The
Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts (KIRA) in the famous
Kingsbrae Gardens of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada will be home
for Sallie Thompson, a founding member of Gallery 54, here, for the
month of August.
Overlooking
the Bay of Fundy in the Canadian Maritimes, Thompson will spend the
month working directly in the Kingsbrae Gardens “for observational
and inspirational purposes,” she said recently. As she readied
recently to depart her Skaneateles home she was looking forward to
the “gardens as my studio.” She anticipates “the public viewing
the world famous gardens will be observing my process and offering
their responses and feedback.\,” she added.
Thompson
applied for the KIRA program in late 2017, one of 220 applicants.
Only 15 were selected for the one month residencies.
Thompson
isn't new to the experience of being an Artist in Residence. In 2006
she was an Artist in Residence at the “oldest continually running
colony for the arts,” the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock, NY
where she resided and worked on her pottery from May through October
as one of three ceramic artists in residence. “During that time,”
says Thompson, “I started creating the hanging sculptures that are
now a major component of my work and expression.”
“I
look forward to the opportunity to work from my direct observation of
the flora in the 27 berautiful acres that comprise the horticultural
Kingsbrae Gardens,” she said recently. While Thompson has specific
things she wants to work on developing during her residency she notes
that she looks forward to “having time to follow where the
work/process leads. It's a time for exploration and discovery,” she
adds.
An
important part of the residency that Thompson is looking forward to
is the opportunity to engage the community in her work. “I expect
to interact with visitors in completing a clay flower garden that
will be set up at the end of the residency,” she noted.
For
certain, as anxious as she is to have her month-long residency begin,
it's not a vacation. “It will occupy every waking moment,” she
said, “I want to make the most of it possible.”
“One
of the greatest benefits to my residency,” says Thompson, “is the
opportunity to have uninterrupted time to focus on my work and the
influence of working in a unique setting with artists from other
disciplines.” Each artist has his or her own studio space but will
be sharing meals and experiences.
KIRA
is the only residency of it type in the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
Thompson, along with four other artists will reside in this historic
property, part of the beautiful seaside town of St. Andrews. Each
artist has a private studio, furnished and equipped with basic tools
and located on the property. “For the artists it's an opportunity
to engage with the community, share thoughts, and present our work
with other like minded individuals,” said Thompson.
As
potter and a founding member of Gallery 54 Thompson creates soda fired
pottery and sculptures which are currently available for purchase at
Gallery 54 and select shows in the Syracuse area.
