| A Publication of the Region 2 Arts Council | Vol. 6 No. 2 | March, 2002 |
Guest Commentary |
President Bush Recommends $2 Million Increase for the Arts
President Bush released details of his FY 2003 budget which requests Congress appropriate a $2 million increase to the NEA, bringing the agency's total budget up to $117 million. Acting Chairman of the NEA, Eileen Mason, said, "We are pleased at the President's commitment to the arts, especially given the increased pressure on the budget this year. The arts are an important source of hope and inspiration. We will endeavor to recognize and support significant projects of artistic excellence that enrich the lives of all Americans, and to strengthen educational activity in the arts, especially for our children." Institute Of Museum and
Library Services President Bush requested an additional $2 million for the Office of Museum Services to bring its total up to $29 million. He requested an increase of $13.6 million to the museum's sister agency, the Office of Library Services, bringing that agency up to $181.7 million. $10 million of the Library's increase will go for a new program to provide training for Librarians of the 21st Century. The fact that Mrs. Bush feels so passionately about reading and libraries certainly helped this agency. Minnesota Senate Holds First Hearing on the Governor's Recommendation
to Cut the Arts by 7% The first arts hearing of the session was held by the Senate State Government, Economic Development and the Judiciary Budget Division, chaired by Sen. Richard Cohen. In a brief presentation, State Arts Board Executive Director Bob Booker and Regional Arts Council Director Mary Minnick Daniels discussed how the proposed cuts would hurt the arts community. The hearing was intended to be an overview, and the arts portion was completed in under ten minutes. There may have a House hearing on this by the time of this printing.
This information provided by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts in an Arts Alert, |
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Last autumn I was as an artist in residence in Italy. I lived and worked in a tiny 14th century medieval castle village built of stone, perched high on top of an Umbrian hill, surrounded by lakes and forests. It was an amazing experience! An artist residency is an opportunity to get outside normal routines, to get away from life-as-usual. It provides room and board and a studio; occasionally a stipend is included to pay for materials. Sometimes work is required for the residency program, but nothing is expected to distract the artist from making art. Artists also get a chance to meet each other and are stimulated by sharing new ideas and works in progress. To find a residency program that suits you, research is necessary to learn the application requirements. Many books are available on the subject and the Internet is valuable resource. Each residency varies by location and expectations and competition is stiff for highly desirable residencies. I have had the honor of being selected for several programs. In Voyageurs National Park I lived in a cabin by Lake Kabetogama; the two weeks went by swiftly. My time was spent being quiet, dreaming, listening to the water and the birds, observing wildlife, traveling around the park in a kayak. I went from island to island, and made many drawings and watercolor studies. In return, I gave a public talk about my work during that time. One piece of finished artwork was donated to the park's permanent collection. Even a couple of years afterward I made prints in the studio from my field studies. |
This experience made me hungry for more residency opportunities. I was nervous about the residency in Italy - and excited. I lived in a studio apartment in a village where few people spoke English. I had my own studio with an etching press that overlooked the valley with a range of rolling wooded Umbrian hills beyond. Olive trees filled with ripening olives were right outside the door. Italian language classes were available, and I took advantage of them, rekindling a dream of learning fluency in another language. All the necessities (except food) were provided. In exchange, I set up a print studio in rather primative conditions, and taught one graduate course in relief and intaglio printmaking. Be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and situations. With no TV, (and no computer, and no car!) I was freed from the distractions of daily life. Stimulated by a new environment and culture, I learned how little I need to be happy and productive - to concentrate on creating a new body of work. Time was my own and I spent it simply - walking. Thinking. Dreaming. I worked for myself every day - writing or drawing, making prints. I had time to read and pay careful attention to what I was reading. I wrote and rewrote what I had written, slowly, in long hand. All these things are essential to an artist's experience - along with the precious gift of time. Time to be. Time to create, to rediscover yourself through your work.
Jauneth Skinner is a graphic artist who lives and works in Bemidji. |
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