Why are you interested in renting a studio at the McColl Center vs. another studio?
I am an artist deeply committed to my creative practice, and have reached a stage in my career that requires a deeper level of experimentation, challenge, collaboration with other creatives in an inter-disciplinary environment, and broader, more meaningful engagement with the public and arts professionals. As a long-time arts educator who adores teaching, especially to those who are underserved in the arts, I understand deeply the intrinsic value of environments that foster critical discourse, education, and knowledge-building practices, and I feel it is now my time to again become a student in my own education and skill-building. The opportunity that the McColl Center offers for collaboration with other artists and colleagues who can help me stretch and grow is critical. I am also a former resident of the Hungarian Multicultural Center in Budapest, and that powerful experience early in my artistic career served as an important navigator for many years after. I have a strong desire to experience that again in my resident city, so that I can deepen my practice in a meaningful way, and subsequently provide meaningful creative experiences for my community. The McColl Center’s reputation for excellence can undoubtedly provide me access to the resources to become a better artist, innovator, and creative contributor.
What do I hope to accomplish with a McColl Studio?
I have established two primary goals should I become a studio tenant at the McColl Center. The first goal is to become a more multi-faceted, dynamic artist through experimenting with my current practice, using a series called Trees that is in its beginning phases. By testing this series and changing scale, adding 3-dimensional, text, or environmental elements, or incorporating movement/performance into the series, each individual work becomes more impactful and engaging. This is also particularly important for me to enhance and become more experienced in techniques and mediums I have not traditionally incorporated.
My second goal is to use the studio, and the visibility it affords, to spark awareness, dialogue, and action around climate change, using my Trees series as a catalyst. The McColl Center provides a place for artists to respond to any number of critical issues our society faces, and a studio of my own would allow me to build upon that platform to diffuse the messages of climate awareness and activism in our community. My Trees series allows me to express my passion and appreciation for the role trees play in our natural spaces, health, and community prosperity.
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