OTHER ARTISTS REFLECTIONS ON THEIR RESIDENCY
Over the next posts I’ve included personal reflections by other artists on residency at the Banff Centre.
KATHERINE SOUTHAM: BAIR residency
The Banff Centre gave me the time and space to experiment with different mediums. Being a cast glass artist, I facilities allowed me the space to carve large pieces of stone, make a mess and experiment. I brought pre-cast glass elements that I intended to combine with stone, and I was really pleased with the 24-hour access to come and go in and around the Centre.
Having my own studio, my practice from beginning to end is quite solitary, and it is stimulating for me to change my creative surroundings. Banff is a beautiful, inspiring place to do so. Residencies are a way to recharge my batteries by meeting wonderful artists, having great discussions, and exchanging ideas. It is constructive to have artists from different countries, backgrounds and disciplines together; it makes you realise aspects of your own art that you would like to develop, and it also opens up creative possibilities that you never would have thought of.
Another important outcome of doing this residency was the professional contacts that I developed from around the world. I met some artists with whom I am still actively in contact, and we keep each other informed of our artistic development. I know that they are a valuable resource if I ever need help with problem-solving, and I am also planning a joint exhibition for later this year with an artist I met at the Banff Centre. This experience has been enriching, and I recommend it to any artist looking to nourish their practice.
http://katherinesoutham.blogspot.ca
LISAMARIE JOHNSON: BAIR residency
My name is Lisamarie Johnson, I am an Irish artist who graduated with a Masters of Fine Art from The National College of Art and Design Dublin, Ireland, 2010. I primarily work in performance art. My thesis project involved community conversation and storytelling. Irish history was heavily kept alive by the oral, the shanachie (seanchai) and the seanos, it is a very important part of my culture and my work often develops from a social strand merging with and from a community practice.
I was particularly interested in Mary Schaffer the first white woman to be-friend the natives living in the Rockies (Banff, Alberta and Calgary).
I befriended an Elder and German shaman (Helmer and Doris) while on my residency in the Banff, representative of the Ist nations they told me stories , played music and helped recreate an object I used in my performance, the collaboration with the Luxton Museum and the Indigenous writers program helped develop a new work entitled “The Chandelier , The Indian and me” that represented both white culture :decadence, capitalism and western arts such as ballroom and Opera . While the gem, crystals and feather represented: craft , the four directions and the sun-dance.
I am currently producing and editing the filming and shots I took while on my time in Banff and on the Stoney reserve. This is supported by the digital residency program at the Fire-Station Studios Dublin. I really enjoyed my time and friendships made. The Banff Centre couldn’t have done enough for me, my co-ordinator Sarah Fuller was very supportive of my work. The nature of the residency allowed for socialising and meeting with other artists on residency, such as the thematic program, ‘The International Experimental Comedy Camp, which brought much fun all around, I even collaborated on some stand up!
