JENNIFER RICH
chicago, il
Late-date
March 6, 2013
Winter is conducive for a lot of things - catching up on TV series, drinking a multitude of hot beverages, and, for me, updating a website that should have been done a long time ago. So here is an incredibly late-update. A lot has changed for me in the past six months, such as switching residences and jobs, but things are finally start to settle down.
After finishing up an amazing year with AmeriCorps St. Louis, I started an artist residency in mid-August at the Wormfarm Institute in Reedsburg, WI. The Wormfarm Institute is a beautiful organic farm and residency run by the generous and inspiring Donna Neuwirth and Jay Salinas. In return for a room, studio, and fresh veggies, I helped out on the farm with daily harvesting, planting, and prepping duties. In addition to learning a lot about farming and our food sources, this opportunity provided me with invaluable time to focus on art in a quiet environment surrounded by the happiest dogs ever (nightly runs with coyotes anyone?) and the unexpected blessing having no internet in my studio.
While at the Wormfarm Institute, I also had the opportunity to participate in the Farm/Art DTour. The Farm/Art D-Tour is a 50-mile loop through Sauk County with public art pieces, roadside culture stands, and performance stops along the way. The Farm/Art DTour happens in conjunction with the Fermentation Fest which is ten days of workshops, tastings, and lectures about food in all its glorious forms. For the Farm/Art DTour, a couple generously allowed me to weave into a corncrib on their property. Learning to deal with the challenges that come with outdoor, public art pieces was a rich learning experience.
The residency wrapped up around the end of October and from there I relocated to Chicago. Please check back for art-related updates; I am finally settled in, finished with the job-search, and looking forward to starting more art projects.
