A Follow Up from the 2022 Artist Fellowship Recipients
In an effort to support the Creative District and our abundant pool of talented artists, Carbondale Arts offers the Artist Fellowship Program (AFP) consisting of two grant opportunities; The Alleghany Meadows Fellowship and The Carbondale Arts Fellowship. The AFP is for artists and creatives of any genre, who need some funding to help them further their career, their art, or their ideas.
Here we get to learn a bit about the 2022 recipients and how their funds supported their work and ideas.
Katie Browne
Katie Browne is a local natural dye and printmaking artist. Not only does she produce unique and compelling artwork, she shares her love of the work with the community, often hosting collaborative workshops.
“[With the funds] I purchased an electric portable induction cooktop, which has served me well through many Natural Dye Workshops since I bought it in September of 2022. I also use it in my home dye studio and it has completely streamlined my dye practice as I no longer have to lug heavy pots of hot liquid from my kitchen to my basement studio.
Additionally, I bought a spin dryer which has been incredibly helpful in reducing drying times for the textiles that I dye. It has cut down on my electricity use and also makes it easier to work with larger pieces of wet textiles, as I don’t have to wring them out by hand.
The remainder of the funds went toward the purchase of a computer and a subscription to QuickBooks so that I am able to record all of my sales and expenses. This is a big step towards organizing my business finances.
Receiving this fellowship was a very positive, impactful experience to me as an emerging textile artist. It jumpstarted a spark that has led me to understand that a successful creative career is possible, that I’m on the right track, and that the art I make is important.”
Learn more about Katie’s work and offerings at box-eleven.com or @boxeleven.
Leah Aegerter
“I am an artist who combines traditional 3-dimensional processes and materials with digital fabrication techniques. My work relies on equipment such as a 3D printer and CNC router. As I began building out my studio, I was searching for access to equipment that would allow me to continue making and experimenting.
Last summer it became clear that in order to have the flexibility needed to explore and iterate in my work, I would need to acquire these tools for myself. The grant from Carbondale Arts made my purchase of my CNC router possible.
Being able to work at my own pace with my own machine, allowing time for failure, play and iteration, has been critical to my artistic development over the past few months. As I grew acquainted to my new CNC friend we figured out some growing pains in terms of workflow and machine limitations, but we are now in a steady stream of output as my ideas expand for this new body of work I am developing.”
Find out more about Leah’s work leahaegerter.com or @leahaegerter
Clarissa Fortier
“I am extremely grateful for this fellowship, as it has allowed me to increase my online presence as an artist and promote my work through social media platforms.
I have used part of the funding to hire a professional photographer to photograph my paintings. Local photographer and fellow member of SAW (Studio for Arts + Works, where I have my art studio), Shawn O’Connor took photos of my most recent work. These photographs are useful for updating my website and promoting myself through Instagram and other platforms.
The other part of this grant is being applied to the process of updating my website. I am working with a local programmer, Nick Calderone, to create the updates on my site that will reflect my current work as a landscape painter. I have found this fellowship to be incredibly helpful as an artist and hope to see it continue for artists of the Roaring Fork Valley.”
Learn more about Clarissa’s work at clarissafortier.com or @thepaintedlandscape
Ulysses Lopez
Ulysses Lopez, of Ulver Crafts is a spoon carver and bowl turner from Carbondale, CO. You can imagine this type of craft requires several, specific tools.
“And this is where my grant from Carbondale Arts helped to open up new horizons for me. I put the money toward buying a modest blacksmithing setup, which would then allow me to manufacture my own tools as and when I needed them.
Previously my experience in blacksmithing was very limited, but as a skilled user of bladed tools I felt that I already had a lot of applicable knowledge. I love teaching myself new skills, and down the rabbit hole of metal work I went.”
Find out more about Ulysses’ work on Instagram, @ulvercrafts.
Ali O’Neal
Ali O’Neal of Thimble Fox is a skilled screen printer, designer and seamstress.
“I applied the funds primarily on supplies to work on a larger body of work in which I focused on kind of an evaluation of the current wealth disparity, both in the Roaring Fork Valley and in the world.
These funds allowed me to focus on this project and buy what I needed without needing the outcome to act as income. It allowed me to explore new techniques and play more with mediums I’ve used in a similar ways in the past. Really it allowed me the freedom to create without a needed return, which was incredible. I truly can’t imagine a better gift for any artist. The scholarship was really impactful to my practice this year, and I would love to see this scholarship continue on.”
Learn more about Ali’s work at thimblefox.com or @thimblefox.
Vanessa Porras
Learn more about Vanessa and her artwork at vanessaporrasart.com or @vanessaporras.art