This summer, artists from the region, Kent State, and around the world came together for a transformative two weeks of Kent Blossom Art Intensives.
They collaborated with internationally acclaimed visiting guest artists, School of Art faculty, and each other in a residency style workshop, creating artworks and developing their skills. Workshops offered included ceramics, glass, painting, and textiles.
During concentrated and intensive experiences like KBAI, artists often transform their skillsets and create artworks at rapid rates. Mariela, a painter from Mexico City, reflected on the advancement of her work over such a short period of time.
“My work has evolved so much in the past two weeks. More than it has evolved in the past five years,” said Mariela. “It’s been productive and transformative.”
鶹ѡsenior Vic Williams, a studio art major with a concentration in ceramics, focused on constructing a large-scale sculpture during the ceramic intensives.
“It’s been an awesome challenge and it’s been nice to have guidance for it,” said Williams.
Also working on a large-scale project during the ceramics intensives was 鶹ѡrising senior Rye Geraci. Rye works with clay as their main medium but also specializes in jewelry, metals, and sculpture.
“It’s nice to explore things that I’ve been wanting to create and having the free time to do it,” Geraci emphasized. “You have access to all the graduate students and professors during the day which is really nice.”
Artists have ample resources as they work, with visiting guest artists and professors on hand. They often work together as well, creating works side-by-side.
This year’s visiting artists were Janina Myronowa and Malcolm Smith (ceramics), Indira Allegra and Paolo Arao (textiles), Sarah Slappey and Leslie Smith III (painting) and Kimberly Thomas and Helen Lee (glass).
KBAI participants come from around the world to receive guidance from professionals and to develop their studio practices. Evelyn Coakley, a junior painting major from the Savannah College of Art and Design, made her way to 鶹ѡthis summer for the art intensives program.
“Everybody has been so nice and welcoming,” said Coakley. “I had no idea that this program was in this little area; It’s like a little treasure.”
After the two week Kent Blossom Art Intensives concludes, artists take with them the skills that they’ve learned, along with physical works that they’ve created and lasting experiences.
About Kent Blossom Art Intensives
Kent Blossom Art Intensives (KBAI) is a series of two-week studio art intensives conducted each summer since 1968 at 鶹ѡ. Similar to an artist residency, participants create a self-directed body of artwork under the guidance of resident School of Art faculty and talented visual artists from around the country. These studio intensives offer in-depth discussions, professional mentorships and unforgettable experiences to all that participate. To round out the KBAI festival, a series of 8-10 public lectures are offered to participants and the regional community, and two exhibitions are available to enjoy and study.