For my 10th artist residency experience, I spent five weeks in March and April at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass Village, Colorado. I passed up a $5,000 travel voucher to arrive on time because I didn’t want to miss any part of the experience, though in hindsight, I should’ve also taken the voucher 😅. Every time I attend an artist residency, I learn so much and meet such amazing people. This one was no different, and was such a rewarding and fulfilling experience.

Days were snowy and bright, the backdrop of my days surrounded by snow capped mountains and Aspen trees. One of my favorite aspects of this residency was the opportunity to work in the main studio—printmaking for me—while also exploring other disciplines during interdisciplinary hours. I mainly focused on screen prints, etchings, and monotypes in the print studio, but I also experimented with laser cutting in the digital fabrication lab and 3D printing ceramic bowls.

With only minimal screen printing experience, learning from Lindsey Yeager, the printmaking studio coordinator, was invaluable. I created a series of small screen prints on handmade paper and a variable edition using scans of journal pages and sketches, printed on a larger scale. Scaling up so quickly was challenging, but I learned a lot from the process.

The best part of the residency was learning from master printer Brian Shure and editions assistant Drew Betancourt. I had studied Crown Point Press artists’ prints in graduate school, many of which were printed by Brian! It was wonderful to etch again, relearning aquatint and making my own Jin Shofu wheat paste.

This residency reminded me much of grad school. We gave artist presentations, the residency director, Liz Ferrill, guided us in rotating studio visits with our cohort, we had studio visits with guest curators, attended lectures, and more. Each artist in my cohort was truly so inspiring. Graduating with my MFA five years earlier, I felt prepared to take advantage of these learning opportunities, studio visits, and the balance between planned projects and new experiments. It was like coming full circle; the skills I developed in grad school, like discussing my work, truly paid off.

Besides working in the studio, I went on regular walks, relaxed at Iron Mountain Hot Springs with a friend who now lives in Carbondale, soaked in Penny Hot Springs with a few of the artists, took a day trip to Aspen, and went skiing with another artist (I went down my first blue run!)

35mm film photos

Each residency teaches me more about what works for my studio practice and how to balance work, play, and rest. Initially, I pressured myself to meet specific goals, but by my eighth residency, I realized that I always walk away grateful for the experience and whatever work I produce. Enjoying each moment and having the opportunity to create in artist residencies is fulfilling in itself. My five weeks at Anderson Ranch was an impactful, enriching experience.

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With heart,

Catherine

Photo Credit:

Skiing Photo of Me, Film: Kerry Kaneda Meyer

Hot Springs Photos of Me, Film and Digital: Jordan Tiberio

Artist Group Photo: Anderson Ranch

Studio Photo of Brian Shure and Me: Drew Betancourt