Arts France
Arts France
Artist Residencies in Ambialet, France

Overview

July 21 – August 3, 2019

Two Weeks: $2,500
One Week: $1,500

An integral part of the Arts France program is how various art making disciplines inform each other, activating one’s artistic voice through self-discovery and participation in creative community. Each participant will be encouraged to bring their talents and actively engage in the dynamic community, and take advantage of opportunities for collaboration and discussion with other participating artists. Visiting artists and musicians will complement the residency in guided discussions and musical performances. A typical day might consist of self-directed studio time, exploring opportunities in our dramatic hilltop setting or in the village below, discussions or critiques with colleagues, delicious meals at our outdoor communal table and socializing in the evening. 

A resident artist painting the view from Le Prieuré.

A resident artist painting the view from Le Prieuré.

Residencies are for one to two weeks to work in the spacious studio, one’s room, or on the grounds of the monastery. These are designed for artists wanting concentrated time to work on their own or to reenergize their studio practice. With dynamic spaces and the entire monastery as a stage to activate, resident artists are asked to bring their sense of experimentation and explore the space. Residencies are self-directed, with participation in discussions, critiques, and field trips. All participants have the option to participate in the fieldworkoptions listed below. Space is very limited.

Once your application is received, we will send a follow-up email so we can get to know you and your art practice. We ask for a brief bio, statement of desired outcome of your residency, and a few samples of your work. This is so that we may serve your needs with the proper advice and support regarding space, materials, and equipment. Send these by May 14, to artsfrance@francis.edu. 

Room and board prices are included. Participants are responsible for the cost and booking of their airfare to France and international insurance.

Included in residencies:
Self-guided work
Optional fieldwork activities
Informal group discussions
Peer mentoring and critique
Two fieldtrips/week
Transportation between Albi rail station to Le Prieuré
Accommodations for the program’s duration
Continental breakfast, buffet lunch and dinner 


 

Fieldwork Options

This year we are offering a choice of optional activities for artist residents. These artist-coordinated workshops will take advantage of the remarkable setting surrounding Le Prieuré.


Photography Fieldwork with Richard Kelly

A classical garden is part of Palais de la Berbie which is the home of the Toulouse Lautrec Museum.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Albi, a 30 minute drive from Ambialet.

A classical garden is part of Palais de la Berbie which is the home of the Toulouse Lautrec Museum.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Albi, a 30 minute drive from Ambialet.


This experience is designed for those who have previous photography experience. The photography option provides guided instruction by exploring the village of Ambialet, with the balance of concentrated time necessary for learning and artistic growth. You will be encouraged to use the former monastery as a laboratory for critiquing and editing work. Field trips to explore the region will enrich your artistic practice. All participants should bring a DSLR camera, camera cards, batteries, and chargers. We highly recommend that you bring a tripod and laptop computer (or other device) to review images as you go.

Richard Kelly

Known for his environmental portraits and documentary photographs, Richard Kelly has been working professionally for over 25 years. His photography has been published in numerous publications including Fortune, People and Parenting. He has exhibited his photography at the United Nations, Silver Eye Center for Photography, and The Carnegie Museum of Art. His work is included in numerous public and private collections including the Foundation for Autoimmunity Institute Gallery and the Photography Museum of Lishui, China.
richardkellyexperience.com


Travel Sketchbook Fieldwork with Rick Landesberg

A workspace with a view set up in common room of Le Prieuré

A workspace with a view set up in common room of Le Prieuré

This fieldwork option is designed for those who have previous drawing experience. Whether you are a working artist or returning to your art-making roots, or are an architect, designer, or creative professional, this experience invites you to concentrate on drawing the beautiful location of Ambialet and the French countryside. Capturing an environment you care about in a sketchbook is a rich way to experience, and even celebrate, a place. The sketchbook becomes a visual diary, capturing the grand vista and the smallest detail. It’s an exciting path to understand and be in a place. The setting of the Arts France program - the priory, the village of Ambialet, the Tarn River, the surrounding landscape, the villages and towns of the region - offers a rich visual environment for this kind of activity. This experience will be about looking deeply at a place and responding to it through drawing. Using simple tools - pencil, pen, charcoal, watercolor, and sketchbook - we’ll go out into our immediate surroundings, looking and drawing.

Rick Landesberg
Rick explores the places he cares about through drawing and painting. He studied painting at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, and Central Saint Martins College of Art, in London.  He is the founder and former owner of Landesberg Design, a firm dedicated to communication design for the common good. For many years he was an adjunct faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design. He was a resident in the Arts France program in 2015 and 2017, where he filled his sketchbook with visual moments captured in and around Ambialet. 
ricklandesberg.com