Stoneleaf Retreat’s Open Call for Women Artist Residents
An idyllic escape in the Catskills offers inspiration, dialogue and artistic guidance
Across 20 acres of land in the Catskill Mountains, Stoneleaf Retreat provides space for thought, inspiration, guidance and collaboration. The location plays host to the Stoneleaf Residency, wherein cycles of women artists can settle in, produce work and conclude their time on site with an open studio showcase. Helen Toomer (former director of the Pulse Art Fair) founded the residency last year with husband Eric Romano. This is their first open call for artists, though the second year of the program—with last year’s guest roster featuring Leah Dixon, Macon Reed and Mia Taylor. Four sessions, each with three artists, will divide up April through August.
“We are inviting women artists to apply, with preference given to those with a social practice,” Toomer explains to CH. “I love working with artists and creating an artist residency was always a dream of mine. When we—my husband Eric and I—bought our home upstate, we realized it was the perfect place for artists to retreat to.” Stoneleaf is in proximity to Woodstock and Kingston; excursions are planned. That said, guest artists and art critics will be invited on site, which houses studios in a dual-level converted barn. Artists will reside in private bedrooms in a lodge just steps away. From a pond and river to walking trails and other outdoor amenities, the private destination has much to offer.
Applying is free, but there is an acceptance fee which covers communal dinners (cooked by Toomer), resources for visiting critics and more. “The aim of Stoneleaf is really a connective and supportive one,” Toomer concludes, “We are committed to the advancement of artists’ careers and furthering their networks, as we need art and artists now more than ever!”
Women artists can apply for the Stoneleaf Residency online, specifying their desired stay: 27 April to 13 May, 25 May to 10 June, 22 June to 8 or 20 July to 5 August. Successful applicants will receive notification in March. The acceptance fee is $400.
Images courtesy of Stoneleaf Retreat
