Artist Residencies

Professional visual and fine craft artists, performers, and writers work with students and teachers to create extended educational arts activities, teach new skills, develop creative thinking, and offer career insights. Quality arts instruction provides young people with authentic learning experiences that engage minds, hearts, and bodies.

Coming August 2008: an updated online Program Guide with new artist roster and program fees for the 2008-2009 school year.

Meanwhile, if you are a principal, teacher or school volunteer: contact us to sign up!
You can visit our on-line YouthArts Directory to read about our residency artists.
If you are a student or parent: talk to your school and have them contact YouthArts to sign up for an Artist Residency.Some residencies require supply requests or an additional fee for supplies.
A week of Artist Residency provides up to four contact sessions per day, over five days (20 hours).
An minimum Artist Residency is two-weeks.

April 2008 Update. o At Eugene 4J's Academy for Arts & Technology, Kelly Thibodeaux (below) brings along 25 small fiddles to his music Residency with grades4-6, introducing hands-on the songs, sounds and stories of Louisiana country. This is happening as Rachael Carnes completes a series of dance/movement classes with grades K-3.
o Greg Gurley arrives at Creslane Elementary (Creswell) with youth theater.
o Maggie Matoba begins Hawaiian music and culture at McCornack.
o Merideth Ferrell is in the midst of a 5-week watercolor Residency at Chavez.
o Laura Jackson completes a wire sculpture Residency at McCornack, then works with students and teachers at Harris Elementary

March 2008 Update. o Creating ink images and silk banners with Paul Otte and Merideth Ferrell will engage Bethel's Fairfield Elementary students this month. Josh Humphrey kicks off the Performance Assembly series at Spencer Butte Middle School, introducing music students to North Indian Classic Music. A permanent clay tile mural will be produced under the guidance of artist Kay Irish during an 8-week Residency at Prairie Mountain Elementary. Gayle Smith completes a fabric appliqué Residency with the 150 kids at Coburg Elementary.

January 2008 Update. o Janas Durkee begins a 5-week visual arts residency at Gilham Elementary School . A professional painter, She holds an MFA in painting from Ball Sate University, was an art teacher at Indiana School of the Blind, and prior to her move to Eugene, she was named a "Creative Renewal Fellow" by the Arts Council of Indianapolis to travel to Uganda. o Gregory Gurley teaches theatre and puppetry at Charlemagne , 4J's French language immersion school, during a 3-week Residency beginning January 8. Gregory has devoted over 25 years to work in professional, academic, and community theatre, with a concentration in Theatre for Youth, completing a doctorate from Arizona State in 2006. An experienced play director, he specializes in creative play devising and ensemble-developed productions.

December 2007 update: Many schools are hosting clay-art Artist Residencies. Of the 126 weeks of residencies scheduled in four districts this school year, about 40% (51 weeks) are in this medium. Students and teachers in Eugene, Springfield, Bethel and Creswell school districts will work with clay artists Andrea DiPalma, Alex Lanham, and Laura Jackson. Laura Jackson, a certified art instructor with a B.F.A. in Art Education and a professional artist working in fused glass and ceramics, is the Resident Artist at Buena Vista Elementary in December and January for 5 weeks. Students experience art making in a supportive process that includes hands-on demonstrations, production methods, history, and practice. In 2008, Laura Jackson's residencies include Awbrey Park Elementary (February), McCornack Elementary (March) and Creslane Elementary in Creswell (May).

Our appreciation to Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation and Symantec. for recent grants, which helps YouthArts bring the arts and artists to young people. YouthArts Residencies are generously supported by Eugene School District 4J, The Collins Foundation, an Arts Learning grant from the Oregon Arts Commission, donors, and parent and school groups.

Meet the Artist -- 2007-08 YouthArts Directory

Residency Artists (to be updated for the new school year in August 2008)

All these outstanding artists available for 2-4 week Residencies.
·Alseny Yansane and Andrea DiPalma – West African Dance and Music
·Rachael Carnes — Dance, creative movement
·Andrea DiPalma -- Clay
·Janas Durkee – Drawing, Painting. Portraiture, Murals
·Merideth Ferrell — Watercolor, Drawing, Silk Painting
·Greg Gurley — Theatre, improvisation, mime, puppetry
·Josh Humphrey – Music, North Indian Classical, Digtial/Electro
·Kay Irish — Drawing, painting, watercolor
·Laura Jackson — Mixed media, clay
·Alex Lanham — Clay, Drawing
·Maggie Matoba – Hawaiian Music and Cultural Arts
·Karen Moeller — Puppet-Making, visual arts
·Sharon Selove — Theatre, Shakespeare, Performance
·Gayle Smith — Fabric arts, Quilting,
·Kelly Terwilliger — Storytelling, creative writing, visual arts
·Carolyn Quinn — Masks, textiles
·Yvonne Young — Storytelling

Art Media Choices
Clay + Fabric Arts & Sewing+ Bookbinding + Music + Storytelling + Watercolor
Creative Writing + Mixed Media + Mural Making +Puppet/Mask Making + Theatre
Dance + Painting/Drawing + Textiles + Printmaking