Our 2022 Summer Residents, Kate Rusek, Nate Tietbohl, and Janine Wang have been with us for a little over a month now and they have done some amazing things in such a short time. From trying new materials, to experimenting with different methods the residents having been working non-stop since they’ve arrived.
We first stopped in to check in on Kate Rusek and how her work has been going as she changes things around. From working with textiles and found objects, to trying her hand at porcelain mold pouring.
“As for how my work is going, really well! With the guidance of Ben in ceramics, I have been able to expand the scope of my work in clay to realize some really interesting experimental outcomes. It’s incredible what can be achieved with this kind of collaboration.”
We asked Kate to elaborate on what she hopes to accomplish with these new ideas.
“The work I am pursuing has many technical facets related to materials. I am most excited to see my concurrent timelines begin to merge as the pieces and parts start to line up. I mean that in the work flow sense of course; timed processes, problem solving in an order of operations sense but also that physical reality of fitting all of the ‘parts’ together. Sculpture is an act of making it all make sense. I am taking big strides at the moment which feels very good.”
When we checked in with Nate Tietbohl, who’s residency is sponsored through a grant awarded by the Wyomissing Foundation, he was eager about projects that have been started and projects yet to come.
“The first few weeks of the residency afforded me the opportunity to focus on studying the space and its place in the community; there’s a significant amount of planning, research, sketching, contemplating, more sketching, and reconsidering that goes into arriving at an outcome that really feels like it fits, especially for a project with as many moving parts as the Gardens.”
We asked Nate what he’s looking forward to the most in regards to his work in the garden and he told us;
“I am really excited to begin working out these design ideas in three dimensions, in the garden and through the various making studios. There are a lot of ideas worked out in my head and on paper, which is a critical and fulfilling part of my creative process. The refinement of those ideas in situ and in relationship to one another; the responsive creativity and adaptations that come out while working with wood and stone and earth really excite me.”
We then spoke to Janine Wang, who’s residency is sponsored by the John and Robyn Horn Foundation, we asked how her transition from wood, to ceramics, to glass has been going. Janine has mostly been a woodworker, but has stated previously that she would love to recreate her wood turned art into functional pieces.
“It’s going. The process is very busy because every step of the process has to happen in different studios. I’ve been having clay days, woodshop days, and glass days one by one. Glass was never in my plans.”
Janine seems to really be enjoying this process of discovery. We wanted to know what she was excited about during this transition of material.
“I’ve been most excited for the tests. There are just so many processes that I’ve never experienced before. Doing test pieces has been a really exciting way to gather information. Nothing has to be hypothetical!”
We’ve been amazed by the progress they’ve accomplished so far and we are thrilled to see what their experimentation and hard work produce.