Artist-in-Residence Program

 

Capitol Reef National Park's Artist-in-Residence Program

The Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program at Capitol Reef National Park offers professional artists the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the park’s inspiring landscape. “This residency program is an exciting progression of our relationship with the artist community, and will give visitors the chance to know Capitol Reef in a new and different way, through the eyes of an artist,” said former Capitol Reef National Park Superintendent Leah McGinnis who helped form the program in 2017.

Unfortunately due to staffing and housing shortages, Capitol Reef National Park will not be filling Artist-in-Residence positions for the 2024 season. We expect the program to return in 2025.

2023 Artists-in-Residence

 

Amy Grogan, Printmaking-woodblock prints

Amy Grogan

Printmaking Woodblock Prints - April 2023

Following graduation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Art Institute of Chicago in 1988, Amy moved to the Southwest where her work has reflected the wilderness landscapes, wildlife, and plants found there. Amy has explored the 4 Corners backcountry for over 30 years, in addition as a volunteer backcountry ranger at Canyonlands National Park in 1991 and at Mesa Verde National Park in 2014. Recently she collaborated with the San Juan Mountains Association for their "Wild for the Weminuche" wilderness campaign. Amy has also done commissions with the Mountain Studies Institute and Rocky Mountain Wild. In 2019 she was awarded an art residency with the Pike Isabel National Forest near Buena Vista and has done art residencies with Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and the San Juan National Forest. Currently Amy is interpreting iconic Southwestern landscapes in reduction style, limited edition block prints. Her work is available for sale at Artisans of Mancos in downtown Mancos and online at: www.wizeowlhandprints.com and @wizeowlart

 

Kathy Hodge, Oil painting & charcoal drawing

Kathy Hodge
Oil painting & charcoal artist - August 2023

Kathy Hodge was born in the Washington Park neighborhood of Providence, RI. At the age of 14 she took up her parents’ oil paints, put aside after they graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and started their family of seven children. Like her parents, she attended RISD and majored in painting. After two years she found it necessary to leave school and work for a year to further finance her education. She earned her BFA at Swain School of Design in New Bedford, MA. Returning to Providence, she was inspired by the drama and light effects of the industrial waterfront and began the first of many series of paintings. These included the stark organic forms of the salt marshes which surround her home on the bay as well as man-made environments: church facades, Russian cityscapes, shoemaking machinery and paintings inspired by the view from a train window. More recently she has pursued her interest in the natural landscape through appointments in 15 National Parks and Forests as Artist-in-Residence, most recently in Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks. She has exhibited her work in many solo and group shows, and was awarded the RI State Council on the Arts Fellowship in Painting in 2017. She is an exhibiting artist member of the Providence Art Club and is a popular teacher in multiple art mediums. Her work is in many private, corporate and National Park collections. Her studio is currently located in East Providence, Rhode Island www.kathyhodge.com

 

Gloria Miller Allen, Watercolor artist

Gloria Miller Allen

Watercolor artist - September

I’m a “lifer”, meaning I have painted all my life. I enjoy painting occasionally in other media, but my skill with watercolor is my strongest. Mostly, I am a purist using transparent watercolors in the classic sense. Very few tricks, gimmicks or special effects interest me. I find the beauty of a clear glowing wash simply fascinating. It is also very hard to do, especially in the dry climate of Idaho.

I have been in over 65 National and International competitions. I currently sell my work through The Juniper Sky Gallery in UT.

My first book, “I Think ~ Therefore I Art” was published in 2012 and available through Amazon.com. This is an instructional type book. My second book, “Four Decades of Paintings and Poems” was published in 2014 by Xlibris and is available through the publisher or you can get signed copies from me. This is more of a coffee-table book containing selected paintings and poems that represent a small percentage of my work over 40 plus years.

I have served as juror and have taught watercolor workshops around the country. In 2010, I served as Artist in Residence for one month in Zion National Park and then again in 2013, I served the same on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Both were amazing experiences.

I enjoy designing perhaps more than any other aspect of painting. It is what I get asked to teach most often. To me, if a painting is designed well, the other things (color, drawing and subject matter) fall into line easily. Design is where magic takes place.

My life did not permit me to study art in college, but I permitted myself the time necessary to work hard at gaining skills and learning about this amazing thing called ‘Transparent Watercolor’. Thousands of paintings and drawings give you an un-purchasable knowledge that can be obtained nowhere else. Books, drawing paper, pencils and paint are tireless-patient-teachers and I believe “Persistence does pay dividends.” www.GloriaMillerAllen.com

 

Paul Atkinson, Night Sky Photographer

Paul Atkinson

Night Photography - October 2023

Paul Atkinson is a self-taught American artist working in the photographic medium. His work celebrates not only the natural landscape, but also explores the human landscape from a detached examination of what is left behind. He employs the assumed truthfulness of the camera to present a reality that frequently transcends the limits of human visual perception, through both night photography and by including light from the near-infrared spectrum.

While he pursued a “safe” career in engineering, he never forgot his passion for art; and with his retirement, he plans to work full-time indulging that passion. Through his art, and this residency, he hopes to share with others the beauty and wonder of the night sky, while promoting awareness of the growing threat of light pollution.

Atkinson’s work has been exhibited nationally in numerous juried shows, and resides in private and institutional collections. He is an advocate for dark night skies with the International Dark-Sky Association. He resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. His work may be seen at www.patkinsonphoto.com.

 

Program Info

Selection:

Applications are reviewed by jury panels of past program participants, subject matter experts, local community arts leaders, and park staff. Their decision will be based on merit and how the artists' work can communicate the park's significance and its relevance to park visitors. While artists may indicate the session of their preference, selection for that session is not guaranteed.

Once all available residencies are accepted, remaining applicants are notified of the outcome of their submissions via email. A press release will follow announcing the names and backgrounds of selected participants.

Jury panels consider applications based upon the following:

Portfolio: Does the art suggest they can help broaden, diversify, and enhance Capitol Reef National Park through their art form? Does it have a wow factor that makes you really want to see/hear/read more from this artist?

Outreach: Is the artist's proposal for public outreach activity novel, interesting, and provid visitors with opportunities to experience Capitol Reef in new ways?

Accomplishments: Does the artist's resume demonstrate competence in their chosen field and that they have a track record of achieving what they set out to do?

Program limitations:

Selected artists travel to and take part in the program at their own expense except for the $500 contribution. Participants are at liberty to use online fundraising campaigns to help cover costs associated with their residencies, but they may not brand, promote, or imply endorsement of such activities by the National Park Service, Capitol Reef National Park, or the Artist-in-Residence program.

Local transporation is not provided. Participants must possess a valid driver's license and personal vehicle.

Housing:

The artist will be lodged for free in temporary park housing within the Historic Fruita Distrcit. Utilities are included. ADA-compliant (standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act) housing is currently not available. The artist will have a private bedroom and studio but may have shared common living areas, bathrooms, and kitchen. Housing rules apply, such as no pets or smoking. Prior approval is required for guests.

The house is furnished and has a telephone line for local or phone card calls. Wi-Fi is provided however, there is no cell phone service in the park. A shared washer and dryer are available in the park to use. Kitchen includes major appliances (refrigerator, stove, sink) and some very basic utensils and dishes. The selected artist is responsible for bringing everything else he/she may need.

Dental and medical care, churches and groceries are available within 30 miles west of the park in Torrey, Bicknell, and Loa. More extensive services are available in Richfield (population 7,500) located 75 miles to the west of the park.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Artists-in-Residence are enrolled in the Volunteers-in-Parks program. The artist works an average of 40 hours of work per week in the park or other approved locations.

During the residency, the artist presents one 45-minute public interpretive program for a two-week residency or two 45-minute presentations for a four-week residency either in the park and/or at The Entrada Institute.

No later than six months after an artist’s residency, the artist will donate an original, Capitol Reef-inspired product to the Capitol Reef Natural History Association (CRNHA). For visual artists creating physical pieces the size is limited to 48 inches on any side for two-dimensional pieces, and a footprint of roughly 18-inches square (324 square inches) for three-dimensional pieces intended for indoor display. Potable outdoor pieces will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Finished works must be donated with frames or cases appropriate for secure public display, transportation, and storage, and must not require permanent installation or alteration of host facilities. While artists retain ownership of copyright for thier donated pieces, they are asked to grant permission for limited ongoing use to the park and its formal partners for program promotion, public outreach, and development of sales items in the park bookstores, with proceeds benefitting program operational costs.

Application Requirements

All applications, without exception, must be completed online through the CallForEntry.org website, where you can create an account and manage your application for this and other arts opportunities.

For questions and troubleshooting of your application, please email program staff.

To learn more about previous Capitol Reef Artists-in-Residence, visit the Past Artists page. View a selection of work from artists in the Artists in Residence photo gallery or the Music page.

Other Artist-in-Residency Programs across the National Park Service