Submitted by Alchemy Art Center.
Alchemy Art Center is creating another season of s most ambitious and exciting programming effort with another great year of “Artists in Community!” This program, which is made possible in part through the generous support of the San Juan Island Community Foundation, brings artists with diverse skills and talents from all over the country (and world) to create their own work while supporting Alchemy’s mission of providing arts access to islanders. Artists in residence and interns reside on-site at Alchemy for one to threemonths at a time, where they have access to the shared ceramics, printmaking, and darkroom photography studios. In exchange, they help maintain the community studio spaces and engage with islanders through a wide range of activities, events, classes, and workshops. This year, residents are joining us from as far away as Arizona, Chicago, Texas, and Nigeria!
The 2023 Alchemy Artist in Resident and Intern Cohort is:
Selden Paterson, AIR, ceramics artist, Chicago, IL
Julia Vidrio, Intern, darkroom/alternative processes photographer, Phoenix, AZ
Willa Cordrey, Intern, arts education, Point Arena, CA
Emerald Vernon-Lapow (returning), Intern, musician and printmaker, Oakland, CA
Camila Giraldo, Intern, ceramics artist, Chicago, IL
Charlie Bloede, Intern, printmaker, Kansas State University
Sarah Gonzales Busse, AIR, print and textiles, San Antonio, TX
Nseabasi Akpan, AIR, photography, Ibadan, Nigeria
As in previous years of this program, visiting artists will present free community programming in conjunction with the San Juan Island Sculpture Park, Island Rec, the Family Resource Center, the San Juan County Fair, the San Juan Summer Arts Fest, the Farmers Market, and many other pop-up spots around the island, as well as through Alchemy’s in-house youth mentorship program. This year, Alchemy will also be presenting free arts programming at Village at the Harbor. Visiting artists will also be teaching an exciting array of classes and workshops at Alchemy, available to sign for on their website.
In turn, Alchemy will be supporting the creative growth of visiting artists and interns by providing access to studio space and equipment, opportunities for art shows in the on-site Dome multi-use space, and artist talks at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Not least, Alchemy makes possible the opportunity for artists of diverse backgrounds to create work within the incredible natural surroundings of the San Juans Islands. Residencies are incredibly important resources for artists, and Alchemy strives to make their residency program accessible by offering it free of charge.
This program is made possible through grants from the San Juan Island Community Foundation, the ArtsFund Community Accelerator Grant, and through generous donations from our community.
Please visit www.alchemyartcenter.com for more information. For more frequent programming updates, you can follow Alchemy on Instagram at @alchemyartcenter or sign up for their newsletter on their website.
Alchemy Art Center, founded by Maria Michaelson and Eben Shay in 2017, is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to creating a thriving arts community on San Juan Island.
