Artist-in-Residencies Statement:
There are currently about 50 parks that host an artist-in-residence program, (AIR) and I’ve participated in eight so far. Rocky Mountain National Park, where I had my first AIR in 2004, has the oldest program, over thirty years, and most other programs are modeled on it: an artist stays in park housing, usually a historic cabin or casita, and spends two to four weeks working in the park. The artist gives a couple of public presentations, interacts with visitors, and donates a piece of work to the park. There’s no stipend and the artist pays for all their own travel, gear, and food, but this kind of service project suits me well and I try to make room for one every couple of years.
The residencies I’ve done include Rocky Mountain National Park in 2004, Mesa Verde National Park in 2009 and Petrified Forest National Park in 2009 and 2011, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in 2014, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in 2016, and Tracy Arm/Fords Terror, AK and Bandelier National Monument in 2017.