Arctic Circle Residency
Hello Friends,
“The Arctic Circle" is a nexus where art intersects science, architecture, education, and activism--an incubator for thought and experimentation for artists and innovators who seek out and foster areas of collaboration to engage in the central issues of our time.”
That is from the home page of the Arctic Circle Residency in which I am invited to participate this year. I was one of 30 chosen after a lengthy jurying process from over 300 applicants.
As most of you already know, I've been an artist for about 30 years. For most of that time, my work has been motivated by my desire to communicate ideas and concerns that I feel need to be shared with a larger audience--sometimes with the hope of shining light on a specific social concern or a personal insight gleaned from my life experience.
Over the course of my career, one consistent subject has been an abiding concern-- the environment that we share with the rest of life on this planet. I have used several means to address the need for awareness of the urgent need for change in our relationship with the natural world if we are to survive. Fire is used as a metaphor in my work both as a destructive and constructive force. I have often incorporated animals in my work to provide a focus for the fragile and threatened entities which co-habit our world. It is my hope that this experience will further my efforts towards these goals and, in some small way, move the needle towards preservation of our wonderful, fragile environment. We possess the power to destroy our own nest. We also have the power to preserve and reverse the damage we have created when motivated to do so.
Having now been invited to participate in this residency, I need to raise funds to help defray the costs and this is where I need your help. The cost of the residency is $6,200 and I will still need to get there which looks like about $2,000 more for plane tickets. Additional costs include sound recording equipment and cold weather gear. Any money that is raised beyond my costs will go toward the creation of a body of work which will directly stem from my residency experience. I will be creating a blog soon to record the creation of those works so others can share in the results of this experience.
I sincerely appreciate any support from you whether it be monetary or moral. If you are unable to provide a monetary donation, please share this with your friends as that is also another way of informing others of this remarkable opportunity provided by The Farm Foundation ( www.farmfoundation.org) and The Arctic Circle Residency ( www.thearticcircle.org)Thank you,
Richard