My teaching residency in Africa
Donation protected
Hello!
I am creating this campaign to help fund an extraordinary opportunity for myself as an artist and as a single mother of two amazing girls Kodie age 17 and Zana age 8. I have been awarded this very special artists residency for 10 weeks in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to work and teach amongst other contemporary artists in this very special place in Africa. They have also invited me to bring along my daughters, which is so fantastic for all three of us to do this as a family. I have never been able to do a residency before because most of them do not allow artists to bring along family members, so this is quite extraordinary. The timing also could not be better as this is the last summer we have together before my oldest goes of to University in the fall.
The funding that I am asking for will go towards the travel expenses , art and teaching workshop materials, art transportation and living costs during our stay. We have housing and a studio for me to work in, but htis residency is completely self-funded otherwise. I am hoping to get the funds completely sourced by April 1st at the latest to organize all of the necessary details to make the trip as smoothe as possible.
It is so difficult to be a working female artist and make a living, let alone raise a family completely on my own.
I decided a long time ago to take on a life of exploration for myself and when I had my girls that did not change. They actually inspired me to explore even more and show them how to be adventurous and un-afraid of some risk. We have had a bit of a nomadic lifestyle, which is hard, but contributes a lot to my work and their education.
I am always considering the different methods and processes for creating work in a variety of environments. I am inspired by the challenges in creating new and diverse architecture in my work and feel there is a lot to gain in observing and participating in different cultures and the individual approaches to it.
I would love to go to Nefasi Contemporary art space in Tanzania to participate in this artist residency to discover and appreciate fellow artistic development and practice, as well as contribute my own approach and understanding.
I strive to constantly challenge my inspiration and energy to create my work. I need to participate in new artistic speech and aesthetics, different from what I am used to in my own surroundings, to explore and absorb new colours, forms and materials and to re-discover the artistic process and theoretical tools through a different culture.
I am very inspired by the patterns/forms and connections of shapes within many examples of textile and painting traditions within different parts of Africa, but I am also curious to learn from the modern and contemporary artists working today.
I would be so thankful for your support to be able to take this opportunity of growth and development in my career as a painter and as a mother, for my girls, to show them how there is so much to be learned from the world around us and to not be afraid to go for what you want in life!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
Heather
Nafasi Art Space
heather chontos studio
I am creating this campaign to help fund an extraordinary opportunity for myself as an artist and as a single mother of two amazing girls Kodie age 17 and Zana age 8. I have been awarded this very special artists residency for 10 weeks in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to work and teach amongst other contemporary artists in this very special place in Africa. They have also invited me to bring along my daughters, which is so fantastic for all three of us to do this as a family. I have never been able to do a residency before because most of them do not allow artists to bring along family members, so this is quite extraordinary. The timing also could not be better as this is the last summer we have together before my oldest goes of to University in the fall.
The funding that I am asking for will go towards the travel expenses , art and teaching workshop materials, art transportation and living costs during our stay. We have housing and a studio for me to work in, but htis residency is completely self-funded otherwise. I am hoping to get the funds completely sourced by April 1st at the latest to organize all of the necessary details to make the trip as smoothe as possible.
It is so difficult to be a working female artist and make a living, let alone raise a family completely on my own.
I decided a long time ago to take on a life of exploration for myself and when I had my girls that did not change. They actually inspired me to explore even more and show them how to be adventurous and un-afraid of some risk. We have had a bit of a nomadic lifestyle, which is hard, but contributes a lot to my work and their education.
I am always considering the different methods and processes for creating work in a variety of environments. I am inspired by the challenges in creating new and diverse architecture in my work and feel there is a lot to gain in observing and participating in different cultures and the individual approaches to it.
I would love to go to Nefasi Contemporary art space in Tanzania to participate in this artist residency to discover and appreciate fellow artistic development and practice, as well as contribute my own approach and understanding.
I strive to constantly challenge my inspiration and energy to create my work. I need to participate in new artistic speech and aesthetics, different from what I am used to in my own surroundings, to explore and absorb new colours, forms and materials and to re-discover the artistic process and theoretical tools through a different culture.
I am very inspired by the patterns/forms and connections of shapes within many examples of textile and painting traditions within different parts of Africa, but I am also curious to learn from the modern and contemporary artists working today.
I would be so thankful for your support to be able to take this opportunity of growth and development in my career as a painter and as a mother, for my girls, to show them how there is so much to be learned from the world around us and to not be afraid to go for what you want in life!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
Heather
Nafasi Art Space
heather chontos studio
Organizer
Heather Chontos
Organizer
Portland, ME
