Week One Residency Blog Post: Things I’m Noticing So Far

Watch the Week One Vlog here

It’s been a week since I arrived in PA for my self-made residency. I’ve logged five days of creative practice: plein air painting, color studies, sketching, block carving, printing, and stitching. As I sit on my parent’s side porch, listening to the birds and wind rustle through the trees, I can look back on the week and share some things I’ve noticed.

The funny thing about paying attention is that the things you notice rarely arrive in a neat order. They show up as fragments, connections, questions, and small reminders.

So for this week’s reflection, here are a few things that have surfaced.

– Familiar places, objects, and people carry layers of meaning that unfold over time if I’m willing to look from new perspectives and angles. This doesn’t erase past experiences or meanings. It deepens them.

– You can’t get it all done. Even during a residency. There will always be more ideas, more experiments, and more places to explore. The goal isn’t to check every box. The gift is being present for the things that do happen.

– Symbols can be real places and things. They don’t have to be cryptic and abstract in order to be meaningful. I think it’s the sharing of our stories and experiences that transforms a personal symbol into something others can connect with.

– Time is our most precious resource. Spending it with real people in real conversations, and doing things that help us grow and learn, is a good way to honor that gift.

A few things I absolutely have not regretted after one week:

– Not doom scrolling (I removed social media off my phone)

– Seeing my grandparents every day

– Journaling

– Taking random roads just to see where they go

– Being gentle with myself when I’m tired and need a break

This has been a wonderful week of creating, pondering, and connecting. I’m learning that a residency isn’t just about what I make. It’s also about what I notice, what I question, and what I allow myself to see.

I’m already seeing these observations find their way into sketches and ideas. Whether they become finished pieces or simply change how I see, I think that’s part of the work too.

I’m curious what will surface next week.