The KIRA Residency Building, designed by Canadian architect Edward Maxwell |
It is difficult to know where to begin in describing the welcome I have received to the Kingsbrae International Residency for the Arts in St. Andrews, NB, along with four other very talented artists from around the globe. Nothing could have prepared me for the warmth of the people involved and the effort they have put into making our time here a true opportunity to pursue artistic creation and development.
My very first dedicated solo studio space and what a space to start with! |
The residency is just one of the latest projects planned and implemented by the incredible philanthropist Mrs. Lucinda Flemer, whose family used the house as a summer home in her childhood. You can learn more about Kingsbrae Gardens and Mrs. Flemer in this video, The Giving Garden. I highly recommend it for anyone who is feeling cynical about modern human nature.
The gardens are hugely inspirational, especially in the early morning, which is my favourite time to wander through them and snap photos of anything that is interesting. Right now, my imagination is captivated by the variety of textures you can find, even in the same plant.
Hens and Chickens in the gardens |
My fellow artists in residence are the best of people and all hugely and uniquely talented. Here are their websites, which are well worth a look.
Jacqui Symons
Anne Magratten
Che Min Hsiao
Jeremy Gilmer
Need I say more? |
For now, let me just say that I feel so blessed to be here, experiencing this.
I hope that you too are experiencing a wonderful new opportunity this summer.
Happy July!
Kathy