Residency-AVIVO ArtWorks-Jes Reyes-5 Hrs
Last Thursday I began my residency at the AVIVO ArtWorks studio. The first task at hand was to clean up the communal workstations, so I wiped down a few tables and chairs. Afterwards, I decided to do a little sweeping. It was nice to start the day with some light cleaning and familiarize myself with the space. Once I was finished, Jes was ready to discuss what the rest of the day would look like. We went over confidentiality rules, class schedules, distributing supplies, and overall goals regarding our work with members in the studio. I was really pleased when Jes spoke about an initiative to motivate and advocate confidence in member's ability to make art. Jes explained the importance in valuing members potential as professional artist, which really resonates with my own vision as a teaching artist. Right away, I knew it was going to be a good day.
After our talk, I was introduced to a couple members during an open comics class. I was invited to draw with them, which actually made me sort of nervous. I had no idea what I should draw, but shortly decided I'd just draw my own hands. At the beginning, I was pretty quiet. I had a small fear that joining their conversation would be too invasive, so I waited for an appropriate moment to ask a question. They answered with excitement and continued to engage in conversations with me throughout the day. At that point my fear was lifted and introductions came at ease.
During open studio hours, I introduced myself and devoted one on one time with as many members as I could. It was incredible to meet so many passionate artists with such an impeccable drive to create. They all demonstrated an impressive range of skills and displayed an eagerness to grow through their work. I'm thrilled to be welcomed in such a strong and connected art community. To top it all off, I saw so many members helping one another with projects; offering their own personal supplies and tips. It was refreshing to witness that kind of support especially considering the rigorously competitive nature of other art communities. Overall, It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to be back next Thursday.