136 ☼ My First Artist Residency

Hello from Finland

Mar 17, 2024

Dear friends,

In this week's letter, I'm writing to you from a snowy wonderland in Kontiolahti, Finland, where I'm participating in my first-ever artist residency.

Everything in this issue was shot on a Fujifilm X-Pro3 kindly provided by my friends at MPB.com, and a Fujifilm 16mm lens on loan from my friend Thor.

☀️ Shout out to the good folks at Squarespace for helping make this issue possible ☀️

Housekeeping

Lots of you have already RSVP-ed for the upcoming springtime Process Photo Walks in Amsterdam and Antwerp. The first Process Photo Walk was such a great time and I can’t wait to see you all in person again. There will be limited spots so RSVP now. <3

Amsterdam — Sunday, May 5th. RSVP here. Co-organized by Barry van Weldam and the Analog Club Amsterdam.
Antwerp — Saturday, May 18th. RSVP here. Co-organized by Jason Kravitz and the Aminus3 photography community.

What Is An Artist Residency?

For those of you who aren’t exactly sure what an artist residency is, it’s a program that offers artists a dedicated space and time to focus on their creative projects. They can be hosted by art institutions, museums, or independent organizations. Residencies usually provide accommodation to live and work in, and some also provide a stipend to help pay for supplies or other costs.

In exchange, artists may be asked to give a presentation, host a workshop, or open their studios to the public. The artist may also be asked to leave behind one piece of the art created during the residency to become part of the residency collection.

Artists generally need to apply with a portfolio, a concept of what they plan to work on, and references. The application process can be competitive, so it's important to showcase your artistic vision and how the residency will contribute to your growth.

My First Artist Residency

In Process 126, I shared my goal of applying to three artist residencies in 2024. I'm excited to announce that I've already applied to two residencies and have been invited to participate in both!

This month, I'm participating in my first-ever artist residency at Field Studies Oy, and I couldn't be more grateful for the warm welcome and support. Field Studies Oy is a newer residency program, run by the lovely Ulla and Jonathan on their family farm property, and has already exceeded my expectations just four days in.

The award-winning Meteorite cabin, designed by local architect Ateljé Sotamaa, has been a cozy and inspiring home base to work from. (see above)

Now, let's talk photography! While Nastya is testing new recipes and cooking techniques indoors for her part of the residency, I've been focusing on two distinct projects in the great outdoors. Below are the project descriptions for my time here as originally described in my vision statement for the residency:

Project 1 — Hasselblad x NOTICE Walks — In the vein of my book NOTICE, I will work on a collection of still-life images and landscapes, each carefully composed and rich in narrative. This body of work will encourage viewers to slow down and pay attention to the overlooked details of everyday life. The series is a testament to the power of observation and a celebration of the stories that can be told through inanimate objects and natural landscapes.

To this end, I’ve been taking long, snowy photo walks in the surrounding area, with my trusty Hasselblad 500cm. The fresh snow and gorgeous sunlight have made for some truly breathtaking scenes. Below are my roll notes from the first three and a half days. I can’t wait to get these rolls back from my lab Carmencita soon.

My rolls so far, four days in, not as many as I had hoped due to rain

Project 2 — Untitled Collaboration with Brie Noel Taylor — I will document minimalist black and white snowy landscapes to provide a canvas for abstract painter Brie Noel Taylor to paint over in color.

In addition to the analog Hasselblad, I've brought along the MPB-loaned Fuji XPro3 to capture minimalist landscapes for an upcoming collaboration with my friend, painter Brie Noel Taylor. She'll paint over some of these images, and I can't wait to see how our styles mesh. This will be my first-ever collaboration with a painter.

A view of the snowy fields through a window

For obvious reasons, there is not much I can share yet from either project, but to make up for that I've included some of my other favorite digital photos from the first three days throughout this issue.

I'm feeling at peace and inspired in this beautiful environment, and I can't thank Ulla and Jonathan enough for their kindness and generosity. I'm looking forward to digging deeper into my projects in the remaining days of the residency, and I'm hopeful that the weather will continue to cooperate for more photo walks.

Takeaways

For those of you interested in applying for an artist residency of your own in the future, a few things to keep in mind:

Research and planning — Thoroughly research potential residencies to find the best fit for your needs and goals, and plan your application materials accordingly. You only get one shot to make a good impression, so be prepared.
Strong application — Craft a strong, cohesive application that showcases your artistic vision, demonstrates your commitment to the residency's goals and highlights your unique strengths.
Openness to new experiences — Be prepared to embrace new environments, challenges, and perspectives, as residencies often provide opportunities for personal and artistic growth. In my case, I’ve never done photo walks in freezing temperatures with anti-slip spikes on my boots, nor have I made work to be painted over before.

I will dig deeper into the process of applying to artist residencies in a future issue in which I will collect everything I’ve learned about the process once I do a few more.

As always, I hope this update leaves you feeling motivated to pick up your camera and capture the beauty in your own surroundings. Until next week, happy shooting!

If you enjoyed this issue I’d love for you to share it with friends.

Next Week: It’s either a surprise or I have not yet decided what to write on. I can’t tell you which one of these two it is, but it is definitely one of these two.

Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3

Wesley

PS Don’t forget to sign up for the Process Projected newsletter—work by inspiring contemporary photographers twice a month.

PPS Want to support Process? Please order my photo book NOTICE. <3

PPS Shout out to Thor for letting me borrow the 16mm lens!

Gear & Tools Used

Camera: All images were shot on the Fujifilm X-Pro3 with a Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR. I've had the opportunity to use the X-Pro2 before, and I must admit I have a slight preference for it over the X-Pro3, mainly because of the immediately viewable screen. The X-Pro3's inward-facing screen, which needs to be flipped open for viewing, is a cool concept that mimics an analog experience, but in practice, I found it a bit inconvenient. That said, the X-Pro3 is a great camera! The 16mm lens has also been a joy to use - it's compact, easy to handle, and produces clear, beautiful images.

These links take you to MPB.com, my go-to place to buy, sell, and trade used cameras and lenses. I love their service and am a paying customer. MPB caters to over 625,000 visual storytellers and provides a 6-month warranty. Thanks for the support, MPB! <3

Lab: All my analog work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. They’re my favorite lab in the world. Use code “PROCESS” to get a free upgrade.

Website: Shout out to Squarespace for supporting Process. If you need a website, I highly recommend using Squarespace. I’ve been a paying customer for over 10 years (!!?). It’s an easy, professional, and affordable way to have a beautiful portfolio website and webshop. Use the code PROCESS10 for 10% off your first order.