This summer, our recent alum Anika Schneider ’19 traveled to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This was a part of the MCAD/Arrowmont University Fellows Matching Scholarship, supported by the Windgate Foundation. This is a unique program in which two MFA students are awarded a free week-long summer workshop, plus room, board, and a travel stipend during the summer after they graduate. This program is just one of our growing number of Launch Opportunities for MFA students.

We caught up with Anika to learn more about her experience at the Narrative Figure Painting Workshop.

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

During this week, I wanted to learn more about how others approach narrative figure painting within their practices and  gain new ideas to reinvigorate my own approaches. I also wanted to use the week to make freely and experiment with out any pressure to make finished or successful paintings.

What did your average day look like during the residency? 

My average day consisted of getting to the studio by 8:30 am and painting most of the day with breaks for lunch and dinner. Since it was a workshop, there was some instructions and prompts to get paintings started, but it was a really good balance since we also spent most of the time working on the paintings that we were most interested in and beneficial to our own individual practices. In the evenings before bed, I would go to artist talks, open studios, or spend more time in the studio.

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

Everyone in my own workshop was primarily a painter, but we had a really great mix of backgrounds from BFA and MFA students, K-12 art teachers, to a political cartoonist. The great thing about Arrowmont is that there are a variety of workshops happening at the same time so at mealtimes and open studios I was able to connect with a huge variety of artists including ceramicists, fiber artists, and furniture designers.

For those who haven’t done residencies 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? Did you bring your materials from home or did you purchase them on site?

I brought most of my materials from home. I flew but I am a very efficient packer and brought a limited palette of oil paints, brushes, jars, and some small 12″ x 12″ wood panels. I pre-decided that for any larger paintings, I would paint on paper and packed and empty tube to transport those paintings back. Arrowmont had a small art supply store on location where I picked up some basic supplies as well. I think that working within limitations and not having every material available at a residency can be part of what makes your practice grow. You have to learn to be flexible in your practice, which forces you to try new things. I partly wish that I had switched things up even more and brought acrylics instead of my usual oils, which from a practicality stand point would have dried faster, but also I could have spent the week diving into a new medium and really pushed my skills.

What were you inspired by during the residency program? Location? Peers?

I was definitely inspired by my peers through this experience. Working next to so many painters all day really encouraged me to push myself in response to their successes. I learned so much from being able to see so many paintings progress and watch others’ processes. It was an entirely different learning experience in comparison to studying finished paintings.

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

I was amazed at how much I could learn in a week and really appreciated the structure a workshop gives. I have done more traditional residencies before, but I really love how a workshop provides instructional support while also letting you pursue what you need for your own practice.

 

Photos courtesy Anika Schneider