What were some of your goals going into your time there?  

I had hoped to learn some tricks for documenting work and making mobile modules for future installations.  I also was looking forward to some dedicated time where my main focus was making work without being pulled by the everyday distractions of family life.

What did your average day look like during your time there?

Each day was pretty full.  Breakfast was served at 7:30 (and trust me, you do not want to miss any meals, excellent food) and class started at 9 and ended at 5.  Class was a mix of demos, guided projects,  work time, and casual critique.  There was a break for lunch during the day and after class dinner was served around 5:30.  Most evenings I returned to the studio to work as did most of my cohort.  There was also the option to attend slide talks by the instructors and artists in residence at 7.  The studio was open until midnight, but I usually headed back to my room around 10.

Can you speak about your cohort while you were there? How much contact did you have with them?  

My cohort was a range from undergraduate students to retired people diving back into their passion.  We spent a lot of time together, not only in the studio, but we often stuck together during meals and if anyone dared venture into the chaos that is the strip of Gatlinburg.  I hope to stay in touch with them and most everyone made inspiring work and asked good questions.

For those who haven’t done workshops like this before, there can be a lot of questions about logistics, specifically when it comes to materials. Can you talk a little about how you transported your practice to a new location?

 I took the workshop called Use Everything, Drawing as Installation, so I think this workshop was a little different materials wise.  I was also excited about the prospect of a road trip alone, so I just moved my art materials hoard with me in my Jeep. The instructor provided many materials and also the spirit of this workshop was somewhat collaborative and everyone that had driven brought many materials to share. We were also provided with sketchbooks and there is a little shop on campus if you need to pick something simple up.

What were you inspired by during the experience? Location? Peers? Other?

The bulk of the inspiration came from my peers and the work that we made and the random materials available. Gatlinburg is an interesting place.  It was a bit jarring to go from a nice cruise through Smoky Mountain National Park directly into this town.  It’s really busy with a ton of tourist attractions and the streets are packed with people.

What were your takeaways about your work, career or practice?

My practice is generally very devoted to time and labor.  This workshop forced me to find ways to work faster and push myself out of the comfort zone that I have created for myself in art making.  I learned that I can explore some of the same themes in my work without devoting weeks and weeks to one single drawing.  I also was grateful to have an opportunity to make some low stakes fun work.

How can people see more of your work? 

https://www.aliyagerart.com
https://instagram.com/a.y.a.g.e.r