In case you’ve not visited or heard of Marfa, Texas, besides being an art pilgrimage for Donald Judd, et. al., it should be on a list of artists’ residencies to apply for.
The Chinati Foundation offers two month residencies in the amazingly cool locale of West Texas.
Near the Mexican boarder and the vast Big BendNational Park (one of the least visited national parks), Chinati offers painters, sculptors and photographers an immaculate light-filled studio to do their work in.
But the location is a perfect place for those interested in accomplishing things: a nearly perfect sleepy town, tiny but art filled and funky around the edges, set in a partially abandoned army base; surrounding desert landscape is open and beautiful; peace is pervasive allowing concentration but peppered with a few distractions—just take a stroll and see some of the best minimalist work in the United States, for example.
The Foundation application is minimal and slightly old school. No online forms here. A cover letter and disc (or slides!) is basically all that is required. One tip they don’t post online is that you may optionally include letters of recommendation and an artist statement.
About one hundred people apply for five or six slots.
Deadline for the Chinati Foundation Artist in Residence Program is April 1.
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