December ’19 – January ’20 witnessed the inaugural Wisher Residency in Park Rapids, Minnesota as a part of MCAD MFA Launch Programming. The residency is the brainchild of MFA program director Ellen Mueller in collaboration with artists Rob Fischer (BFA ’93) and Aaron Spangler (BFA ’93). Housed in Rob Fischer’s summer house which is a charming refuge for any nature lover, the residency kicked off on December 27th and ran through January 3rd. Three MFA students were selected as residents this year through an application process: Emma Beatrez (MFA ’20), Lee Noble (MFA ’20) and Roshan Ganu (MFA ’20).

The residency is a fruit of the MFA field trip to New York City organised by Mueller in October 2019. “When I met Rob at his studio in New York during our graduate student trip to the city, he mentioned his place in Park Rapids was beautiful during the winter. It seemed like a natural fit for some of our MFA students to escape the city over winter break for a short residency. Thankfully, Rob also loved this idea, and now we’re so pleased with how the inaugural residency went,” Mueller said when asked about the inspiration behind the idea.

Each resident proposed a unique project keeping in mind the rural landscape and the seasonal traits surrounding the house. Lee Noble made impromptu sculptures from firewood and scrap from Fischer’s studio which were photographed and then burned to heat the house. Emma Beatrez produced impermanent snow sculptures from molds of religious symbols. Roshan Ganu documented the winter landscapes and the affect it produces on us, through illustrations and creative writing. When asked about her experience, Ganu said, “For anyone who wants to really capture the essence of winter, or wants to soak in the peace and quiet it brings, this residency is an excellent opportunity. I loved it!”

The official on-site host is Spangler who facilitated the stay and curated a real experience by incorporating the residents into his New Year’s Eve party. The residents participated in the run up to the party, cooking and chatting with widely-recognized chef and author Amy Theilen. The party proved to be a delightful way of meeting the Park Rapids creative community and other residents.

Owing its success to the collaborative efforts of the organising team, as well as the residents, the Wisher Residency is all set to renew for Winter 2020. Keep your eyes out for this opportunity later this year!

Photography by Emma Beatrez, Lee Noble and Roshan Ganu

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