ICON / IOWA / VCCA

Forum on Artist Residencies

Gallery Walk Through + Reception With The Artists

April 21, 1-4:30

58 North Main Street, Fairfield, IA 52556 • TU - SA, 12 -4 and by appointment • 641 469 6252

Forum and Reception April 21st to Close VCCA Show

On Sunday, April 21, ICON Gallery will present a closing event for the show

ICON/IOWA/VCCA. At 1:00 p.m. the artists in the show will be joined by show curator Ken Dubin and ICON Director Bill Teeple in an informal question and answer forum on artist residencies in the United States. At 3:00 p.m. Bill Teeple will host a reception for the artists that will culminate in an informal walk through the show with the artists

The exhibit features Iowa artists who have all participated in the residency program at the Virginia Center for Creative Art, known as the VCCA. Every artist in the show has also attended at least one other artist residency. During the forum the artists will talk about the VCCA and some of the other residencies they have attended.

"Residencies have become very popular in recent years," says Teeple, "but not that many artists in Fairfield seem to be aware of this opportunity. Ken and I thought this forum would be a way to bring this phenomenon to the attention of local artists." At a residency, artists spend a few days to a month or more in residence focusing entirely on their art. The concept is to remove all worldly concerns from the artist's attention so he/she can go deep into his or her art. Artists get a studio, room, and delicious meals, usually in a rural area away from the urban art world.

"Painters, poets, filmmakers, writers, photographers, sculptors, choreographers, new media artists, novelists, composers - all creatives- can apply for time away at one of the many residency programs," says Dubin.

Artists included in the show are Laurel Farrin, Jane Gilmor, Anita Jung, Louise Kames, Crit Streed, Laura Young and Ken Dubin.