About this project

I have been invited to spend two months in Donegal, Ireland, at a printmaking studio called Cló: www.clo.ie 

Cló is in Gortahork, and is in the Gaeltacht, one of many areas of Ireland designated as Irish-speaking: http://www.gaeltachttravel.com/gaeltacht-regions/statistics-on-the-gaeltacht-and-the-irish-language/ A studio in operation for the last twelve years and run by Ian and Oona Joyce, Cló has built a reputation for working with many Irish-language artists and poets.  In part funded by the Irish government to help preserve the Gaelic language and culture, Cló has invited me work with a designated group of Irish artists from the region, helping them with the bookbinding aspects of several projects.  While there, I will also teach several book arts workshops to locals.  This part of my work will be in exchange for lodging and studio time in Cló's excellent facilities, situated in a particularly beautiful and remote part of Donegal. 

An equally important aspect of my residency is the opportunity I will have to discuss and explore collaborative opportunities with other Irish and European artists. (Yay!)

Additionally, I will be able to work uninterruptedly on several projects of my own. 

My work for the past four years has centered around ideas of community, storytelling, and home. As those familiar with my work know, I use printmaking, people's stories, and the book form in non-traditional ways to create books, sculpture and installations. When I'm there, I will explore a new step in my line of inquiry, focusing on the question, "what is worth preserving?"  By learning about the challenges, opportunities, and nuances of Cló's artistic mission to preserve its native language and culture, I will deepen and experiment with my notions of things I think worth preserving: in a broad sense, my preoccupations will continue in the direction of language, storytelling, oral history, the book itself, penmanship, conversation. As part of this investigation, I will be making a series of eight artists' books (one a week), many prints using a technique new to me (solar plate prints), and exploring some large outdoor book sculptures! And I will be making stuff for you guys, of course.

The money that I raise will be used to get me to Ireland (and back again!), and keep me there for two months. It will help cover food, air and land travel once there, materials and some fees as well as contribute toward expenses needing to be covered at business and home in my absence. This is an incredible opportunity, but one I wouldn't be able to do if it wasn't for your help. Thank you in advance!