Each year, the Work Center hosts an amazing line-up of artists and writers who agree to come and share recent work. The 2001-2002 winter Visiting Artists and Writers included Fanny Howe, D.A. Powell, Indira Ganesan, Mary Ruefle, Marilynne Robinson, Mark Milloff, Duane Slick, and Whitfield Lovell. A few of the artists and writers invited to visit during the 2002-2003 Fellowship year are Margot Livesey, Charles Baxter, Suzanne Wise, Dean Young, and Thomas Nozkowski.
In August 2002 the Fine Arts Work Center once again partnered with the Lannan Foundation, this time to honor the publication of Alan Dugan's Poems Seven, winner of the 2001 National Book Award. Dugan read to a standing-room-only crowd, and was later interviewed by Michael Silverblatt, host of NPR's "Bookworm." For video tapes of this and other poetry events, including past summers' readings with Stanley Kunitz, Mary Oliver, and Robert Pinsky, please contact the Lannan Foundation at 505-954-5149.
Another highlight of the summer season was the Louise Bourgeois Exhibition, celebrating the new, permanently endowed Fellowship in her name. Curated by sculptor Paul Bowen, the show featured two large sculptures: a headless figure stitched from black cotton hung from the ceiling by his belly, back arched; the other, a free-standing tree, dangled bright dresses and bones, ancient lace camisoles and phallic forms of nylon and rubber. Cate McQuaid of the Boston Globe gave the show a rave review. In April the 2001-2002 Fellows, along with a few former Fellows and Visual Arts Coordinator Maryalice Johnston, had a chance to meet and speak with Louise Bourgeois in her studio during one of her famous Sunday salons. She was especially impressed with Eric Conrad's stitched figures, and with Michael Burkard's singing.
In July, Stanley Kunitz thrilled his Work Center audience with an evening of reminiscences about his friendship with the late Theodore Roethke, quoting from memory passages of Roethke's work.
Photography Now, a panel discussion exploring issues faced by contemporary photographers, concluded with a lively discussion between panelists and opinionated audience members. Panelists included curator Clifford Ackley from the MFA Boston, Amy Arbus, Constantine Manos, Daniel Ranalli, and Marian Roth; Sara London served as moderator. The panel discussion complemented the Stop Time Exhibition in the Hudson D. Walker Gallery, featuring the works of Amy Arbus, Rachel Brown, Norma Holt, Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick, Paula Horn Kotis, Carlotta Luke, Constantine Manos, Joel Meyerowitz, Daniel Ranalli, Marian Roth, and Alex Webb.
The Fellows were greeted in October with a Visual Committee Exhibition in the Hudson D. Walker Gallery that included works by Maryalice Johnston, Jim Peters, Pat de Groot, Polly Burnell, Joan Snyder, Doug Ritter, Andrew Mockler, Gil Franklin, Michael Mazur, Susan Lyman, Lauren Ewing, Itty Neuhaus, David Humphrey, and Mira Schor. A group show in November at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum featured the works of all ten 2002 Visual Arts Fellows.
In November poet Eamon Grennan read to an enthusiastic crowd in the Stanley Kunitz Common Room. Winner of a 1996 Pushcart Prize for his poem "Stone Flight," his most recent collections are Relations: New and Selected Poems and Leopardi: Selected Poems.
Alliances in the Arts
The Work Center has been striving to create new alliances with organizations and strengthen established ties.
We were happy to once again welcome residents from the Ohio State Arts Council, this year poet Thomas Sayers Ellis and fiction writer Mathew Chacko. For the fourth consecutive year, the Maryland Institute, College of Art sent us a visual artist, Karin Horlbeck in 2002, for a two-month residency. Former Maryland resident Jessica Damen had a wonderful exhibition in the gallery this past May.
The Copley Society of Boston and the Providence Art Club both sent residents for the month of September; painter Kay Ruane from the Copley Society, and sculptor Ruth Emers from Providence. In addition, two international residents spent the month of September at the Work Center, Wim Waumers from Belgium, sponsored by the HISK Foundation, and Sandra Ramos, a Cuban printmaker and installation artist, funded by the Phoenix Charitable Foundation of Boston.
The Work Center has also been working with the Gaea Foundation, which selects artists, writers and musicians for residencies at their property in Provincetown. Recent Gaea Foundation residents have included Kengmo, Jennifer Nelson, Biljana Kasic, Jaime Grant, Paula Gunn Allen, Jerry Mander, Danny Hoch, Julia Sudbury, Michelle Parkerson, and Helen Zia.
Benefits & Auction
The Work Center is fortunate to have so many friends who gladly help out at benefits. This year, rather than gathering for our annual spring benefit in Boston, the Work Center invited friends to Provincetown. On June 2, Land's End Inn opened its doors and provided a sumptuous spread to host the FAWC Spring Benefit. Many thanks to Inn owners Michael MacIntyre and Bob Anderson for their generosity in sponsoring the event.
The FAWC Auction was once again very successful. Board member Judith Shahn coordinated the Artists' Project-artist-decorated trays of various sizes. Board member Michael Mazur directed the Monoprint Project, and Board member Hatty Walker Fitts, along with Office Manager Amy O'Hara, facilitated the whole event. As usual, Skinner auctioneer Stephen Fletcher was on hand to make sure the crowd was as generous as possible.
Please be sure and mark your calendars for this year's auction on August 16, 2003.
If you have any saleable items to donate-artwork, jewelry, furniture, or white elephants-call Amy O'Hara at (508) 487-9960 or email her at aohara@fawc.org .
The FAWC Staff
Without a talented and dedicated staff, most of whom are also artists and writers, the Work Center could not exist.
Amy O'Hara, Office Manager and accomplished chef, continues to keep things running smoothly in the FAWC offices. Jennifer Rumpza managed her first season as Workshop Coordinator with flying colors. Jen handles the nitty-gritty of the Summer and Fall Workshop Programs. Dorothy Antczak oversees the fast-paced schedule of summer exhibitions in the Hudson D. Walker Gallery, and coordinates the Collaborative Residency and Returning Residency Programs.
We are happy to welcome back Justin Tussing as Writing Coordinator of the Winter Fellowship Program. Justin, a Writing Fellow in 2000, joins Visual Arts Coordinator Maryalice Johnston, who not only assists the Visual Arts Fellows in the Winter, but has also worked as a visual assistant in the Summer Program.
Building and Grounds Manager Dan Towler keeps his eagle eye focused on the state of the FAWC properties, while Carol Collins, bookkeeper extraordinaire, keeps everything balanced. Dawn Zimiles is our new website and graphic designer, and also works as a visual assistant in the Summer Program. Connie Tavanis continues to lend her indispensable help to the summer and fall programs.
Other Summer Program staff include Sara London, who has worked in the Summer Program every year since its inception, Drew Zandonella-Stannard, John Roos, Genine Lentine, Mary Jane Dean, Mark Wunderlich and the husband-and-wife cleaning team of Andrea and Rodrick Lewis. Our Summer Interns Marissa Aaron, Kelsey Harrington, Abby Horowitz, and Grace O'Malley provided immeasurable help, as did volunteer Bridget Galway. Contact Amy O'Hara or Dorothy Antczak if you are interested in volunteer or internship opportunities. We are presently looking for interns for summer 2003.
A heartfelt thank you goes to poet and visual artist Melanie Braverman, who served as Programs Administrator for three years. Melanie's collection of poetry, Red, was published this past summer by Perugia Press. Her artwork is represented by the Schoolhouse Center in Provincetown. The Work Center is very happy to announce that Dorothy Antczak will be the new Education Coordinator.
Endowments, Renovations & Improvements
The effort to name a studio in memory of James Hansen is complete, with the goal of $25,000 realized. Works donated by scores of artists and Jimmy's family have been sold, and a studio at 24 Pearl Street has been named in his honor.
Last year's "New Day for the Days' Lumberyard Campaign" was very successful, and allowed us to refurbish the main office building with insulation, new shingles and windows. This year we will work to create a full-time writing studio equipped with ten computers and a quality laser printer, and to supply the visual arts classrooms with new easels and taborets.
As part of the Work Center's ongoing Capital Campaign, building improvements continue. In the past we've renovated the Motherwell Barn, replaced roofs, upgraded computer systems, restored the main office building, and performed other improvements. Although our efforts to improve the facilities are never-ending, the last major scheduled renovation project, the window replacement and re-shingling of the south elevation of the Reeves Euler Building on Brewster Street, was completed in Fall 2002.
