Shayla Bond's reflections at the Akin x Salmon River Studios Residency

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We sat down with Akin Dupont member Shayla Bond (@byshaylabond) to talk about her experience during the August residency as the first recipient of the Akin x Salmon River Studios Residency.

 

Akin: What were you working on during the residency? 

Shayla Bond: During my residency I worked on an intimate natural dye and memory project rooted in place, relearning natural dying through a reflective approach. I spent time walking the property and responsibly gathering plant materials and fallen matter that connected me to memories of Maus Park, my in-laws’ former 12 acre property near the Grand River in Paris, Ontario, a place that became deeply important to me over the past decade.

Rather than trying to recreate Maus Park, I was interested in exploring how a place can continue to live through memory, colour, and observation. I translated what I gathered into natural colour on cotton and linen, documenting each dye through technical notes, photographs, and written memories. The result became a swatch journal, an archive of relationships between plant, gathering site, colour, memory, atmosphere, and place. 

The residency finished with an artist talk where I shared the project and introduced the basics of natural dyeing. We then walked the Salmon River property together, stopping at places where dyestuffs had been gathered or where the landscape made me reflect of memories of Maus Park. At each stop, I read excerpts from my dye journal. Sharing those personal connections in the places where the colours originated became a particularly meaningful way to bring the project full circle and felt quite intimate. 

 
 

Akin: Did being away from your usual studio environment change how you worked?

SB: Yes, absolutely. I brought only the basic equipment and materials I needed and nothing more. In my usual studio, I’m surrounded, and sometimes inundated, by projects and works in progress.

The barn studio was so open and spacious, with these beautiful high ceilings. Having only the task at hand to focus on made me incredibly productive. I accomplished more dye tests than I had originally planned and found that I was able to take in and retain what I was learning more deeply. And the sound of the rain on the roof, wow!

 

Akin: What was your favourite part of your time at the residency/How did having dedicated time and space to work affect your practice?

SB: My favourite part was having dedicated time to let go of everything else and focus on a project that continuously gets pushed aside in favour of client work and commissions. That, combined with being immersed in nature and pretty off-grid, was truly restorative. It felt like the first time my cortisol levels had lowered in a while!

Eco-glamping is just comfortable enough that you still have your creature comforts, while keeping you really connected to nature. That side of the experience almost forces you to slow down, fully immerse yourself in the process, and let go of the distractions of daily life.

I had actually taken a week of vacation only two weeks before the residency, but it was nowhere near as restorative as this trip. So, I’d have to say my favourite part was the overall feeling of relaxation and having this little pocket of time away from the daily hustle and bustle, and to get back to play and exploration.

 

Akin: Did you develop any new techniques or ideas that you plan to continue exploring?

SB: During the residency, I returned to natural dyeing for the first time in 12 years. It gave me the chance to relearn the process, experiment with materials, and reconnect with techniques I’ve wanted to bring into my current practice for a long time.

Moving forward, I want to incorporate more naturally dyed materials into my quilting and textile work. I’m interested in gradually moving the beginning of my creative process further back, not just working with the fabric, but creating the colour itself.

 

Akin: Was there a particular moment, discovery, or day that stands out to you?

SB: The property is 52 acres, so there was a lot of land to walk and explore. When reading about the ethical harvesting of natural dyestuffs, I came across the philosophy, “Ask the plant for permission before harvesting, you will feel the answer.”

I really appreciated the idea and sentiment behind it. When I was gathering goldenrod from the eastern fields, I decided to ask the plant for permission, and I felt good about harvesting it. Later, when I went to gather goldenrod from the western fields, it just didn’t feel right, so I left it.

In that moment, I felt like I had formed an emotional bond with the land I was staying on. It felt quite profound to share that experience during my artist talk, and people really responded to it. I also read personal excerpts from the swatch and memory journal I created during the residency. Sharing those reflections felt very open, vulnerable, and beautiful.

Akin: What advice would you give to another Akin member considering a residency at Salmon River Studios, including what they should bring and anything you wish you had known before arriving?

SB: I was the first artist-in-residence at Salmon River Studios, so I walked into the experience somewhat blind. They had also basically finished building the space the day I arrived, but amazingly, I never would have known! They did such an incredible job putting everything together and had thought of pretty much every detail.

Because the residency is still new and the accommodations are eco-glamping, I’d suggest reaching out to the hosts, Gabe and Ashley, ahead of time about any equipment or technical needs. Do you need outlets? How much power will your equipment require? Is reliable Wi-Fi mandatory for your project? Having those conversations in advance will help make sure what you want to accomplish is feasible. It also shows that you’re arriving with intention and have really thought about what you want to work on! Also, be aware it's outhouse only if that's not your thing!

I’d also recommend planning your meals and groceries ahead of time, bringing extra art supplies, and packing clothing, footwear, and swimwear for spending time outdoors. It can get cold and damp at night. Also, I love bringing my own pillow lol

Click here for more information about the Akin x Salmon River Studios Residency

Read more about Salmon River Studios Artist Residencies here

Spark Box Studio Summer Artist Residency 2017

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Spark Box Studio Residency is now accepting Summer 2017 applications!

Artists-in-residence stay in a charming country farm house located by historic Prince Edward County, Ontario, surrounded by the beautiful landscape of rural Ontario. Each resident is given studio space and access to our printmaking equipment. Trained technicians work at the studio to assist residents.

This is an opportunity to focus on a new body of work, meet practicing artists. Spark Box Studio’s Artist Residency Program provides live/work space to accommodate both emerging and professional printmakers, photographers, painters, illustrators, and writers. Artists-in-residence have access to our professional studio and resources. The Residency Program affords artists with space and time to support the advancement of their careers and to strengthen their practice.

Interested artists may apply to live and work at Spark Box from one weekend to 2 months.

For additional information, please contact Chrissy Poitras, Executive Director at chrissy@sparkboxstudio.com or 613.476.0337

Jeannie Thib Mentorship Residency

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Jeannie Thib (1955-2013) was a talented artist and cherished member of the Open Studio community. This mentoring focused residency is a fitting way honour Jeannie Thib’s legacy. Jeannie was a great supporter of other artists, long established and emerging. This residency is open to a printmaker in the early stages of their career, who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to their practice within the last one to five years.

Residency includes:

  • Rent free access to the studio facilities for a period of two consecutive months between September in the calendar year the residency is awarded and June of the following year.

  • Up to 16 hours of mentoring with an established print media artist to hone the recipient’s technical skills and provide career development support.

  • Materials up to $300, to be purchased through Open Studio.

Submissions must be received by Open Studio by 11:59 pm EST (GMT -5) on May 1.

Click Here to Apply

VSVSVS Summer Residency Program

Open Call: Summer Residency Program 2015

We are quintuply pleased to re-announce the VSVSVS Summer Residency program for its fifth summer!
Information:
Our annual residency program will be held at the VSVSVS warehouse over the summer of 2015. We will work with the selected artist(s) to determine exact dates for the residency within the months of August and September. We are looking specifically for dedicated artists to produce some cool shit while making a valuable contribution to our collective environment. The residency is intended for experimentation, research, and production and favours an open-endedness in approach.

The residency is offered to any practicing artist(s) in any media from anywhere in Canada  outside of Toronto (groups or collectives are also considered). The length of the residency is negotiable ranging anywhere from one week to two months, depending on the wants and needs of the artist(s). The artist's stay will culminate in a show or event (or workshop, or screening, or performance, or whateva...) at the VSVSVS Gallery. The residency provides 24 hour access to the 14 ft. x 20 ft VSVSVS Gallery which will serve as studio space and the exhibition space, as well as access to the fully equipped woodshop and our developing 3d imaging and printing suite. It is mandatory that the artist utilize the space: you gotta be there or we will be sad and miss you.   Studio visits with other local artists, curators and VSVSVS members are strongly encouraged (we love an open dialogue). We are pleased to be able to offer exhibition and travel assistance as well as accommodations (if you can handle living with all of us) at the VSVSVS warehouse. Guess what else? We are paying artist fees and transportation.
VSVSVS will help with promotion and documentation of the residency program and the subsequent exhibition/event, etc. We are super excited to facilitate selected artist(s) with any pursuit/event coordination/writing/exploration.
Project proposals do not have to include a specific end-point. Actually, we think it's important that the experience of being here can help guide the work, so some open-ended-ness is encouraged.    
If you’re interested, send us some stuff!
For almost the exact same information on our website go HERE.
For past residents go HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
MOST IMPORTANT: We are able to pay travel expenses and artist fees! There is also living accommodations provided.

Submission packages:
Suggested format for submission packages is one PDF* containing:
• A short introduction outlining the individual’s past artistic experience, a brief proposal for the residency, and any other relevant information. This part of the submission should be no more than 500 words..
• A curriculum vitae. No more than 3 pages
• Images of past work (JPG, 1024x768 pixels, 72 dpi)
• Videos can be provided as links
• OPTIONAL: A link to something awesome
• All files should be MAC and PC compatible.
*For those unfamiliar with PDFs, you can use Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Open Office and export as a PDF.

DEADLINE: May 17/2015
We look forward to hearing from you.
We only accept submissions via email.
Please send submission packages to residency@vsvsvs.org
VSVSVS would like to acknowledge the generous support of The City of Toronto through The Toronto Arts Council

CANADIAN ART: EDITORIAL RESIDENCY

Call for Applications: 2015 Editorial Residency



Editorial and web staff at work at the Canadian Art office. Photo Stefanie Fiore.
We are now accepting applications for the 2015 Canadian Art Foundation Editorial Residency. The residency is a national prize awarded annually to a current undergraduate, graduate or other post-secondary student with an interest in developing expertise in the realm of professional art-magazine publishing. Now in its 11th year, the prize awards an 11-week summer residency at Canadian Art, along with a $7,000 prize. The winner will hone writing and editing skills while learning production procedures for online and print media atCanadian Art. This introduction to art-magazine publishing and writing is intended to foster new editorial and critical talent, and to provide hands-on experience working in the field.
The 2014 residency was won by emerging curator, writer and art-history student Natasha Chaykowski, who said of her experience:
Being the editorial resident at Canadian Art provided me with an unparalleled and rare opportunity to learn about the production of print media. Having only previously worked with online publications, I found this to be an incredibly formative and instructive experience. In addition to learning about magazine production, I was also able to further develop my writing style and hone editing skills—both of which are essential for working in publishing specifically, but also in the arts more generally. The skills I gained this summer at Canadian Art have already been and will continue to be proven invaluable.
To apply, send a 500-word review of a contemporary-art exhibition, a list of titles of recent academic and/or professional writing on art, a cover letter and a one-page CV.
Send applications to residency@canadianart.ca by 5 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 2, 2015.

SPARKBOX STUDIO RESIDENCY PROGRAM




LEARN MORE HERE
Spark Box Studio’s Artist Residency Program provides live/work space to accommodate both emerging and professional printmakers, photographers, painters, illustrators and writers. Artists-in-residence have access to our professional studio and resources. The Residency Program affords artists the space and time to support the advancement of their careers and to strengthen their practice. Our program also offers a variety of career building opportunities for artists including our Emerging Artist Guide, opportunities for business workshops with local professionals and consultations with local artists and curators.
Artists-in-residence stay with us, Chrissy and Kyle, in a charming century home located just outside the town of Picton in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. Interested artists may apply to live and work at Spark Box for a duration of one weekend to 2 months.
Spark Box Studio can facilitate up to three residents at any one time. Residents receive a bedroom and a dedicated semi-private studio space.
Check out our ‘Things to know FAQ’ for additional information.
PAST RESIDENTS
We love our residency program at Spark Box Studio. It has been an extremely rewarding experience to have artists stay with us from around the world. As the months go by the roster of alumni grows and we are very proud to have hosted so many great artists. Follow this link to a list of past residents.
ARTIST RESIDENCY PRICES
We strive to offer affordable accommodations and studio spaces for resident artists.
Weekend – $120.00 + tax
One week – $330.00 + tax
Two week – $525.00 + tax
Three week – $630.00 + tax
One month – $780.00 + tax
Two months – $1,350.00 + tax
* All prices are listed in Canada dollars (CAD) 
** Ontario’s current tax percentage is 13%