.
I did not know exactly what I would make yet ~ but I knew what I was seeking.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this 3-part blog series ~ My Residency Experience.
Studio Space sponsored by Market Square Jewelers and The Art Center.
