Application period for Wilderness Artists in Residence Program to open after the New Year

Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 12:26pm

Photo courtesy of the Alaska Region of the U. S. Forest Service

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The application period for the Wilderness Artists in Residence Program opens after the first of the year.

Barbara Lydon is a wilderness specialist for the Alaska Region of the U. S. Forest Service. She said on Action Line that it is a unique program. "It's modeled after the traditional National Parks residency, but with a twist, in that the artists accompanies a wilderness ranger. So instead of staying in a remote cabin they reside in the wilderness."

While there the artists are expected to participate in stewardship projects which might include such things as pulling weeds, counting harbor seals, picking up marine debris, or making contact with visitors.

And they are expected to produce a piece of art, according to Lydon. "In exchange for the residency, artists donate a work of art and provide some sort of community extension. So the artists work with wilderness managers on this finished product to create something that may be used for educational or promotional purposes to highlight Alaska's wild public lands and the work we're doing on them."

A program is coming up this weekend in time for the First Friday event where the Juneau Douglas City Museum will feature the works of artists who have participated in the project in the past. The show runs through April 23.

Information and the application will be available on the agency's website and available for download by January 1. The deadline to apply is March 1.

Lydon explained that the program is a partnership between the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service so one application will allow artists to be considered for each agency's artist in residence program.

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