BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department and North Dakota Council on the Arts have selected three artists for the 2024 Artist in Residency Program.
The Artist in Residency program aims to support North Dakota artists in creating art inspired by the beauty of the state parks.
The program is a partnership between the ND Parks and Recreation Department and the ND Council on the Arts in which artists are selected to spend seven or 10 days in a North Dakota State Park.
The residency also provides opportunities for visitors to develop artistic skills and a deeper appreciation of the park-inspired artwork based on their experience in the parks.
From 16 applications, the following artists were selected to complete their residencies in these state parks:
- Lynae Hanson (Painter) of Bismarck – Turtle River State Park Aug. 12-19, 2024
- Kim Eslinger (Sculptor/Painter) of Bismarck – Fort Stevenson State Park Oct. 10-20, 2024
- Korina Spratta (Painter) of Hettinger – Cross Ranch State Park Feb. 10-17, 2025
“This year’s Artist in Residency Program drew a remarkable pool of applicants,” said ND Parks & Recreation Director, Cody Schulz. “We’re excited to see how the creativity, talent, and thoughtful workshop concepts will continue to ignite a passion for art among our park visitors.”
Each artist will offer two presentations or thematic workshops during the weekend of their residency.
These offerings will showcase artwork inspired by the state parks and will provide various opportunities for park visitors of all ages and skill levels to discover or further develop their artistic skills.
“We are excited to witness the creativity that will emerge from this ongoing partnership between North Dakota Parks & Recreation and North Dakota Council on the Arts,” said Jess Christy, Council on the Arts’ recently-named executive director. “It is our hope that the interaction between the artists and visitors will result in an enriching experience for all who venture into these state parks.”
The ND Parks and Recreation Department has highlighted several artists’ work with video interviews which can be viewed online.
Details surrounding activities at Turtle River State Park, Fort Stevenson State Park, and Cross Ranch State Park will be posted on their respective Facebook pages via event listings as soon as they become available.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend these events within the ND state parks free of charge (normal daily park vehicle entrance fees or an annual state park pass are required).
