As the year comes to an end, what better way to celebrate than to reflect on our amazing Studio Residencies? As part of our mission to advance the preservation & understanding of the book arts, we always seek to support the creative community in our region by showcasing innovative and thoughtful artworks created in our Studio. This past year, we’ve had three incredibly talented residents create and debut their work in our Studio Gallery. 

Over the summer, we had Rachel DeCicco illustrate the beauty of nature in her exhibition, “Somewhere Else: Screen Prints Inspired by Nature.” When asked about her time in her residency, Rachel talked about how much of a “game changer” having access to a studio was for her work. 

“The residency gave me an opportunity to practice and hone in on my skills that I had just begun to develop. I think I improved greatly given the time to practice and work on pieces that were for myself rather than school work. The residency also helped me figure out where I wanted to go with my art and has set me on the right path to further my artistic career.”

Then along came Talia Ryan, our next studio resident who took us on a whimsical story through her exhibition, “Incantations.” Throughout her time with Book Arts, Talia was able to not only further her work, but create connections with other creative minds in Buffalo!

“For me the most impactful part of my experience at Book Arts was that I had a chance to build my network of artists and creatives in Buffalo.  One of the coolest things about Book Arts is how community centered it is.  During my residency time I was not only meeting the incredible people who run the place, but also the many artists who use the studio and the people who attend their community events.  I met professional artists, hobbyists, and even got to teach a workshop for a group of people who had no printing experience.  I think the range of people the Book Arts center reaches is pretty incredible, and it felt like a real privilege to be a part of it.” 

We concluded our year of residencies with “Mutli-Verse,” by Heather Martin. Heather spent her time with us experimenting with poetry and paper manipulations, which ended in a culmination of literary beauty. One of the biggest benefits from her time with Book Arts was the Studio itself!

“The biggest takeaway is the resources, the equipment and materials, and how they can help inform what sort of art gets made, what are the limits and what are the possibilities. For example, I was really interested in using the iterability of the presses (print 1, print 2, print 3) as part of what my projects are curious about. I really pushed myself to use color, too, since I had all these color papers and inks available.” 

Watching our residents develop their work during their time with us is nothing short of rewarding! As our Book Arts community grows, we hope to continue to uplift and advance the work of local artists!

Interested? Learn more about our Studio Residency program by clicking the button below!