Over the past three years, we have been building up a natural dye garden in the parking lot next to The Weaving Mill. Each year we’ve expanded a bit, adding more raised beds and diversifying our planting. We started our first year with Japanese indigo and a mix of marigolds. This year we are growing Japanese indigo, coreopsis, woad, madder, Hopi Black sunflower, weld, marigolds and golden marguerite in addition to a mix of non-dye but definitively delightful plants (red foliated cotton, Hungarian black broomcorn, Amish pie pumpkins to name a few)… This summer will be the 6th year of the Westtown Artist Residency Project. Like our dye garden, it has grown and morphed over the years, changing shape in response to what’s happening at TWM and what’s happening in the world.
This year, we invite proposals from artists who are interested in working with our garden in one form or another. All levels of gardening and dyeing experience are welcome to apply. We are especially looking for proposals that think expansively about how one might work with a garden to make work: seed-saving, curriculum development, textile dyeing, plant harvesting, botanical drawings—we are open to a wide variety of approaches! While in residence at TWM, the visiting artist will work independently on their own studio projects while simultaneously developing and leading collaborative workshops/projects with Westtown program participants (adults with developmental disabilities). Over the 6 weeks, the artist-in-residence will be asked to contribute about 16 hours of programming for Westtown participants. Visiting artists will have workspace of their own (size/shape to be determined based on artists’ needs, though it won’t be private or enclosed), access to a selection of tools and supplies (detailed list below), and 24-7 building access. We will work with the artist in residence to source materials and supplies for their workshops and the visiting artist will receive a $600 stipend.
TO APPLY (deadline July 15)
Please send responses to the following questions (150-200 words each), along with 3-5 images of work and/or link to a portfolio or website to info@theweavingmill.com, with subject line <<<WARP 2021>>>
· Tell us about yourself: what does your studio practice look like? What are you interested in/looking for in your work? How has pandemia shaped your work in the last year or so?
· What would you like to work on at TWM? Tell us about your goals for your own studio projects and how you imagine integrating that with workshops/projects for Westtown participants.
· Do you have natural dye/garden experience? If yes, tell us about it. If not, tell us what you are interested in exploring.
What we can offer
The fruits of the garden
A large parking lot, good for messy outdoor projects
A small but functional dye kitchen (including portable electric and propane burners, large pots, utensils, scale, measuring tools, drying racks, water supply, some dye chemistry)
A floor loom (4-10 harness, depending on your needs, double warp beam available)
Knitting machine
Work surfaces
Excellent light
A vast supply of buttons
Yarn (much to choose from, but it might not be the yarn you dream about)
Fabric (much to choose from, but it might not be the fabric you dream about)
24-7 building access
$600 stipend plus a flexible workshop materials budget
6 weeks, dates flexible mid-August through October
Due to the nature of our collaborative work at Westtown Center, we will ask that the visiting artist show proof of vaccination before starting the residency.
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
This year’s W.A.R.P. cycle is generously supported by the Hyde Park Art Center’s Artists Run Chicago Fund.
