Closing Statement from Christie Nesbit | January 2018 Resident
The Yards Residency program was an inspirational month of immersion into my craft and the Rochester art community. When I applied for the program, I didn’t anticipate the connections I would make, the motivational conversations I would have, and the community I would gain. This Residency program is an integral piece of the Rochester emerging art scene and I am honored to be an alum.
Although four weeks doesn’t seem lengthy, The Yards Director, Kristina Kaiser, and Residency Co-Director, Jason Barber, pack the month with meaningful events and opportunities. During January, myself and the other resident artists had the pleasure of experiencing a private tour of the Memorial Art Gallery, a professional workshop on critique language, led by Jacquelyn O’Brien, and two group critiques. The events of the residency have the perfect balance of inspiration and professionalism – they pushed me to do more work, but in an invigorating manner. In addition to the extracurricular events of the Residency, the regular schedule allowed for 24-hour access to the beautiful, collaborative workspace in The Yards, including open studio hours on Saturdays from 10am-2pm. During this time, the Rochester Public Market is humming on all cylinders and market goers are free to come into the studio space and watch the residents explore their craft. I had the opportunity to speak with other artists, students, children, professionals, and even a couple Rochester Police Officers. These conversations were humbling, and multiple visitors came back for the final showcase at the end of the month. Market Saturdays brought additional excitement to the studio when the guest critics the Residency directors scheduled arrived in our individual spaces. These folks from the Rochester arts community provided intelligent criticism and inspiration that kept me engaged with my work throughout the month. I will never forget the conversations I had with Jonathan Binstock of the MAG, Margo Muto of the MAG, or Rick Muto of Axom Gallery, to name a few. Last, but certainly not least, I am honored I had the chance to work alongside my fellow January residents. Each artist provided their own, unique energy to the collaborative space which created an undeniable, ongoing buzz throughout the month. Also, Kristina did a remarkable job choosing artists with markedly different crafts and Residency goals. As a result, the space felt vibrant and variegated when the Final Showcase night arrived.
The Residency closed with a First Friday Final Showcase of each resident’s work. Our studio spaces were transformed into a dynamic gallery space containing original compositions from seven different artists. The showcase drew a large crowd that was engaged with the artists throughout the evening. Many attendees were return visitors and critics excited to view our progress and accomplishments. It was a magical night!
The Yards Residency provided me with access to people and opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have had. The Residency pushed my boundaries. I was able to immerse myself in my craft and I had the most prolific period of work I have ever had. Walking away from the studio at the close of the Residency felt bittersweet. However, I left a better artist and a better person than when I first walked into the studio.