Wisher Residency - Spring 2021

This spring we sent Jocelyn Suzuka '21, Yao Jian '21 and Kyle Bredain '21 to the Wisher Residency, which was founded by MCAD alumnus Rob Fischer ’93, and partner Sara Woster in Park Rapics, MN.

This 5-10 day residency is a great opportunity for rest, reflection, and creativity. This year the residency was offered in the spring, rather than over the winter break due to accommodating Covid challenges.

Check out these students' responses to interview questions below! You can also read about the inaugural residency.

What were some of your goals headed into the residency?

KB: I wanted to revisit some concepts in digital collage that I've done throughout my time at MCAD. I wanted to revisit working with silhouettes and animation. I also wanted to do some research into alginate and body molds for my next sculpture project.

YJ: I hoped to take a lot of photographs, write music and create illustrations that related to Park Rapids.

JS: My goals for the residency were to mentally take a break from thesis. We left on the morning that I finished installing my portion of the thesis exhibition, and I needed to rest my mind from being immersed in that work. I did partially achieve this: while it is impossible to fully escape the week before thesis reviews, I did manage to read a book, walk in the woods and prairies, and spent a lot of time talking and being in space with my peers!

A related goal was to create work which was unburdened by my thesis content. Specifically, I wanted to sew a stuffed doll which responded to our experience at the Wisher residency in some way. I did achieve this goal: I made a small plush orange, as an homage to the mountains of oranges I ate while there.

What did your average day look like during the residency program?

KB: Pouring a glass of sweet tea and sitting on the couch working on my ipad.

YJ: Every day I spent my day outside in the woods, walked, and took photos. Each of us (Kyle, Jocelyn, and I) is responsible for 2 dinners so when it was dinner time, I went back to the cabin. When it was my shift, I cooked Chinese food for us. After dinner, I edited photos, submit to art opportunities, and wrote music. When it was very dark outside, I went out and look at the starry sky.

JS: At the Wisher residency, I was always the first one to wake up, so I would make coffee and enjoy the peace. I would read a book, Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant. If I didn’t bring my book, though, they had a selection of classic books to look through. There was so much natural sunlight in the main room, and with only the screen door open, you could hear frogs croaking from the pond next to the house. Birds were always hopping around on the grass, and we even saw two fawns drinking from the pond.

Eventually, reading would turn into sewing. In between this time, I would sometimes take a walk outside with Yao. We discovered some prairie-like fields which felt like such wide expanses, and even saw sandhill cranes. By around 5 pm, I would either bother the one cooking dinner, or cook dinner myself (we decided to make breakfasts and lunch separately, and make dinners together).

After dinner, I would return to reading. The large, cavernous main room which appears so bright during the day feels almost like a goldfish bowl, and you become very aware of the fact that you cannot see anything outside the home (but any watching animals can see you). I did feel completely safe, but because of this, I took this opportunity to read horror stories at night (never will a horror story feel more immersive than being in a cabin in the woods!).

For those who haven't done residencies before, there can be a lot of questions about logistics. Can you talk a little about how you transported your practice to a new location?

KB: Since I work digitally, there wasn't much concern. I work on an ipad, which is already very portable.

YJ: I think it just came naturally. When I wrote music, I thought of what instruments have the feeling of chilling and relaxing that I experienced in the woods and then I did so. I named the song "Park Rapids" because that's how I felt about it. And I believed I could only come up with this song in the woods.

JS: I specifically chose the part of my practice that would be most easily transported. I brought the sewing supplies and fabric I needed to make a small stuffed doll, so that all I required from the Wisher space was a flat table and a chair. This, the residency provided in surplus (there must have been over 25 places to sit in that main room!) I also geared my project toward versatility, as I knew the new space would give me inspiration to make things which I didn’t think of in my normal, everyday life.

For specific advice regarding this residency: you need to have a durable car! The road is very bumpy. Kyle drove his SUV, so we did not have any issues. Also, bring water and hot beverages! It was definitely chilly, so I survived off hot tea. And definitely have good socks!

What were your takeaways about your work, career, or practice?

KB: It's okay to revisit old concepts you thought you have moved on from. Sometimes it's fruitful to try old concepts again with fresh, more experienced eyes.

YJ: I was satisfied that I made 2 songs and a couple of other new tries. After the residency, I have more confidence in making videos using my own songs and animated illustrations. I also thought a lot about my future career plan in the woods. As a nature lover, this was a new experience that let me escape from the city and I realized taking a step back would make me be more clearer about my plans.

JS: Ultimately, I found the greatest part of this residence had nothing to do with my goals, or the artwork I made. For me, this residency was about being in this new location, and being open to fully absorbing the experiences that may be thrown at you as a result.

Yao really wanted to see the stars, as we knew they would be very clear up north and away from cities. Unfortunately, almost every night was cloudy, so we barely got to see the stars.

At some point in the middle of the residency, I had a difficult phone call with my family that left me very upset. Instead of being alone with it, I spoke with Yao. This was at night, and during this, we decided to step outside. And for the first time, the sky was full of clear stars. Yao had never seen so many stars, as she had never been in a place so remote. I pointed out the Big Dipper to her, and as I did so, I saw a shooting star. Yao missed it, but we both made wishes regardless.

The following day, Aaron took us to meet an incredible weaver and his partner, Bruce and Bud. Their home studio was even farther in the woods. They were kind and generous people, and Bruce so clearly was devoted to his craft in every way. Sharing their space and time was something special. In talking with Bruce, he told me something that really stuck with me: that my craft is part of a family tradition, and I must remember that. This comment really stood out to me, and it was something that I desperately needed to hear after the phone call the previous night.

In the days prior, I was concerned that I wasn’t “doing enough” and didn’t take full advantage of the residency. But after those events: the phone call, subsequently seeing the stars, and talking with Bruce, I realized that this residency wasn’t about what I did. It was about being in that place, and absorbing the experience. There was something about it that was giving and nourishing. It’s not something that can be planned for—you can’t plan for a life-changing experience. It’s hard to put this into words, as it is not qualitative. But there was a tectonic shift, and it’s one that I will be processing for a long time.