I spent almost all of November in rural Maine at my first artist residency. Almost four weeks where I was taken care of and given time and space to just work on my writing. It was an incredible thing. I'd made it a bit of a side hobby to get rejected from various residencies (demand way outstrips available spots), but Monson Arts interrupted that by actually accepting my application and inviting me to join them for their four week winter residency! I was able to manage the time off work, and so off I went....
What is Monson Arts and what is an artist residency and why rural Maine?
"An initiative of Maine’s Libra Foundation, Monson Arts began programming in 2018. It was started as a way to spur economic development in Piscataquis County. Monson, the last town before the 100 Mile Wilderness on the Appalachian Trail, was the home of photographer Berenice Abbott, painter Carl Sprinchorn, and was a center for slate quarrying and furniture making. Monson Arts’ mission is to provide time and space for creative work. This is done through a combination of residencies, workshops, community/school programs and initiatives, and exhibitions."
Here's a great video overview: https://youtu.be/o54gMw2_wC4?si=pTovy1pk5BCNYiou
My version of the explanation is that it is an incredibly generous program by a non-profit that gifts artists with time and space to do their work. I've never had 23 days to just focus on writing and thinking about writing and talking with other artists about their work. The Monson Arts program provides spacious comfortable housing, spacious bright studio spaces, so much food, and the company of other artists. They've thought of all the details - including a shuttle from the Bangor Airport to Monson for those of us who flew in and a stipend at the general store for food and snacks.
I used my time to study the craft of writing, to work on untangling the puzzle that is a new novel idea, reading, and time contemplating the art being created by the others there - poetry, painting, installation art, natured-based art, essays, novels - it was such a mix of different mediums and artists.
Being in rural Maine was a big change from my usual urban life. Monson, Maine has a population of 609 (2020 census). I appreciated the quiet (did not appreciate the loud logging trucks that punctuated the quiet regularly). I shovelled snow for the first time in probably twenty years. Enjoyed some brisk walks. (Missed the ocean.) The other artists were lovely people and we all got on very well, shared many meals together, had a dance party in one of the visual art studios, went for a hike up Borestone Mountain. I think rest is an important part of the process, and getting outside to spend time in nature and let one's brain work out problems in the background was something I tried to make space for - though there is a lot of self-generated pressure to MAKE THE MOST OF THE TIME. It's surprisingly hard to be okay with thinking while staring at a lake as productive work, or walking through the woods, or appreciating art by others; hustle culture tries to convince us of some crazy things.
I'm still processing the experience and I suspect it will have a ripple effect on me for some time to come. The main word that keeps coming up for me is generous, everything about my Monson Arts experience was generous. I'm very grateful the selection committee took a chance on an early-career artist who leans into commercial fiction (not what artist residencies are typically into).
Monson Arts has regular calls for applications and I encourage writers and artists out there to check it out and see if it might be for you. I have nothing but good things to say about my experience.
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