For the past two weeks, I’ve been living on a 175-acre winery deep in the wilds of Sonoma county as a part of the Chalk Hill Artist Residency.
Since I learned I was selected to be one of 16 artists to participate this year, I’ve been really excited and nervous about this opportunity. I really haven’t had the time or space to just focus on art since I was in film school 20 years ago. I didn't want to screw this chance.
I got back Monday and I'm still mentally unpacking my time there. I lived in a hundred-year-old farmhouse filled with books and 1960s tchotchke yet was lacking an internet connection. (This proved to be more a benefit than a problem.) I had a huge goat barn-turned-studio to work in. And I had the stunning beauty of California wine country to inspire me.
Though I had plenty of opportunities to laze around and drink some of the local wine, I found that working in my studio in a focused and sustained way was far more fun than anything else. I produced seven oil paintings and six mixed-media landscapes.
I'll share the art I produced soon.
