Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Artist Residency: GUM SNEAKER COBWEB MOUTH
an accessible multi-media artist residency on March 17-21
(updated on 3/13: APPS FOR THIS SESSION OF GSCM ARE CLOSED. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CYCLE OF THIS RESIDENCY STARTING IN MAY!)
In a few weeks I will embark on my second attempt of an indie at-home artist residency, which I affectionately named GUM SNEAKER COBWEB MOUTH after a few strange lines of an original poem.
The idea to do this on my own was born after being upset at the countless barriers there are with artists residencies, including but not limited to application and tuition fees, missed work and travel expenses, lack of COVID mitigations, etc…
Carving out time and space for our art doesn’t need to be burdensome or costly, in my opinion. You are invited to join me next month at the second rendition of GUM SNEAKER COBWEB MOUTH! Below is more info for how it is structured and how you can do this at home.
Please note that exact dates are March 17 - 21, with a celebratory video call to follow. Please complete this google form if you’d like to show interest.
Applications Accepted by Midnight EST on March 12th.
While this is a free offering, we are collecting donations to support two family’s GFM campaigns. You can donate and learn more here.
Residency Intentions:
to be a free, accessible, and generative art space
to take care of ourselves as we tend to our art practice
to be in community with other artists
to answer the question: who is in our respective artistic constellations?
I created a general structure for each day that considers one’s health needs, rest needs, and other obligations, alongside the need for community engagement. I decided not to make this a solo retreat and to invite pals to join me because isolating away from others in this time would be counter-productive for what I need right now.
If you decide to try this residency but think running off into the woods is what you need, you’re welcome to do so. This residency is designed to be dynamic with suggestions for low, medium, and high energy, so hopefully each person can mold it into whatever shape they need it to be. If the suggested options don’t appeal to you, feel so welcome to create your own in whatever mediums are most available to you!
General Structure:
morning
wake up slowly (try not to look at your phone right away)
acquire breakfast
read something (anything) while eating food
do writing / art for 20 minutes
Low Energy: voice note or notes app / unobserved contour drawing of hand
Medium Energy: journal / gesture drawing based on reference photo
High Energy: typewriter or document / realistic observational drawing
carry on or attend to other things as needed/desired
afternoon
acquire lunch and drink water
go on an outing to engage with nature or craft
Low Energy: online event or artist interview or book from home
Medium Energy: visit a neighborhood spot you can get to easily
High Energy: visit an inspiring place outside of your neighborhood
carry on or attend to other things as needed/desire
evening
acquire food and water
log how the day went, specifically noting what you did and how it felt
*The intention is for this to last 5 days and after the final day we’d have a lil live meet up to share how this experience went and maybe do a show n tell with something we made!
As you can see, there is lots of rest time baked into this residency. The most important part of art-making, I think, happens when we aren’t actively working on things. It happens in the quiet moments when we are digesting ideas and making connections across form, and taking care of ourselves. Art at the expense of our well-being isn’t worth it, to me at least, which is why I structured this residency in this way.
This is truly a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing, and I hope some of you might join me as I journey into my art practice in this way. Soon I will compile a list of potential online activities that you can plug into your own agenda, so stay tuned.
If you’ve stayed this long, tysm! And let me know if you have any questions :)
XOXO,
Sarena
ps. if this residency excites you, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support my efforts!