Havilah Aos Arctic Circle

Hi, my name is Havilah Aos. I am an artist living and working in Oakland, California. I am originally from Minnesota, so I am no stranger to cold weather and my work has led me to an adventure in the far north with The Arctic Circle Residency!

I am a visual artist working in sculpture and painting, but I had the unique experience of working aboard a cruise ship as a photographer several years ago. That time has been very influential in the growth of my work since. I look at the historical residue we leave behind, embedded in places and how places, in turn, influence the structure of memory. I have become specifically interested in ocean voyages (like cruises) and ships and how they are contained as unique places which link the people temporarily traveling on them.

I applied to The Arctic Circle Residency last summer to explore these ideas further and was accepted for the April 2023 expedition.

I work at a day job as a woodworker but to assist my saving and funding efforts for this residency, I am reaching out here to allow family, friends or enjoyers of my work to support me in preparing for this voyage.

I make a program fee payment this coming November 2022 and will soon need to book flights and purchase supplies such as cold-weather equipment, gear, art materials and lodging for the in-between nights of arrival and departure. The program fee of $6850 alone is almost covered thanks to the support of family and a tight budget but I am still in need of a few hundred dollars before November 4th to meet that deadline. All the extra costs remaining total $5,000.

I can't express how much it means to me to have such a wonderful, supportive family and group of friends who have shown up when it counts again and again. It is a great privilege to be an artist and it is always a challenge to sustain the work financially, whether locally or sometimes for residencies like this one.

I would be overjoyed to have your support. Thank you!