By Bernheim
Bernheim has opened the application period for the 2019 Artist in Residence Program, accepting entries through Jan. 21. Up to four artists will be selected to live at the arboretum for six weeks to three months, where they will create nature-related art. Artists are encouraged to explore ideas that reinforce Bernheim’s mission of connecting people with nature and to use their residency to explore new avenues in their own work.
“For nearly 40 years, artists from around the world have created amazing works of art at Bernheim. These pieces inspire creativity, deepen our visitors’ connection with nature and provide a unique and fun experience,” said Mark Wourms, Ph.D., Bernheim’s executive director.
Bernheim will award one residency to a regional artist living in Kentucky or Southern Indiana, while the other artists may be from anywhere across the globe.
Bernheim Visual Arts Coordinator Jenny Zeller, who manages the program and was a 2016 Bernheim Artist in Residence, called the experience deeply enriching.
“To live in this pristine forest and create art is a fantastic experience that allows nature to inspire and energize,” said Zeller.
Bernheim provides living quarters, a stipend up to $2,500 ($1,000 for regional artists) and studio space in exchange for a site-specific sculpture, project or exhibition, with at least one mutually agreed upon work of art left to the Bernheim Foundation. Artists also participate in community outreach through a lecture, workshop, demonstration or some other specially developed program.
According to Wourms, the program supports founder I. W. Bernheim’s wishes to create a place for the people of Kentucky “to further their love of the beautiful in nature and in art.”
The Artist in Residence Program is available to visual artists of all mediums, including sculptors, installation artists, architects, painters, photographers, environmental artists as well as sound and video artists. Applicants may be emerging or established artists on a regional, national or international level.
To apply or learn more about the Artist in Residency program, visit bernheim.org/air.