“This was an incredible experience. While we were over there, we attended over 20 museums which was incredibly inspiring. One of the highlights of the trip was learning about the history of poster art and the traditions of printmaking in Poland, which gave me a lot of inspiration going into my thesis year.”

– Shannon Ferguson

“My time at Penland was wonderful. As a mostly self taught-sewer it was amazing to get a lot of formal instruction both on stuff I was familiar with (Working with scrap fabrics) and stuff that was new to me (crating garments from patters and modifying paper patterns). Hightlights for me were the nightly artists talks from all of the different instructions and volunteering at the auction.”

“Attending Chulitna Lodge as an Artist Fellow was truly the most enriching experience. Being so isolated from the real world and experiencing nature in a truly peaceful way was clarifying when it came to creating. There wasn’t any noise or distractions which was a niche and beautiful experience. A highlight for me was meeting the other talented artists, building friendships, and reconnecting with myself and nature on a whole other level. It was incredibly valuable and I find myself often pulling from my time there in my current studio practice. The residue of my time in Alaska wills always be with me.”

“As an artist, being in a different environment and visiting every museum possible was so inspirational. Seeing so many new (and old) things really impacted the images I’m pulling from in my own work. As a researcher, I loved having access to so much of the material culture of Roman civilization which is the subject of much of my research.”

“Each experience were phenomenal – lots of amazing artists of all ages, amazing food, arts culture, the outdoor environment and lots of amazing artist lectures. This experience was very valuable to me because it gave me a glimpse of the arts community and opportunities outside of academics. It was also valuable to hear different artists’s journeys throughout their life/career.

I’m really thankful for the school of art and our donors to allow me to experience this magical moment. I felt like I’ve come out of it as a better person and approach art making with a fresh perspective.”

“It was amazing! Would highly recommend to anyone interested in lithography it was awesome to be in a room full of people as passionate as me.”

“The experience of the residency was amazing. Three weeks of undisturbed studio time in a new environment lead to several breakthroughs in the studio. The campus was serene and peaceful allowing me to relax, reflect, and gain clarity in my work. I also made meaningful connections with my cohort of about 30 visual artists and writers. We shared two meals a day together allowing us to create close bonds, this was one of the most special parts of the experience. The staff was also truly amazing and made every part of the experience even better. We also spent our nights giving presentations about our work and relaxing by the bonfire. The time, space, and connections I made were so valuable to me as an artist. Having this time over the summer going into my thesis year has made it easy to continue to work on my thesis project this semester. I feel the experience and the work I did there set me up for successes for my thesis project.”