(Belfast, ME) Waterfall Arts' 4th annual Branching Out Residency Program is in full swing. This year’s Branching Out focus, “Taking Wing”, offers a hopeful and action-based theme, reflecting the broad array of community responses to climate change, habitat preservation and sustainability--each pair will decide how to represent the Taking Wing theme.
During the program, young artists work with local professional artists in their field of interest for short term mentoring, typically meeting six times over a six week period starting mid-January. The program culminates in a collaborative or side-by-side piece of artwork to be exhibited in the Clifford Gallery during March and April, 2010. Past work has included sculpture, photography, drawing, painting, ceramics, performance, mixed media and more.
The young artist/mentor teams make art together, inspiring each other in the process. In addition, each youth artist/mentor team will be invited to make a public presentation of their work to a school or community group. Students will gain invaluable experience in the creative collaborative process, hanging a show, and public speaking, all essential skills for any professional artist. An honorarium will be given to each professional artist to cover supply costs through a grant from the Davis Family Foundation.
“What an important program it is, and what a fabulous experience it was. As a professional working photographer/artist, with 20 years of experience to share, it was a joy for me to be given the opportunity to work one-on-one, with young artists, in my studio, to create collaborative works of art….Professional artists like me are given the opportunity to leave both literal and figurative marks and inevitably, the children leave marks on us as well. I would go so far as to say that Branching Out is a program that should be implemented in every community in the country.” (Comments made by a 2007 Participating Artist Mentor)
A “meet and greet” at Waterfall Arts for artist mentors, young artists and their families is scheduled for Friday, January 15th. This meeting kicks off the six weeks of residency work time, where the pairs will meet a minimum of six times to work collaboratively. For more information, please contact Waterfall Arts by phone at 338-2222 or visit www.waterfallarts.org.
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