Nadia Huggins (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) has been accepted to an artist residency taking place in June 2017 on Pico Island in the Azores. Huggins has been doing serious work around the sea (love it!) and this residency delas specifically with the themes and ideas that she broaches in her work. She has put together a fundraising campaign to help facilitate her travel, accommodations, and materials. If you like to support the work of our Caribbean artists and are able to assist, see the link below.

Description: Once Upon Water (The Water Residency) is a 10-day art residency on Pico island, Azores, to create artworks about the material and magical notions of water. Water is in constant flow and yet may present itself as still ~ a mirror that mesmerizes. In this state its reflective surface invites gazing at our physical selves, but also beyond our bodies to contemplate both our inner experiences and relationships with the outer world. Water gushes from deep below earth’s crevices, falls from its elevations and hovers in misty formations. It traverses time, shape-shifts as it slides through various spaces, and is one of earth’s greatest Sculptors. At once, water pours out of taps in developed countries as a banal occurrence, while women in developing countries trek miles to fetch it clean. Alarmingly, earth is under threat of losing all its sea ice this century, while future wars are predicted to be fought over water rather than oil. Yet, the world’s greatest religions say water holds the power to purify and renew. Once Upon Water welcomes people in all walks of life into a creative journey of criticality thinking and self-discovery in relation to water. Indigenous, people with disabilities, people of colour and diverse gender identifications are encouraged to apply. Not all residency locations are wheel chair accessible. Please inquire about accessibility.

During Once Upon Water, residents work individually or collaboratively to create artworks that explore tangible and intangible concepts of water through media of their choice, such as photography, video, installation, drawing, painting, performance art, dance, sound art, media art, etc. Artists will have opportunities to socialize and integrate with people from Pico island in Madalena town and through Azores Fringe Festival events.

This programmed residency offers facilitation by multimedia artist Teresa Ascencao, a guided ocean floor tour in the OceanEye glass bottom boat, a guest artist “water workshop” with Choreographer and Dancer Ana Sofia Sousa, a special guest presentation by natural health and water professional Wayne Gendel, and plenty of studio time. Critiques of residents’ works occur on a regular basis, individually with the Facilitator and through facilitated group discussions. Artists are given full access to dedicated shared studio spaces in downtown Madalena at Centro de Formação Artística (Artistic Development Centre). Alternately, artists may arrange to work in various locations around the town’s parks and streets. There will be a closing event, whereby artists present their creative explorations to the public.

Fundraising link: https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/from-st-vincent-to-pico-island/x/13345292

Also see http://onceuponwater.com/apply/