Amy Clay at Palapa studio at Ondarte Residency Mexico. Photo past Amy Dirt.

Artist Amy Clay has been an explorer and traveler for most of her life.

That's why creative person residencies are the holy grail for this Boulder, Colorado-based painter.

Fine art residencies provide the opportunity to combine art and travel. That's why she jumps at every chance to immerse herself in other landscapes and cultures.

Since 2009, Amy has attended 20 residencies in fourteen dissimilar countries and counting—from Republic of iceland to New Zealand, India and Turkey, and cities such equally London, Berlin, and New Delhi.

She recently wrote a gratuitous, downloadable book almost her experiences and created an online course that covers everything you need to know to research, employ and attend a residency.

We were able to catch up with Artwork Archive artist Amy Clay to hear more virtually her extensive experience applying and attending creative person residencies. If you have e'er wondered near artist residencies, here are some answers for you!

Why should artists embark on a residency? What accept y'all gained from experiences in artist residencies?

Start of all, for those that don't know, creative person residencies are dedicated places effectually the world that offer time and space away from your usual distractions. It's really a place to nurture your process and observe new ways of working.

Simply residencies aren't but virtually traveling to new places to make artwork, they are likewise about responding to new environments with fresh eyes.

My paintings have changed in so many ways because of my exposure to and so many different worlds. Artist residencies offer the chance to connect with other artists from around the earth in unlike disciplines—I dear that I experience role of a huge global network of artists!

How should artists go almost finding and researching the right opportunity for them?

You can practice a wide internet search for artist residencies, but you will probable go down the rabbit hole of research which can take a considerable amount of fourth dimension! I often useResartis to see what is available and observe the upcoming deadlines so I don't miss anything. At that place are so many options out there and so many different means they operate that it can be overwhelming.

(One quick way to filter and find your perfect residency is on Artwork Archive'southward Call-for-Entry page)

Most importantly, decide why y'all want to practise a residency, how much time and money you lot take to spend, what your projection will be, and where you desire to go.

You will desire to define and craft your application, and that saves precious time and coin downward the road. There are so many various steps to become ready for an creative person residency. From, researching, applying, preparing for a residency, also as what to await once yous arrive, there is a lot to know.

Cill Rialaig Creative person Residency, Ireland. Photograph past Amy Clay.

Many residencies cost money or take significant time away from a career and "regular life". How can an artist make certain that the opportunity is worth information technology for their career?

By and large, the all-time residencies are run by foundations. Art residencies run by foundations are oftentimes gratuitous and sometimes will fifty-fifty give you a stipend. Notwithstanding, these are very competitive!

Many of the other residencies are artist-run, have some kind of fee, and are highly variable in terms of accommodations and studios.

I've had the full gamut of experiences—from being the merely artist in rural New Zealand to living and working in cave dwellings in key Turkey and suffering above a rowdy Biergarten in Due east Berlin. I've had to avoid a huge scorpion nest "installation" in my studio in Slovenia and take been fully pampered and fed at a residency in a minor village in southern Spain. No two artist residencies are akin!

Every time you travel there is some risk involved, merely in one case yous've decided on where y'all desire to utilize, make certain to research it to observe out if there are any bad reviews.

Since there isn't a TripAdvisor for all artist residencies, you can observe out about other artist experiences by looking for artists like Amy who have written about their experiences on their blog.

What are some tips that y'all take for preparing a stellar application? How practise y'all prepare for your applications?

First, make up one's mind why you want to do a residency. This will assistance you ascertain your projection and will narrow down your search. For example, if you lot want to paint landscapes in the United states, you lot might apply to the National Parks organization. If you are an installation artist inspired past street culture, peradventure only apply to cities that have a gimmicky urban edge.

The other thing is to arts and crafts a compelling projection proposal that is authentic to you and get in relevant to the place in with you are applying. Each residency has dissimilar criteria, so brand certain you read the awarding carefully—sometimes they desire emerging or established artists, or have environmental or socially conscious themes.

Don't waste time or coin on irrelevant applications.

I go over the ins and outs of the application process in my form and have downloadable worksheets to aid create your proposal, organize deadlines and all the variables that need to be considered before applying.

Studio in Residency in Provence—4 winds Atelier. Photo by Amy Clay.

What should artists do before their residency to brand certain they get the most out of the experience.

First of all, ready as well equally you can before you go.

About residencies are i month long (some more, some less) so weather tin alter a lot during that fourth dimension. Bring coincidental, simple layers of article of clothing for a range of conditions conditions. And brand sure you either bring your art supplies with you or tin can buy them when you get in.

Some very pocket-size villages don't have art stores; so keep that in mind. Then, get creative once yous are there—I worked a lot with cardboard because information technology was always bachelor and cheap, also!

How tin can artists mentally prepare to get ready and have a productive residency?

Hopefully, you lot will be able to leave most of your life behind temporarily while yous are at a residency. So, try to take intendance of nearly things earlier you get out.

Once y'all are at the residency, try to exist as flexible, tolerant, and open up every bit possible. This is a unique gift—to have the fourth dimension and infinite to focus on your artwork—just things don't ever become every bit planned. Try and recall of this as part of the adventure! Go with it!

As well, continue in mind that sometimes your best piece of work will happen subsequently your return when y'all have digested all that you experienced.

How can artists leverage their feel afterward the residency has ended ?

That's e'er the question. How exercise yous stay disciplined when back in your domicile life with all of its distractions?

Information technology's piece of cake to stay connected with your fellow artists subsequently the residency is over, via email etc. Mayhap you could concur each other accountable in completing projects or create some kind of exhibition as well. The creativity doesn't stop with the painting—it's even more interesting to create ways of showing your work!

But otherwise, it's downwardly to each artist to follow through with the work they started at the residency and to build on information technology further.

How important is it for you to record and document the work that you produced at the residency?

Very important! When I started doing residencies in 2009, I didn't document it too as I wish I had and the video quality isn't what it is now.

I now take more videos and photos every bit well as blogging regularly virtually my studio practice and residencies in which I've taken function. I wish that I had done more writing about my experiences dorsum then, only I'1000 making up for it now!

Sharing is an important part of this whole experience.

What do you practise in the face of rejection? What advice practise you have for those that have practical and didn't get their dream residency?

Unless you are at the top of your field, everyone gets rejections. Just continue applying.

Nearly residencies accept an application fee, which and so information technology can add together up, so make sure you lot sympathize the criteria for each residency. Don't waste your fourth dimension and money if you are not eligible.

The residencies that take a fee are more often than not less competitive, so perchance apply to those showtime and as you grow your resume, and then apply to the A-listing foundations like MacDowell and Bogliasco. Through your inquiry, you get to know the heavy hitters and sympathize their guidelines before yous begin to apply.

Are at that place any other common questions you get about artists looking to apply for art residencies?

I oft get asked which residencies I recommend, but given that each residency is so different, it'due south hard to narrow it down. In that location are and then many variables, and each group of artists will impact and then much the experience you will have, that it tin can make or break the overall experience.

Again, in my class, Creative person Residencies: Everything You Demand to Know to Inquiry, Apply and Nourish One I cover pretty much all of the bases!

 I go over the ins and outs of the awarding process and have downloadable worksheets to assistance create your proposal, organize deadlines and all the variables that demand to exist considered before applying.

My concluding discussion on residencies is that if yous are an artist and dearest to travel, information technology is a creative chance that should non be missed!

Amy stays organized, documents her work and prepares for applications with Artwork Archive.

See why she loves it by starting your free 30-day trial.