Returning to the Forest: Preparing for a Self-Directed Art Residency

“I need to come back.”  

That was the thought that surfaced while we were hiking through our family forest last Christmas.

All the wonderful memories of sitting quietly amidst the forest sounds, scents, and scenes came flooding back as we climbed up the slopes that were covered with fresh snow. 

I knew I needed to return and experience the place anew.

This urge to return didn’t resolve like a passing whim after we flew back to Colorado, so I decided to start considering a second self-made residency. 

In June, I’ll be returning to Pennsylvania for a two-week art residency where I will revisit old sites and discover new ones.  I’m still unsure how I will create during this time, but based on what I’ve  learned from the 2024 residency, I’ve got some thoughts on what to keep and what to change.   

What to keep: During the last residency, I created a routine that served me very well.  

• Rise early

• Read and pray

• Paint in the woods from 7am - 11:30am

• Lunch and a break. 

• Head to the makeshift basement studio until 5

• Evenings with family

The early schedule helped me avoid the worst of the bugs and afternoon rain showers.  Afternoon studio time was used to work on the previous day’s paintings or start new studies. 

It also worked well to plan on a break (or two) during the week where I could visit the library to read, visit family, or rest.

There was something grounding about returning to the same rhythm each day—the quiet woods in the morning and the focused studio work in the afternoon. A guiding structure, not a confining one. 

What to change: Based on what I learned during my last residency, here are some things I think I’ll shift and change:

• work on canvas paper to reduce bulk

• spend afternoon studio sessions exploring color theory

• make time for printmaking exploration

• journal at the end of each studio day

How you can follow along with this journey:  Maybe you’ve been curious about doing a residency yourself but aren’t sure where to begin—or what the experience might actually look like. Following my friend Lorraine Glessner’s residency journey gave me the confidence to create one of my own. This can help immensely in moving you forward.  Maybe you are just curious about what an artist’s self-made adventure might look like.  What could it look like to add some of these creative elements into your own life?  

No matter what is your motivation for following along, I have a couple ways to do so:

• A YouTube vlog sharing how I’m preparing for the residency, what I’m learning, and what I’m creating.

   You can subscribe to my YouTube channel right here. 

  
  

• Short blog articles reflecting on what God is teaching me and what I’m learning creatively throughout the residency .  To get notified about those blog articles, you can  click here.  

  
  

• Once the residency concludes, I’ll prepare selected studies and finished pieces to share on my website and through future shows .