Foundation House, CT Artist Residency Experience Part 1 Arrival

In August, 2023, I participated in an artist residency program at Foundation House, Greenwich, CT.  Although it was only a short period of nine days, It was a very impactful experience for me.  For the next several posts.  I am going to write about this place and the experience.    

This spring, while searching the internet for art opportunities, a place caught my eye.  It was Foundation House in Greenwich, Connecticut.  It was described as "a creative and philanthropic community."  It was once a mansion for Mel Gibson and other wealthy people.  There is a large Tudor-style manor house built in 1927. Outside are extensive yards, gardens, ponds, horse stables, greenhouses, gardens, orchards, a tennis court, a huge chess set, swimming pool, rotunda, and hedge maze.  At first glance, it looked beautiful and interesting, but also mysterious.  The facility offers artist residencies and activist residency programs throughout the year. Their mission to improve the environment, social justice, and mental health was exactly what I was thinking about while making art.  They also offer a stipend and honorarium to cover the cost of residency.  They encouraged me to apply for the Artist Residency program in August.

When I learned that I had been selected as one of eight participants out of 80 applicants, I was very excited!  I immediately purchased my airline ticket and began packing for Connecticut. 

When I arrived at Foundation House, I found it to be a truly beautiful place, far beyond my expectation.  My bedroom was in the middle part of the second floor. The latticed, south-facing windows faced a spectacular view of open green lawns, huge trees, and bushes both near and far.  They were all well-maintained and neatly landscaped.  Everything in sight was within the estate.  I was speechless with amazement and emotion.

Every day I woke up to the morning sun, the sound of birds and the smell of coffee.  I tried to walk outside every day and also spent many hours in my private studio, which was located on the corner of the house and had windows on two sides of the room.  I worked on my small painting series "Iridescence" here day and night.  I was able to focus on art making thanks to the environment that provides us with food, financial support, and time for individual use.             

To be continued...

Foundation House, Greenwich, CT, August, 2023

Foundation House CT Artist Residency Coming Soon

 

    Photo from Foundation House Website

 Photo from Foundation House Website

     I am very happy to announce  that I am accepted to Foundation House Artist Residency Program in August, 2023!  I am so excited to be able to spend 9 days creating artwork in this beautiful place in Connecticut.  It was built in 1927; it's nearly 100 years old.  The history of this house is here.   It has 3 miles of walking trails.  Along with making art, I am hoping to spend time immersed in nature!  These photos are just a glimpse of this place.  I will be posting the photos of the experience soon.  

Where Women Create Magazine Premium Newletter

So happy that I am featured in Where Women Create Magazine Premium Newsletter.  In this newsletter interview,  I talk about the collaborations with my daughter Sarah, the collaboration with The City Girl Farm, and the trip and exhibitions in Japan.  Please check it out! 

This happened because I was one of the featured artists in the Fall 2022 issue of What Women Create.  The back order of this issue is possible through this page if you are interested.  

Keeper 150 in the Wichita City Hall

I recently visited Wichita City Hall with my daughter Sarah.  We went to see the photographic poster of the replica of the "Keeper of the Plains" statue that we painted as part of the Wichita's 150th birthday project, which is now attached to the door of one of the elevators in City Hall.  Our Keeper's name is City Bird Keeper. You can read more about it here. 

Each of the seven elevators has different poster of a Keeper from the project on the inside and outside.  Thinking that the door is opened and closed every day, and watched by people every time the elevators are used, we are grateful and exited.

先日、娘のセーラと一緒にウィチタ市役所を訪れました。私たちがウィチタ市市政１５０周年のプロジェクトの一環として描いた「Keeper of the Plains」像のレプリカの写真ポスターが、市庁舎のエレベーターの1つの扉に設置されているので、それを見に行ったのです。私たちのKeeperの名前は、City Bird Keeper（シティ・バード・キーパー）といいます。 詳細については、こちらをご覧ください。 

7基あるエレベーターの内側と外側には、それぞれこのプロジェクトのキーパーを撮影した異なったポスターが一作ずつ付けられています。エレベーターが使われるたびに、観てもらえ、毎日開閉して動いていると思うと、 ありがたく、嬉しく思います。

2022 Fall Japan Trip (6) Otemachi, Tokyo ２０２２年秋 日本旅行(6) 東京 大手町

At the end of my stay in Japan, I was able to share my artwork in one more location...in a skyscraper in Otemachi, Tokyo. Otemachi is an office district that has become the financial and economic center of Japan, and I had no idea that my art work would be exhibited in such a place. God takes me to interesting places. 

I was asked to share my testimony and exhibit my artwork at the service of a church called Grace City Church, which is held in this building.  My works were displayed to about 100 attendees with a vision of community engagement, human connection, and beyond.  I was also able to share the story of my late mother.  Thank you to everyone who helped me and put on the threads. It was a very blessed time for me. I hope that my work and the story I shared were a blessing to you as well.

日本での滞在の最後に、もう一か所で、私の作品をシェアすることができました…東京大手町にある高層ビル内です。大手町といえば日本の金融経済の中心地となってきているオフィス街ですが、そんなところで私のアート作品を展示することになるとは思いもよりませんでした。神様は私を面白いところに連れて行かれます。 

このビル内で持たれているGrace City Church という教会の礼拝で、証と作品の展示を頼まれたことによります。約100人の出席者を対象に、コミュニティとの関わり、人との繋がり、そしてその先のビジョンを持って展示されました。また私の亡くなった母についてもお話しさせてもらいました。手伝って下さった皆さん、糸をつけてくださった皆さん､ありがとうございました。私にとってとても恵まれた時となりました。皆さんにとっても私の作品とお分かちしたお話がブレッシングでありましたように｡

As I mentioned before, Roger Lowther of Community Arts Tokyo wrote a podcast episode about the exhibition at the Minami Terrace and this exhibition in Otemachi.  For more information, please read my previous blog post.

以前にも書きましたが、南テラスとこの大手町での展示を通して、Community Arts TokyoのRoger Lowther さんがポッドキャストの記事を書いてくださいました。こちらがそのリンクになります。詳しくは以前の私のブログ記事をお読みください。

This post is the conclusion of my several-part travelogue of my 2022 trip to Japan.  Thank you for reading.  I had an amazing time in Japan!  I hope it was inspiring to you, too.

何回かに渡った私の２０２２年日本旅行記はこのブログ記事で終了です。 読んで下さってありがとうございました。 日本では素晴らしい時間を過ごすことができました。  皆さんにもインスピレーションを与えることができたなら幸いです。

2022Fall Japan Trip (５) Solo Exhibition at Minami Terrace, Tokyo ２０２２年秋 日本旅行(５) 東京 南テラス

Back in Tokyo, I had another solo exhibition at Minami Terrace, meaning south terrace, an art space in a quiet residential area in Meguro-ward.  This is a place where many young people gather, led by Mayu, who is the director also an artist herself, and her friends. It seems that many of the neighbors also come here with their children to relax . Throughout the two days, it was like watching my own history as old friends and friends who I met in Kansas and who now live in the Kanto area came one after another. Thanks again to everyone who came!

 再び戻ってきた東京では、もう一つの個展を目黒区の閑静な住宅地にあるMinami Terraceというアートスペースでさせてもらいました。ディレクターでご自身もアーティストとして活躍するまゆさんと、そのお友達を中心として、若い方々が多く集まる場所です。近所の方々もお子さん達連れで、リラックスしに来られているようです。二日間を通して、古くからの友人や、カンザスで知り合い、今は関東在住のお友達が次々と来てくれて、自分の歴史を見るようでした。来てくださった皆さん、本当にありがとうございます！

The artist talk hosted by Community Arts Tokyo was such an international gathering.  Abi's simultaneous translation into English was a real blessing. Thanks also to Alana Essex from Texas for her musical performance. She sang some country music songs on the theme of "home" along with her original songs, and I could feel American home on Japanese soil.

Community Arts Tokyo 主催のアーティストトークはインターナショナルな集まりで、Abiさんが英語に同時通訳してくれたことが本当にブレッシングでした。音楽の演奏をしてくれたテキサスから来たAlanaにも感謝。オリジナル曲とともにいくつかhomeというテーマでカントリーミュージック曲を歌ってくれ、日本の地でアメリカのhomeを感じることができました。

Alana Essex 

This art space, like the gallery at Asuka, is a renovated old house, and when you look up, the ceiling boards have been removed, leaving the wood exposed, including ridgepoles, rafters, trusses, and large beams. It was perfect for installing my thread piece, A Thread X A Thread. The roof is high and dark brown, which makes my work look deep in the space and white.  What I love most is that it is filled with milk glass pendant lights of various shapes and sizes, collected by Mayu's father as his hoppy. They looked like something round and white, like souls, carefully protected in my thread work.

このアートスペースは飛鳥での画廊と同じく、古民家をリノベーションした建物で、見上げると、天井板が取り除かれているため、むな木、たる木、大きな梁などの木がむき出しになっています。私の糸の作品、A Thread X A Thread を取り付けるのに完璧でした。屋根が高く、ダークブラウンなので、私の作品が奥行深く見え、また白く引き立ちます。何より気に入ったのは、まゆさんのお父さんの趣味で集められた様々な形のミルクガラスペンダントライトがいっぱい設置されていることです。私の糸の作品の中に大切に守られている丸い白い何か魂のようにも見えました。

The space is furnished with retro furniture, old records, guitars, and other items collected by the father's hobby, and the soft colored wooden flooring and sofas make it a relaxing space like a living room. As the name "South Terrace" suggests, I thought it would fit the concept of my work, a space that is warm and welcoming, a space that cherishes encounters with people.

スペースにはやはりお父さんの趣味で集められたれレトロな調度品や古いレコードやギターなどが置かれており、やわらかい色の木のフローリングにソファーが置かれ、リビングルームのようなリラックスできる空間でもあります。南テラスという名のごとく、温かい、人を迎え、人との出会いを大切にしている空間、私の作品のコンセプトとも合うと思いました。

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the many people who helped me and made this wonderful show possible.

多くの人の助けてくださり、素敵なショーができたことを心から感謝します。

Minami Terrace : 1-20-2, Minami Meguro-ku, Tokyo