Penland School of Crafts takes art education to another level with their Resident Artist Program. For three years, a selected group of full-time artists live and create in Penland’s school community. While participating in the program, these artists are encouraged to engage intently with their work by testing ideas, discovering new directions, collaborating with their fellow artists and test conceptual boundaries. Resident artists are selected through a competitive process that draws applications from all over the country.
This exhibition features the work of the current artists in residence at the Penland School of Crafts.
About the artists
Tom Shields has been working with wood in one capacity or another for over 17 years. His work can be found in many museum collections and galleries throughout the United States.
Robin Johnston holds a BFA from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MFA in Textiles from California College of the Arts. Johnston works in the mediums of weaving, installation and drawing and has shown her work at galleries across the country.
David Eichelberger holds a BFA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and an MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With a focus on functional ceramics, Eichelberger was also granted a three-year residency with The EnergyXchange in Burnsville, NC in 2004.
Dustin Farnsworth holds a BFA from Kendall College of Art and Design and is a recipient of the Windgate Fellowship Grant of $15,000. With a focus on woodworking, Farnsworth has participated in over 30 exhibitions since he graduated in 2010.
Rachel Meginnes holds a BA in textiles and art from Earlham College and an MFA in fibers from the University of Washington, Seattle. During her time abroad, she studied textiles in Japan and wool production in New Zealand and is currently exploring the intersection between textiles and painting.
Micah Evans began studying glass in Seattle, Washington before he moved to Florida to open his own studio. In 2006 he began working as a studio assistant for William Carlson, the glass professor at the University of Miami, which helped him develop a new approach to his work. Evans moved to Austin, Texas to concentrate on a new, more personal body of work before becoming a resident artist at Penland.
About Penland School of Crafts
Located just 45 miles from the Turchin Center, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is one of the most unique artistic educational facilities in the nation. Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education, hosting workshops of all varieties. Approximately 1,200 people come to Penland for instruction each year and another 14,000 visit the Penland Gallery and Visitor Center.
Additional resources
- Flickr – Installation images
- Penland School of Crafts