I was so honored to be accepted into the Residency Program at the Art Center of Padula. Padula is a small town in the Campania region of southern Italy, in the province of Salerno. During the 3 week residency, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the region’s rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and vibrant local community.
For the last couple of years I have felt very compelled to evolve in my practice. After a painting hiatus, the residency offered the chance to step outside of my usual environment and to gain a fresh perspective. I was able to work and connect with a diverse group of artists- poets, musicians, photographers, digital and sound creators…which allowed for cross-disciplinary inspiration that I don’t usually get at home. I was in such impressive company, it felt very cool just to be part of this group. It was an incredible experience to learn and be inspired by the brilliant, creative people in and around the program.
I stayed in an ancient Italian home on the hilltop with expansive terraced gardens. It was filled with old portraits and books, I found myself very curious of the past generations that once lived there. My favorite part of the home was the gorgeous artist studio that overlooked the rooftops and into the Valley. I loved the open walkout and beautiful tiled floors. It was an absolute dream to work in this space.
Although I did spend many hours painting and working, I mostly created studies and sketches. My goal was to collect experiences and to plant seeds of ideas. The residency put on an open house where I showcased the studies I had put together. I didn’t have everything that I needed to create finished works in the way I would have liked, which was fine.. I can put my head down and work anywhere, but I wanted to have my head up and my eyes open so that I could really experience these moments and be present in that beautiful place.
Since coming home I’ve been creating a body of work inspired by experiences and impressions from the residency. I’m still processing all the creative input and working on new paintings referencing many concepts from my experiences. There are common threads that keep popping up that have been interesting to explore- the nature of memory (individual and collective), impermanence and history… I was also very drawn to the beautiful religious symbols and iconography and keep coming back to the concept of reliquaries and sacred objects. I’ll see what comes out of all of it…much more to come on that.
I will forever be grateful for my time in Padula. The residency was the ideal opportunity to foster the growth and progression that I have been aching for.
Grazie Mille to all that made this a wonderful experience possible
a f t e r T h o u g h t s
________________________________________________________________________________________
Language
My biggest regret is not working harder to learn Italian before I left. ((The personal shame!)) I would have been able to engage and learn so much more had I spoken the language. There were so many interesting people I would have loved to interact with more. Not speaking the language well made me feel timid and weirdly embarrassed to try to speak the little that I know. There were many times I would have loved to ask more questions or understand things on a deeper level. Luckily, the people of Padula were exceedingly patient and gracious with me. It was nice that I was often with people in my group that spoke both English and Italian.
((side note: I love the school systems and multicultural homes that teach dual languages to their children. Wish I could have had that type of education. It seems to me that if you’re able to spark those linguistic connections in your brain during that early stage of language development it could affect your capacity to learn/understand the rest of your life…maybe? Brains are weird. That’s my thought….or my excuse.. either way ))
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Belonging somewhere
I wonder what it must be like to live in the place of your ancestral heritage, to be immersed in the culture that has shaped generations before you. In places like Padula, it’s inspiring to see how community customs are passed down through the ages, creating a sense of connection that feels like one giant family. The depth of the history is absolutely incredible. I envy it. I think people from the US can be especially curious to trace their individual origins or find their “motherlands”. It feels so vital for all people to understand their history. Whether it be a personal or collective, history helps us connect to identity and humanity on a deeper level. Maybe Americans are like the adopted children of the world searching for our birth parents, in the hope of understanding who we are a little bit better.
My family tree is scattered all over .. British, Irish, Scottish, Swiss, German, Danish … and who knows what else. Which on some level feels like belonging everywhere.. but really nowhere else at the same time. I love to try to connect to my own genealogy. My ancestry is a mixed bag, but they are unified in that they were spirited and brash enough to board boats to a new and untamed world, so I guess that means I belong to the Wild West? Admittedly, I am jealous of those rooted so deeply to one place and culture, but also find much beauty in being a patch on the multicultural fabric that is the United States.
Spending time in Italy has been a poignant reminder of the power of culture and history in shaping who we are. It’s in the layers of different traditions and the echoes of the past in the present, that there is a sense of belonging. Most importantly, it’s our shared stories that connect us all. Thank you Padula for allowing me to be a tiny part of your story.
