A NOTE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Supporters, Alums, and Neighbors: Reflecting on the events of 2023, we, the trustees and leadership of Vermont Studio Center, are filled with gratitude for your support. The year presented us with historic challenges as well as remarkable opportunities for growth. The flooding in July brought together staff, residents past and present, trustees, longtime supporters, and community partners. You all gave of your time, skills, and treasure; enabling us to recover and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever. In addition, we undertook leadership transitions within both staff and board. While some may have seen these changes as challenges, we embraced them as opportunities. They have brought with them new perspectives that have inspired enthusiasm and renewed energy to our mission and vision for the future. This year, we will celebrate Vermont Studio Center’s 40th anniversary. This milestone - four decades of supporting artists and writers in their creative pursuits - provides a once-in-ageneration opportunity to celebrate and honor our long history while looking forward with excitement to furthering our mission and deepening our impact. We have much work to do to further our mission; to build our community of artists and writers no matter where in their journey they may be; and to lay a stronger-than-ever foundation for a resilient and creative future. We could not do it without you. With heartfelt appreciation, Kate Rebernak, VSC Board of Trustees, Chair Hope Sullivan, Executive Director Photo credit: Matt Neckers 2023 ANNUAL REPORT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kate Rebernak, Chair Sarah Lutz, Vice Chair Susan Newbold, Secretary Leslie Fishman, Treasurer Willard Boepple Deborah Clearman Howard el-Yasin Melinda Hackett Musa Mayer Laura Watt Jo Weiss BOARD CHAIRS EMERITI Winthrop Conrad Jr. Susan Read Cronin Sebastian Matthews Mary Louise Pierson Jane Smith 1234 Shelburne Rd. South Burlington VT 05403-6504 Vermont Studio Center PO Box 613, 80 Pearl Street Johnson, VT 05656
2023 PROGRAM FELLOWS 2023 PROGRAM FELLOWS We are grateful for the foundations, individuals, institutions, and corporations that supported fellowships in 2023. With your support, we were able to award full fellowships to 92 residents as well as partial fellowships to 385 residents. Anonymous Artist’s Resource Trust Fellowship Brian Kennedy Memorial Fellowship Civil Society Institute Fellowship Clowes Fellowship Creative Access Artist Fellowship supported by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Creative Inclusion Fellowship supported by the National Endowment for the Arts Dartmouth College Dohrn Zachai Fellowship Emily Mason-Wolf Kahn Fellowship Harpo Foundation Marshall Frankel Foundation Vermont State University, Johnson Campus Pollock-Krasner Foundation Susanna Colloredo Environmental Writing Fellowship Taipei Cultural Center University of Michigan Helen Zell Writers’ Program Fellowship Voices Rising Fellowship Queens College CUNY Fellowship William Talbott Hillman Foundation Affirmation Arts Windgate Charitable Foundation Zeta Orionis Fellowship “My time at the Vermont Studio Center will be an experience I will always cherish and look back upon fondly. It is truly a special place. … I am so thankful for your support with this beautiful and meaningful experience at the Vermont Studio Center!” Rachel Zhang Visual Artist, October 2023 Zeta Orionis Fellow “Before I came to the Vermont Studio Center, I was afraid that I could not be the kind of writer I wanted so much to see myself as. I did not know if I could persevere. Now that I am here, now that I can see myself as part of a cohort of wondrous writers and artists, now that I have seen that I can face the writing challenges before me, I am encouraged beyond words.” Racquel Goodison Fiction, April 2023 Voices Rising Fellow “It was only at VSC that I was able to spread pages out on the floor and the wall, cut things up, put them back together in ways that hadn’t occurred to me before. I’ve never been so excited to write.” Eliana Ramage Fiction, September 2023 Harpo Foundation Fellow “At Vermont Studio Center, I found a creative environment where processing and producing were equally honored. Exploring different mediums gave me clarity and confidence, which I believe will ultimately enrich my poetry.” Saleem Hue Penny Poet, March 2023 VSC Fellow 2023 AWARDED FELLOWSHIPS AND SPONSORED PARTNERSHIPS “Vermont Studio Center is a magical and unique place where good souls unite and share. I am grateful to have your support, and I know I will carry this gift for the long run and keep growing.” Yi Hsuan Lai Visual Artist, August 2023 VSC Fellow “Thank you so much for your support with the VSC fellowship program! I am extremely grateful to have been awarded this fellowship and the ability to spend 4 weeks in Johnson to focus on my work. … Even after the first night, I felt a great sense of lightness in my thinking and attitude, which translated into new ideas, approaches, and realizations.” Asif Mian Visual Artist, April 2023 VSC Fellow
Waterfall Gihon River and Squared, Howardena Pindell Grace Talusan Visiting Writer, May 2023 “I am so grateful to The Rona Jaffe Foundation for supporting my time at Vermont Studio Center as a Visiting Writer…Only after I gave my reading and my craft talk, did I realize what a special experience it was to share my voice with writers and artists who heard and understood me because of their own training and experiences as artists. Even now, months later, when I do the solitary work of writing, I try to call on and remember the feeling of enthusiasm and encouragement I felt as a Visiting Writer. My experience continues to live inside of me in a vital way.” 2023 VISITING WRITERS Jane Brox CAConrad K-Ming Chang Nandi Comer Tarfia Faizullah Sean Hill Nathan McClain Christopher Merrill Matthew Olzmann Peter Orner Jason Schneiderman Deborah Taffa Grace Talusan Vanessa Angélica Villarreal Crystal Wilkinson Ricardo A. Wilson The VSC Visiting Writer Program is generously supported by The Rona Jaffe Foundation. Carly Glovinski Visiting Artist, September 2023 “I Arrived at VSC as a visiting artist to find a vibrant group of mutually supportive artists not only highly engaged in work in their studios, but connecting deeply with each other and the surrounding Vermont landscape, river, plants, and trails. 20 years after being an artist in residence here myself, I am happy to report that this special creative community is thriving, and only getting better with age.” 2023 VISITING ARTISTS Paolo Arao Nina Buxenbaum Beth Campbell Cathy Della Lucia Carly Glovinski Anthony Goicolea Hiroyuki Hamada Will Kasso Condry Athena LaTocha John O’Connor Lisi Raskin Jessica Segall Hiba Schahbaz Stan Squirewell Sarah Walker Nafis White 2023 VIRTUAL VISITING ARTISTS Thomas Greyeyes Anne Thompson Sheila Pepe John Monti Amanda Ross-Ho Kara Springer Jacqueline Surdell Kayla Mohammadi Alexandria Smith Stanya Kahn RESTORATION UPDATES VISITING ARTISTS AND WRITERS Please join us for a special event! COLLABORATION: EXHIBIT & AUCTION Save the date: Thursday, March 28 Time: 4 to 6pm Location: VSC Red Mill Gallery Admission: Free The Online Auction will launch the same day and will feature 40 prints curated by Sarah Amos. Sales from the exhibition will support VSC Fellowships. PRINT RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS Christine Aaron Barbara Ackerman Brandy Boden Mary Braun Gail Carrigan Janet Cathey Wendy Copp Shrishti Dass Cameron Davis Jennifer Fernandez Leslie Fry Patty Genadio Jason Gray Ari Herrera Paul Hertz Mary Hill Valerie Hird Sarah Horne Kristin Humbarger Rebekah Irwin Lydia Kinney Emily Klass Carl Kolon Meg Lagodzki Carol MacDonald Kaarina MacKenzie Barbara Marks Janette Maxey Jack Michael Nancy Mintz Briony Morrow-Cribbs George Pearlman Michael Piotrowski Monika Plioplyte Lizzy Powell Jude Prashaw Amy Pryor James Rauchman Lucy Ray Alexa Reber Phillip Robertson Joe Salerno Martha Schnee Joe Sherman Alexandra Sherrill Susan Smereka Mikaela Taylor Marie Theberge Jesse Thompson Dana Walrath Joe Watson Jo Weiss Elise Whittemore Ann Wilson Terry Wise Daniel Zeese Janet Zinter SPECIAL THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP! Sarah Amos MJ Davis Carolyn Frisa Walter Newman VSC Staff Leila Bandar Patty Hudak Candace Truso Restoring a Legacy: VSC’s Print Archive Rises from the Flood! In 1998, Master Printer Sarah Amos and VSC co-founder Jon Gregg, launched a ten-year printmaking revolution. Making VSC a printmaking haven with renowned contemporary artists collaborating with Amos at the VSC Printing Press. During the July 2023 flood almost a third of the collection was damaged. Sarah Amos returned and worked with VSC staff, archivists, and volunteers to restore the prints. After months of navigating the damage, the community called on VSC and Sarah to showcase the work. That call has been answered with “Collaboration” a survey of print form the VSC Print archive. Special thanks to Vermont Arts & Culture Disaster and Resilience Network for connecting VSC with Carolyn Frisa, Paper Conservator – Works on Paper, LLC. Carolyn’s support has ensured this legacy will continue. Tidal Rag Rug Photo credit: Luc Demers
VSC Through the Decades CELEBRATING 40 YEARS In the summer of 1984, Jon Gregg, Fred Osborne, and Louise von Weise welcomed 75 artists to Vermont Studio Center’s Johnson, VT campus. They were guided by the vision to foster creativity through community, collaboration, and quiet reflection. Their vision remains the cornerstone of VSC, shaping our identity and guiding our evolution. Today, we are committed to upholding the legacy of our founders while embracing the everevolving landscape of the arts. We are dedicated to providing a platform for artists and writers to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and redefine the possibilities of artistic expression. With a deeply rooted belief in the transformative power of art, we pledge to continue nurturing the creative spirit, fostering meaningful connections, and inspiring generations of artists and writers to come. Thank you for being a part of our journey. Together, let us continue to celebrate the transformative power of art and the enduring legacy of Vermont Studio Center. 2023 VSC Through the Decades > 1984 1998 2006 2024 EVENTS & CELEBRATIONS FIND VSC AT THESE CONFERENCES: February 7-10: Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Kansas City, MO February 15-18: College Art Association, Chicago, IL April 3-6: Southern Graphics Council, Providence, RI ALUMNI MIXERS Be on the lookout for your personal invitation to a 2024 Alumni Mixer! May: New York, NY November: Bay Area, CA JOIN US ON CAMPUS! In addition to VSC’s regular program of exceptional Visiting Artist and Visiting Writer talks and readings and Red Mill gallery openings; the following special events have been planned for 2024: March 28: Collaboration: a survey of prints from the VSC Print archive curated by Sarah Amos (See previous page for more information.) April 19: 40th Anniversary Poetry Reading A celebration of VSC’s Writing Program featuring poets, Neil Shepard, Chard deNiord, and Meg Reynolds June 22: 40th Anniversary Celebration Johnson community picnic, sculpture show opening, and studio naming celebrations for Fred Osborne, Wolf Kahn, and Emily Mason August 15: Vermont Week (VTWK) Alumni Show
THANK YOU TO OUR FINAL JURORS WRITERS: Jennifer Foerster Lauren Hwang-Finkelman Nandi Comer Jensen Beach Kylie Gellatly Rebecca Starks Meg Reynolds Grace Talusan Terese Mailhot VISUAL ARTISTS: Joe Chirchirillo Catherine Della Lucia Rubens Ghenov Kristy Hughes Athena LaTocha John O’Connor Sydney Pursel Estefania Puerta Daniela Rivera Victoria Zolnoski The mission of VSC is to provide studio residencies in an inclusive, international community, honoring creative work as the communication of spirit through form. In 2023, VSC welcomed 426 Residents, just 9% of the total applicant pool. Our 2023 Residents traveled from 12 different countries to join us for 16 sessions throughout the year. PROGRAMS FINANCIALS RESIDENT MAKEUP 2023 FINANCIAL DATA VISUAL ARTIST/WRITER Artist 66% Writer 34% 6634 ETHNIC/CULTURAL IDENTITY Black, Afro Caribbean, African American 4% East Asian, East Asian American 9% Hispanic, Latinx, Spanish Origin 4% Middle Eastern, Middle Eastern American 1% Native American, Alaskan Native 1% South Asian, South Asian American 2% Southeast Asian, Southeast Asian American 1% White European, White EuroAmerican 57% More than one 14% 4 Didn’t Answer 7% 94+11215714+7 Photo: Andy Jacobs - February 2023 Photo: Caitlin Weiner - September 2023 Photo: Carly Owens - August 2023 REVENUE Contribution Revenue 2,546,910 Program Revenue 1,488,076 Total Revenue 4,034,986 EXPENSES Program 1,850,361 General and Administrative 1,116,885 Fundraising 305,455 Total Expenses 3,272,701 Change in Net Assets Operations 762,284 NET ASSETS Change in Net Assets 1,284,379 Beginning Net Assets 16,816,286 Ending Net Assets 18,100,665 REVENUE SOURCE Total Program 35% 65+35 Total Contribution 65% TOTAL REVENUE VS EXPENSE Total Expense 45% 55+45 Total Revenue 55% FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES Administration and General 34% Fundraising 9% 57+349 Program Expense 57% TOTAL DONORS FY’22 208 FY’23 840 DONATIONS BY DONOR Trustee 24% Individual 43% Foundation 20% Endowment Draw 9% Institution 2% Corporation 1% Government 1% 24+4320102+1
A Not-So-Banner Year Community Art Project The Not-So-Banner Year Community Art project was conceived by a group of community volunteers that came together to brainstorm ways to use the arts to bring Johnson together in the aftermath of July 2023’s historic flooding. The pop-up community art project engaged community members to create banners inspired by community, resilience, and collaboration. The banners will hang from lamp posts throughout the historic village. Painting sessions were held at four locations through the 2023 winter holiday season: Jenna’s Promise, Johnson Elementary School, Vermont Studio Center, and VSU Johnson. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Erika Magoon Alex Laws Erika Magoon Kyle Nuse Bug Pericles Phillip Robertson Iris Serrano Amy Tatro Peggy Williams AND, VSC STAFF MEMBERS: Sarah Audsley Kathy Black Liz Kauffman Harlan Mack Mara Siegel Shona Sladyk Hope Sullivan and Project Manager, Arista Alanis We are especially grateful to the Vermont Community Foundation and the Vermont Arts Council for their funding, and inspiration! Art has the power to heal and bring people together, and we are excited to see how the Johnson Community NotSo-Banner Year project can help our community recover from the flooding. 2023 GALLERY EXHIBITIONS Andrea Pearlman: Two Thousand Light Years from Home Kathy Black: Expanding Universe, Collapsing Time Harlan Mack: A Constellation of Friendships Liz Kauffman: affinity Worlds Collide: Photography by Green Mountain Tech Creative Media Art & Design Students Trevor Corp: TICK-Tock Joe Chirchirillo: Recent Sculptures Margaret Jacobs: Shape of Memory Dynamism: An exhibition featuring the work of Artists with Studios at VSC, including - Arista Alanis, Fletcher Bach, janet e. dandridge, Patty Hudak, Katherine Langlands, Sabine Likhite, Michael Mahnke, Meg McDevitt, Corinne Planche, Lynne Reed, Jo Weiss Chiara Keeling Liz Kauffman with son Quinn at opening of affinity COMMUNITY ART GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR VSC STAFF Arista Alanis Sarah Audsley Leila Bandar Jess Beliveau Lori Biamonte Koi Boynton Richard Busch Melanie Clark Trevor Corp Delaney Dolan-Godin Mags Garvey Alex Kauffman Liz Kauffman Alden MacDowell Jim MacDowell Harlan Mack Kristina Neas Ari Nicewicz Elizabeth Orgeron Bug Pericles Charlotte Reber Alexa Rivera Zach Shaw Mara Siegel Shona Sladyk Jay Stanton Hope Sullivan Candace Truso Kathy Black: A Tribute After three decades of unwavering dedication and transformative contributions, Kathy Black retired from VSC on December 31, 2023. Her remarkable journey at VSC began in 1988 as a Staff Artist, a role that ignited her passion for nurturing the artistic spirit within others. Following a brief stint at Trinity College, Kathy and her husband, Joe, returned to Johnson, their adopted home, where they raised their two children, Giulio and Clare. Kathy’s commitment to the VSC community extended beyond the studio walls, as she briefly served on the town’s selectboard, demonstrating her deep-rooted connection to the place she called home. Throughout her tenure at VSC, Kathy’s unwavering commitment to the organization’s mission and values has shone through her actions. As Program Director, she played a pivotal role in administering fellowships, forging partnerships, and steering VSC’s admissions processes. Her administrative expertise and unwavering support for artists’ creative endeavors have been instrumental in VSC’s growth and success. Kathy’s dedication to fostering a supportive environment where artists can thrive has touched countless individuals, leaving an indelible mark on the VSC community. Colleagues and friends alike echo the profound impact Kathy has had on their lives. Her ability to navigate the complexities of VSC with grace and ease, while simultaneously fostering a sense of camaraderie and purpose, is a testament to her remarkable leadership. Her unwavering support for artists, her commitment to upholding VSC’s values, and her infectious enthusiasm have been a driving force behind the organization’s success. As Kathy embarks on a new chapter, filled with the promise of expanded creative pursuits, VSC extends its deepest gratitude for her extraordinary contributions. Thank you, Kathy, for your unwavering dedication to the Vermont Studio Center and the countless lives you have touched along the way. Your legacy will continue to shine brightly, illuminating the path for future generations of artists and creative minds. Cheers to you, Kathy, you are one in a million!