This July we sent Alondra Garza ’21 and Anika Schneider ’19 to our inaugural Art-in-Motion Residency, which is one of our funded Launch Programs. Art in Motion is located on the Lake Wobegon trail. It builds unity and art appreciation through incubating artists and their art, teaching creative students of all ages, hosting an open community space, and serving food and beverages.

This 2-week residency is a great opportunity for connecting with nature and new communities, reflection, and creativity. Check out these students’ responses to interview questions below!

What were some of your goals headed into the residency?

AS: I had the goal of experimenting by adding layers of paint to my print work and getting back into my painting practice after taking a break and delving into other mediums. Also during my time there I developed a new goal of creating a large long painting for a long wall at my upcoming exhibition.

AG: The theme of the summer was the monarch butterfly/metamorphosis. I wanted to introduce the other symbolism of the monarchs: migration. The monarchs have been used as a symbol for migration by the immigrant community in the U.S. They fly from Central America (Mexico) to North America (U.S. and Canada) back and forth. I wanted to create a project utilizing the butterfly and speaking about the immigrants being held at I.C.E. and their struggles. This in order to raise awareness about this issue that is still happening. We are all human and no one is illegal on stolen land. What are we doing to help these communities?…

What did your average day look like during the residency program?

AS: For my average day, I would get up and walk to Art in Motion where I would eat breakfast and then get started on my art. During the day people would come into the studio occasionally to look at the art and ask questions. At some point I would take a break for lunch and dinner and I would leave the studio around 8 pm. We took a couple “field trips” such as visiting an art market in St. Joe and going to an art opening in St. Cloud.

AG: My average day was walking from the house to Art in Motion, being surrounded by nature and getting inspired to work. I would also get an amazing breakfast, avocado toast (which Mexicans invented by the way), and that would fuel me up for the day. Then, I would start my project while the people could walk into the studio. I had a lot of interesting and exciting conversations and I met people from different parts of the country. I would also have great conversations with the owner and the gallery manager Greg and Lily, they were amazing hosts. Finally, I would also have an amazing lunch and dinner.

For those who haven’t done residencies before, there can be a lot of questions about logistics. Can you talk a little about how you transported your practice to a new location?

AS: I had to strategize what I would bring and what I could work on in the space provided. I drove to the residency so I was able to bring a decent amount of stuff in my car. I have been working on a lot of printmaking and ceramics, but knew they did not have that equipment there so I would have to make a plant to make the most of the time. I decided to pre-make 17 prints of past etchings to bring to the residency. For the first week, I added paint and other mixed media to those prints and came out with 17 paintings. For the second week, I painted on several pieces of large paper to create one large painting.

AG: I transported my studio work and materials in a car. I tried to keep it light and only take necessary stuff for the idea I had. I also packed stuff that I wanted to show in the studio and in the gallery. If there was extra space, I would pack stuff to experiment with. It requires planning and consideration of space, asking questions about the studio space you will get helps immensely.

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

AS: Having the time and space (and a different space that was so nice) really affected my work more than I thought it would. I think it is so important to switch things up to push you into new ways of making. Being in a different space forced me to use different materials than I typically do and made me braver and bolder in my approach. Overall being in a different environment freed me up to explore different avenues of making. I think also being in a new environment impacted how I was thinking about the ideas and themes behind my work.

AG: I experimented with the land, I discovered that I can make interesting work with natural elements. These elements include dirt, plants, water, rocks, and trees. I also discovered that I can make an installation in an outside space, and let nature be a part of it. It was an amazing thing to explore and discover. It got me to reflect about this conquered land, and what is my place as a Mexican and my part as conqueror. (Most Mexicans are a mix of Spanish and Indigenous of the Americas, and I am one of them). This is something that I am still exploring. Nevertheless, I wish to continue exploring with nature and unusual materials for my installations.