Michael Hepher: Artist residencies – a home away from home, part II

The view from my accommodations at the Sointula Art Shed Residency, a short walk to the beach where I would see the colours at sunset and listen for humpback whales. Photo: Michael Hepher

Michael Hepher

I’m Michael Hepher, a full-time artist, printmaker and writer living and working in Fernie. Articulate is committed to sharing artistic voices from across the Columbia Basin, and I’m one of the lucky people who has been invited to contribute my thoughts every other month. I’ll be sharing what’s on my artsy mind, give you glimpses into life as a rural artist, and talk about what’s going on in the cultural scene in the East Kootenay. Thanks for reading!

In my previous article, I explored what artist residencies are. I finished by asking: If I’ve spent so much time at home curating my studio space to be perfect for my practice, why do I need to go away to work even harder at my art?

Each artist has their own reasons for going to a residency, but here are a few of the benefits I’ve found from the ones I’ve been on:

A change of perspective: I’ve heard it said that if you are building a house, you shouldn’t make your best view your biggest window. The underlying idea is that if you see it every day, you begin to take the view for granted. Since most of my work is landscape-based, when I start to feel like my studio practice is becoming mundane, I need to inject some excitement into it. Experiencing a new place with new views and colours is a great way to get a break from the daily view and come back with fresh eyes.

Experiencing a new place with new views and colours is a great way to . . . come back with fresh eyes.

Networking is growth: Most of the time, as artists, we work in our studios alone—that’s the way we want it for the most part—but it’s always very affirming to meet other artists, see their processes, and talk with them about their journeys. It’s easy to get discouraged as you ride the roller coaster of the creative path, but when there is a chance to really get to know other artists, you find that, across a wide variety of mediums, the struggles and the joys each one faces are very similar. It’s very encouraging to find out that you are not alone. Recently I shared a residency with a ceramicist and a contemporary oil painter who worked in geometric abstraction. All of us were mid-career artists, and as we talked about our journeys we found out we had more in common than not. Over coffee we talked about ideas and shared philosophies. I left feeling validated, connected to something larger than myself, and inspired by their approaches.
Ability to focus: My home studio is a little island haven for me from the whooshing of day-to-day life, but when I’m there I’m still at home. There are plenty of ways my brain tries to distract me by filling up the day’s to-do list with non-artsy items like lawn mowing, laundry or errands. It’s amazing to watch my productivity increase substantially when I carve out time to step out of that day-to-day space and into a new stream. At a residency, my responsibilities are limited to feeding myself, sleeping and creating. Working in this manner can help bring focus to complex projects, create positive working habits, and provide the opportunity to dig deep into new processes that are difficult to carve out time for at home.

Where the River Cuts Through the Plain, my original oil painting of the view from the hill above the Similkameen Artist Residency. Photo: Michael Hepher

Affirmation: The ability to think of yourself as an artist is a lifelong journey because imposter syndrome is real and tireless. When someone sees you for your work, and invites you to participate in a residency, it can really help you feel validated about the effort you put into your work. Only artists get invited to participate in artist residencies, so if you get a chance to go on one that means you are an artist. Even on a solo residency like last summer’s trip to Sointula, I found it gratifying to know that the community understands that you are there to create. As an island community of about 600 people, they have benefited from a different artist visiting every month since 2012. They embrace the artist by making them feel welcome: leaving pay-it-forward coffees at the local coffee shop, visiting open studios days and stopping by to see the current gallery window. No one questions the validity of your artistry.

Regardless of why you might choose to pursue an artist residency, they create an important mechanism for artists to step away from their common view in order to understand their practice in a new way. Sometimes I go in with a plan, and for others I simply go and see what inspires me.

Here in the Columbia Basin, there are a number of short- and medium-term residencies available to artists, but if you are unsure if it will work for you, I would encourage you to start small: book a week or long weekend at an Airbnb or campground—somewhere you can spread out more than in a hotel room—and take only your favourite art supplies. Tell yourself your job is to create things, and go do that. Go for a hike and sketch, or look out the window and write. The Basin is an inspiring place to live and work, so take advantage of it.

A watercolour and pen study of the “Big Tree,” a 1,500-year-old cedar on Malcolm Island, BC. During my time at the Sointula Art Shed Residency, I used watercolours to do quick colour studies as I explored the island. Photo: Michael Hepher

When you are ready to step it up to a formal residency, here are a few that might suit:

The Narrows Art Retreat: This program takes place at a boat-access-only site along the Kootenay River near Nelson, with workshops and a week-by-week residency program.
The Empire of Dirt: This Creston program offers themed and mentorship residencies, both subsidized and self-funded.
The Vallican Whole: This Slocan Valley program, operated in co-operation with the Slocan Valley Community Arts Council, offers month-long paid residencies, with two opportunities each summer.
Wild Kingdom Art Retreat Residencies: This program offers self-organized, self-guided, nature-based residency opportunities for individuals or groups, with rustic accommodations in the Slocan Valley.

Also keep in mind that residency activities may be eligible within a project proposed to the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance. Check out the funding programs and reach out to CKCA for more info.

I am truly lucky to have my ideal and evolving workspace 10 feet from my back door, but learning, creating and simply being human mean that I sometimes need to step away. Artist residencies provide me with a valuable tool to broaden my artistic horizons and shore myself up for the next curveball my practice has to throw at me. I encourage every artist to make use of this valuable—and exclusive—resource.

To find more about me (Michael Hepher), check out the links below. I’d love to hear from you!