Fire Island Artist-in-Residence / by Bethann Wilson

I am about to embark on my first artist residency!  I leave Monday.

"Light House" from my Scotland series, oil on canvas 2012 sold

"Light House" from my Scotland series, oil on canvas 2012 sold

The Fire Island National Seashore Artist-in-Residence Program honors the longstanding tradition of art in the national parks and on Fire Island by facilitating artists to create relevant place- and story-based work that brings a broader understanding of the unique elements that comprise Fire Island. The goals of this program are to provide creative and educational opportunities for artists of all disciplines to explore the qualities of the natural environment, culture, and/or history of Fire Island, and to support the mission of the NPS to promote the conservation and preservation of the park.
— National Park Service Website
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Image Courtesy nps.gov

The residency will be from September 1 - September 15.  My focus will be on painting to capture and interpret the changing weather and the affect it has on the landscape.  I'm so excited for this opportunity to focus on this next phase of art-making.  Two weeks of uninterrupted studio time at this point in my life I feel like I can accomplish a LOT.  I am hoping to have lots of new work to share upon completion of the residency.  I am also hoping to have time to write about the experience to be able to share that with anyone else considering doing something like this.  From talking to other folks in the artistic community, at least in Baltimore, a lot of individuals don't even know that these opportunities exist!

More information about the Artist-in-Residence Program at Fire Island National Seashore can be found at https://www.nps.gov/fiis/getinvolved/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence.htm.

Check back here for updates!