Kickstarter

The Residency and Project

I have been accepted into artist residency in Assisi, Italy the month of September 2012. Arte Studio Ginestrelle is located in the Regional Park of Mount Subasio. Providing a beautiful natural landscape, I hope to make life-size sculptures from natural found materials in the area. These landscape sculptures are inspired by my Power Women collage series. Being a woman who has felt very weak at many moments in my life, I have created Power Symbols and used Power Women Icons to inspire and provide strength, knowledge, and empowerment to myself and others. These icons are confident and have reached a state of self-awareness and enlightenment. They have their mind’s eye open, tapping into a cosmic/creative source. I use an upside down triangle as a female power symbol, a cosmic source of strength tied to sexuality and sexual identity.

I have been out of college for 2 years, earning a Bachelor Degree in Studio Art. This residency will provide me with an educational experience and help me to complete my first large concept and initiate my career as a professional artist.

Funding

To stay at the residency is $1200 and the flight to Italy is $1,300. Through commissioned art work I have nearly paid all the costs for the residency, but need to raise $1,500 to cover travel expenses(flight, trains, cars) to and from Assisi. In February I applied for an Individual Artist Grant from the Indiana Arts Commission and this week (June/20/2012), following two of their meetings, they awarded grants to only 39 out of the 114 applicants. I was hoping this grant could fund my trip, but it will not. Now I really need to kickstart this project myself and with your help!

**$1,500 will only cover my travel expenses, any extra funds given beyond this amount are greatly appreciated. I would use extra funding to purchase materials so I can complete my Power Women series when I return, fund an exhibit, and buy a digital camera to capture and record my experience.**

Benefits

In gratitude I would like to provide a piece of the Power Women collection to you for backing this project. Check out the rewards for each pledge level on the right side of this webpage and click the pledge text to begin. Thank you!

Please note that Kickstarter is an all or nothing funding platform. If my funding goal is reached or exceeded within 30 days, Amazon will collect your pledge by charging your credit card at that time. However, if I do not meet or exceed my funding goal by Sunday, August 5 Amazon will NOT charge your account and I will not receive any funding for this project.

Thank you so much for your interest in this project! Please visit my website to see my latest completed projects and inspirations from my Power Women collection. wix.com/meajohn/MelissaJohnson

THANKS AGAIN!

Melissa