Allegheny National Forest seeks artists for summer and fall programs
WARREN — The USDA Forest Service is seeking artists for a residency program in the Allegheny National Forest. The call goes out for artists over 18, of any medium and experience levels, and will consist of a three-week stay in a private cabin outside of Kane.
The peace and serenity of nature will get the creative juices flowing for a special piece of work for the forest collection, and the artist will also provide a public program or presentation as part of the stay.
Applicants have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, 2024 to apply. Visit the Artistin-residence (AIR) program website at http:// www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ airprogram for the full details and application instructions or contact AIR Program Coordinator Kate Fenstermacher at the Bradford Ranger station at 814363-6049 or at katherine.fenstermacher@ usda.gov.
Artists of all mediums will be considered, whether that be painting, writing, sculpture, dance, music, photography, etc. The artist will be free to work on their art during the residency. They will be required to donate one piece of work that will be added to the forest's permanent collection. The work may be used in exhibits, for educational purposes, and or auctioned by partner entities, and the artist must allow unrestricted use of their piece of work.
The selected artist will receive three weeks of free housing and a stipend, as well as easy access to the forest, field trips with forest service staff, and networking opportunities with local arts organizations. Their private cabin has a living room, full kitchen, full bathroom, and bedroom with twin bunk beds. The kitchen is fully stocked with a fridge, stove, microwave, pots/pans, and cooking utensils. Artists will need to bring their own art, making supplies, linens, blankets, towels, personal
gear, and toiletries. The location in the forest has limited cell phone coverage and Internet connectivity which should provide a peaceful disconnect from the distractions of the world.
“Art is about storytelling. It allows for the creation of multiple narratives of our lives, both individually and as a whole. We are intrinsically connected to the future and what we do now and how we speak about our public lands sets the stage for the next 100 years,” said AIR Program Coordinator Kate Fenstermacher.
Stories like Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden," Walt
Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass," and Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” have inspired the modern conservation movement. The aim of the AIR program is to build connections between our local communities and the natural resources in our public lands and inspire an emotional connection in the way that art has a way of producing.
John Muir wrote in the first chapter of “Our National Parks, “When, like a merchant taking a list of his goods, we take stock of our wildness, we are glad to see how much of even the most destructible kind is still unspoiled.”