Art Center West: Artist in Residence

Artist in Residence (AiR) program at Art Center West (ACW) in Roswell, Georgia promotes artistic and professional growth for emerging artists, and brings creative energy, inventive thinking, and diverse approaches to ACW for the advancement of the collective.

Beginning the second week of August, the AiR program encourages experimentation and development of the artist’s work in order to propel their educational, academic, and/or professional career over a twelve to twenty-four month period.  An ideal candidate should be pre-professional, hold their MFA or BFA in ceramics, and be engaged in a vibrant, self-directed studio practice. Candidates interested in teaching and community engagement will receive special consideration. Experience making on the wheel, firing soda and wood kilns, and sculpting figurative works will all be sought after criteria for this year's search. 
 

Art Center West is a 7,000 square-foot community studio set in the suburbs 25 miles north of Atlanta.  The facility ranks amongst the finest in the area, and is well equipped with some of the most favorable equipment in contemporary ceramics featuring multiple wheel, hand-building, and glaze studios, two electric kiln rooms, multiple reduction, soda and raku kilns, a wood kiln, resident artist studios, and a gallery.
 

ACW is located in Leita Thompson Park, a 120+ acre parkland managed by the Roswell’s Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Arts Division that includes wooded walking trails, a lake, a dog park, community gardens and rolling, grassy hills. AiR housing is also located in the park as is The Forge, a well-equipped blacksmithing and metal fabrication shop.
 

AiR Responsibilities

• Artists must commit to a minimum one year contract. 

• Residents must perform at least 25 hours per week of regularly scheduled work, and be interested in teaching community classes. 3 hours per week will be dedicated to teaching community classes.

• Candidates must be willing to work diligently on routine studio cleaning and maintenance, mixing and developing glazes, loading and unloading kilns, assisting students, and various studio jobs, including gallery and office duties. Work hour responsibility is critical.

• Qualified candidates must be capable of working independently as well as be willing to participate in group interactions, critiques, and other experiences available at Art Center West.

• All personal materials are the sole responsibility of the artist in residence.  Art Center West will not supply clay, equipment for private use, tools, or personal glaze materials.

• There are set firing fees for exclusive kiln use outside the scope of professional development. 

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AiR Opportunities​

Resident Studios

• 24-hour access to a 12 x 15' personal work space. Studios are semiprivate spaces within the larger footprint of ACW.

• 24/7 access to the community studio amenities when classes are not in session. 

• Participation in workshops

• Free community firing and for professional development workflow.  Firing fees apply for exclusive kiln use when work is pointed exclusively toward outside sales. 
   

Housing

• Furnished, private housing will be assigned to qualified applicants. 

• Apartments are in walking distance from the studio

• Essential utilities (water/electric/gas) are included.  Artists will be responsible for internet connections and other amenities.
   

Stipend 

• A monthly stipend of $1000 per month will be provided.
   

Teaching Opportunities

• Additional teaching opportunities are not guaranteed, but are strongly encouraged and made available as often as possible by an independent contract. Classes cover a wide range of techniques and are offered to multiple age groups.
   

Exhibition/Sales

• Residents will have the opportunity to participate in two studio sales. (May/Dec)

• Residents will be encouraged to exhibit at Roswell Art Center West Gallery to display and promote the body of work completed during their residency.
   

Application Requirements

Resume including the following:

1.  10 Images of Work

2.  Letter of intent

3.  Artist statement

4.  2 Professional References (letters are a plus)

 

Submissions should be made via email and/or drop box- An email notification with a drop box link is preferable. Our firewall is stringent, so please keep emails under 7M total.
 

Email application packet and/or notifications to: aargentina@roswellgov.com
 

Application deadlines: May 1

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Contact AJ Argentina for more information at:

aargentina@roswellgov.com | 770.641.3990

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Current Resident: Matt Sloan