Applications for our Artist in Residence Program are currently on hold while we work to secure funding to move the program into a minimum security correctional facility that Fern taught at last year. In the meantime, if you are able to secure your own funding for the residency, please get in touch! We thank the Edmonton Arts Council for funding three of the six artist placements. (The other three Fern paid for. YOU’RE WELCOME!)

• 3 month duration

• every Thursday from 2-7pm (or anytime within that window, ideally a minimum of 4 hours per week)

• applicant must have a visual art practice (preferably NOT textile based) and either a website or instagram with examples of work

• includes space in a shared studio in Strathcona

• studio is completely barrier free

• includes use of tools including cut and looped pile tufting guns, shears, electric scissors and shavers for carving, umbrella swift, cake winder

• includes all material for one practice piece 20 x 20” and one final piece 30 x 50”: wool, monks cloth, frame, glue, felt backing

• includes one on one lessons that offer basic knowledge on tools, materials, tufting, craving, trimming, finishing, trouble shooting

• expectations: regular gun maintenance, studio maintenance; wiping down surfaces, vacuuming at the end of every session, putting tools away

• expectations: written testimonial about experience

• expectations: not mandatory but awesome if you share the experience on social media

No previous tufting or textile experience is preferred. The aim of the residency is for visual artists to explore their work in a new medium. Materials provided during residency are for in studio practice only.

HOW IT STARTED: There's so much talent here in Edmonton I've often wondered what people's work would look like in a textile format. The tufting gun is a good tool to introduce visual artists to textiles as it's similar to drawing/painting but with yarn. Exploring a new medium is exciting but tools, materials, studio space and knowledge all take time and money to acquire. The residency was born in the spirit of wanting to make these connections while addressing the obvious barriers. Our three month residency helps folks jump these hurdles by offering it all to them at zero cost.

It's been inspiring having other artists in the studio! Since 2022 we’ve hosted:

Michelle Campos Castillo - https://michellecampos.myportfolio.com/the-soil-between-plants

AJA Louden - https://www.ajalouden.com/exhibitions/prairie-star-deck

Ella Thomson - https://www.latitude53.org/maybeads

Emily Chu - https://heyemilychu.com/Illustration

Brianna Tosswill - https://www.briannatosswill.ca

Christina Battle - https://cbattle.com

We are pleased to acknowledge that this project is made possible with the support of the Edmonton Arts Council.