COLUMNIST
An artist’s residency
canbeasbasicas
housesitting for a friend
Artist residencies aren’t just for professionals,
says our columnistLAURA BOSWELL. We should
all take a little time to focus on our art.
LEFT Skye to the
Mainland, linocut
print, 46x73cmH
ave you ever thought about attending an artist’s
residency? Residencies come in all shapes and
sizes, but the one thing they all have in common is
time away from everyday life to develop and grow your art.
It is a rare opportunity for some ‘me time’ and focus on
whatever creative process you wish to explore. A residency
can be as basic as housesitting for a friend, right up tofully-funded international residencies paying a stipend.
Even if you simply swap sheds with a fellow artist for
a weekend, the very act of calling the experience a
‘residency’ will be refreshing. By ignoring the family’s
sniggers, removing yourself from your home life and
concentrating solely on your work, you’ll likely surprise
yourself with the art you make.
If you want something more formal, some time spent on
the internet will reveal almost limitless opportunities and
a huge variety of experiences from fully-funded to entirely
self-funded residencies worldwide. Typical timescales
range from a weekend to several months, and residencies
can be highly specialised or just offer space to work.
You might find yourself working in isolation, with the local
community, or sharing both studio and living space with
other artists.
Research up front is vital for any residency: decide
what you want to achieve and do check for scams before
applying for organised residencies. Plan carefully to ensure
you can meet your goals and your host’s requirements
during your stay, especially if there are cultural differences.
If you are sharing the residency with others, don’t be
uncomfortable about the need to focus on yourself.
That said, a sense of humour and plenty of give and take
definitely helps, especially when sharing a living space
with strangers.
Whatever kind of residency you consider, remember that
you will only get out of the experience what you put into it.
Treat your residency as a holiday and it will swiftly become
a missed opportunity to regret. If you need motivating,
make yourself accountable by telling people about your
plans or, even better, organising a show or talk for your
return, even if it’s just in a local café or church hall.
Work hard and seize the moment and a residency can be
life changing. It was my first residency in Japan, a terrifying
leap of faith at the time, that taught me the skills that
enabled me to turn professional and make art my living.
http://www.lauraboswell.co.uk