Emerging Artist Residency

The SAW Emerging Artist Residency is a new opportunity for Gainesville-based emerging artists.

This residency provides access to artmaking space and professional development opportunities for up to 8 artists each calendar year. The residency program includes access to a shared studio, library and workshop space, artistic mentorship and publication opportunities. In exchange, participants will create a skill share workshop, artists talk or community activation event/s. It is our hope that this residency will provide new and different artistic opportunities for emerging artists in Alachua county.

Applications are now open for the 2024-25 residency period.

2022-23 Emerging Artist in Residence watercolor workshop in action.

In detail

The Gainesville Emerging Artist in Residence program will provide:

A shared “coworking” studio and workshop space;
Access to mentorship from SAW instructors and local artists;
Free access to the SAW Mighty Network FLOW + PUBLISH for residency period;
A group exhibition or project;
Potential paid work opportunities through partner organizations and collaborative projects;
Publication opportunities.

Access to these programs, use of the space, and administration costs are valued at $5,265 per person over the course of a 12 month period.

Expectations of participants include:

Minimum 5 hours of logged studio use per week;
Attendance at artist talk, critique group or professional development seminar once a month;
Create a workshop, artist talk or community activation event open to the public;
Meet with Assistant Executive Director once a quarter (for times total) to check in and track progress;
Meet with new emerging artists in residence at the beginning of their residency period.

2022-23 Emerging Artist in Residence printmaking workshop in action.

Is This You?

Emerging artists in residence are:

In the early stages of their artmaking career;
Focused on but not limited to cartooning, visual storytelling, print media, bookmaking or creative writing;
Based in Gainesville or Alachua county area;
Willing to try new things and figure things out for themselves;
Passionate about comics, visual art and/or storytelling, and community-focused learning opportunities;
Confident creating new opportunities for the general public to engage with comics, art and literature.

How to Apply

To apply, please fill out this form. It includes questions about your personal information for grant reporting purposes. Please include a personal essay that includes your experience with artmaking, a resume, portfolio links and at least one professional letter of recommendation.

Applications for the Gainesville Emerging Artist in Residence program are now open and they will close August 11, 2024.

Questions

If you have any questions about the Emerging Artist in Residence program, please reach out to Emma (emma@sequentialartistsworkshop.org).

Discover More About the SAW 2022-23 Emerging Artists in Residence

Dive into Watercolor with Carly Shooster

Carly Shooster s a Jewish American comics artist based in Gainesville, Florida. When she isn't drawing about her family or dog, she is rock climbing, reading historical fiction novels with a twist, or watching Below Deck: Sailing Yacht.

Drink + Draw with Elli Rhodes and Amy Lindroth

Elli Rhodes is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Gainesville, Florida. You can find them on Instagram @s0ftpillow.

Cartoons for Social Change with D. Forest Gamble

D. Forest Gamble is an illustrator, comics artist, and stop-motion animator from Reidsville, NC. His comics depict distortions of childhood through surreal nightmares inspired by the "unheimlich" (unfamiliar or uncanny). He is working on his first original children's picture book, a sweet yarn about lovable mushrooms.

Printmaking 2 Ways with Mari Johnson

M Johnson is a cartoonist, printmaker and papermaker who has been bouncing back and forth between the South and the Midwest since birth. She likes drawing simple and friendly pictures about big and complicated feelings.

Drawing Meditation with Mort Robertson

Morty was born under the wolf moon. She is a cartoonist and printmaker. She wants the pictures to bring your attention to the matrix of spiritual information in which your mundane life is situated and to make you smile.

Pamphlet Stitching with Pia Molina

Pía Molina is a Chilean-American film photographer and visual artist intertwining digital and physical materials to capture memory as space, land, and relationships.

This program is supported in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture, and National Endowment for the Arts.

SAW staff Tom Hart, Karlo Antunes and Emma Jensen at MoCCA, New York April 2022.

About SAW

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit art school and creative community based in Gainesville, Florida with online programs providing comics instruction to people of all ages, all over the world.

Our mission is to educate emerging visual storytellers and foster a community that celebrates creative investigation, exploration and excellence in cartooning and comic art.

Wherever we congregate, we encourage our instructors, students and members to prioritize curiosity, empathy, and empowerment.

As we grow we hope to maintain the DIY spirit on which we were founded, while committing to sustainable systems of accountability.

Other programs we offer

Year-long intensive program (in person and online);
Six-month Graphic Novel Development program (online);
Short workshops (in person and online);
Mentoring with professional artists (in person and online);
Scholarship opportunities (in person and online);
Special events (in person and online);
Publishing opportunities for past and present students (in person and online);
Teaching Fellowships for professional cartoonists (in person and online);
Visiting Artist Residencies for professional cartoonists (in person)
Collaborations with other organizations that align with our mission (in person and online);
Outreach into local middle and high schools (in person);
Participation in wider comics, art and literary events including interstate zine fairs and comics festivals (in person and online).