Thursday, September 14, 2023

Foundation House, CT, Artist Residency Experience Part 4. Open Studios Event


An open studio event was planned for the weekend to which visitors from outside were invited.  For this event, with the director's permission, I installed my installation "A Thread X A Thread" inside the house.  I chose the staircase, the foyer, and the end part of the great room.  These three spaces were separate, but my thread work held them together around one wall between them.  My rule here was to hook the threads where there were already places to hook them, such as the stair posts, railings, and wooden dowel joints.  This made for a rather unique composition for the installation.  And these dowel joints were strong and solid!   As I touched the old, smooth railings and panels, I could feel the craftsmanship and the weight of the history of this old house.  I got help from Jeff, a writer resident of this program with installing the piece at the high position.  It turned out to be one of the largest scales to date for this work.  I am so thankful for the generosity of the place for allowing me to do this.  


















This open house event was all the more special and significant because it was the first time that people from the East Coast of the United States added the threads to my work.





















I also exhibited my painting series "Iridescence," which I created in my studio. Thanks to the environment that allowed me to concentrate on my work, I was able to complete eight paintings.










Foundation House, Greenwich, CT  August, 2023


Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Foundation House, CT, Artist Residency Experience Part 3. Apple Orchard

On the second day, Christina, the Director of Foundation House, gave us a tour of the outside grounds.  We looked around the rotunda, pond, the island in the middle of the pond, a crooked bridge to go to the island, the horse trails, the green house, the former stable, and more. 










She told us that the apple trees in the orchard were bearing fruits for the first time in several years. This was the first time since the new owners purchased the land. Inspired by this, I decided to temporarily install my installation "A Thread X A Thread" here as a way to say, "the apples have found a home" and to celebrate. I thought it would mesh well with the theme of my piece.






Our artist residency group had a group photo here with Mimi, the owner of this place, and her beautiful dogs!  I am truly grateful to Mimi for buying this place and saving it from being destroyed and letting us to use it.  What generous philanthropic spirit!  



That day, an accident happened. The sprinkler had wet my threads. Knowing that the morning dew would make them even wetter, I decided to leave them overnight. I waited for the afternoon sun to dry them out completely and took the pieces down. They smelled like the Connecticut sun.  It was an accident, but I think it added an even more interesting saga to this work.





Foundation House, Greenwich, CT  August, 2023

Monday, September 4, 2023

Foundation House, CT, Artist Residency Experience Part 2. Exploring the Place

Walking through the house was like exploring a mysterious and magical place in every way.  Main floor has foyer, great room, library, kitchen, and dining rooms.  You are surrounded by stone walls, exposed beams, stained glass windows, wood panels.  Upstairs there are bedrooms.  I couldn't tell how many bedrooms and bathrooms there were.  Each room had different and fascinating features: uniquely shaped light fixtures, arched windows, doors, niches, walk-in closets, wood and marble floors. 









My favorite spot was the main stair space.  The staircase squares off the space, with a chandelier hanging in the middle that looks just right.  The landing has a large window with latticework.  The ornate woodworked railings and posts are smooth to the touch, and the creaking sound as you walk down the stairs evokes the thrill of walking through a large old mansion.  The floor is stone, and a decorative wooden wall hides a secret door to the basement.





The basement is another favorite of mine.  It looked like a medieval undercroft or cave.  Many rooms were unfinished, but wooden doors had been installed in each room.  Every door made a squeaking sound.  I lost myself there several times.  At one point, I was shown the gym in the basement.  After that, I could never find it.





Foundation House, Greenwich, CT  August, 2023






Friday, September 1, 2023

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

Sunday, August 6, 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.