Bubbler Artist-in-Residence

While a Bubbler Artist Residency is only for two months, the bond we make with our artists lasts much longer. Each of our artists is presented with a coveted Team Bubbler Forever pin at the close of their residency, but more than that, they join a tight knit community that keeps in touch, shares successes, and promotes new initiatives.

This winter, we caught up with some of our previous Artists-in-Residence - Eric Adjetey Anang (wood worker), Rachal Duggan (illustrator), and Hannah Bennett (papermaker and fiber artist) - to talk about their experiences at the Bubbler and where their current work was taking them.

Eric: In 2016, I was showing some of my pieces (including a giant chili pepper-shaped coffin) as a part of another library event. I was carrying them through the hallway by the Bubbler, and Trent Miller saw them and chased me down to ask me about my work. He encouraged me to apply for a residency. I was new to Madison and this country, and it was a great way to settle into a new place.

Rachal: I had never done an artist residency before. I wanted to challenge myself to do something new, but I also wanted to do a residency that was more than just making my own work/having studio time. I sought out the Bubbler Residency because I thought it'd be a great way to connect with the public.

Rachal: My work is mostly consumed online through social media. Getting to talk about drawing and my art face-to-face with people helped me develop new ideas. I also got to see people react to my work which was really exciting.

Hannah: Having the opportunity to set up a community paper and textile studio was a real privilege. It was a chance to try out ideas for the future when I have my own studio. And I did meet a lot of really wonderful people--one woman made a point of coming to an opening I had recently.

Eric: I loved having the kids come in and ask me about my work. The piece that was in the Bubbler was a coffin shaped like a shoe. One little boy asked me if it was a shoe for a giant. I explained it was a coffin for someone to be buried in. And yes, you can touch it and look inside.

Hannah: One of my favorite days was in the last week of my residency when two policemen came in. They were part of a youth outreach program, and because it was raining, they couldn’t go swimming as they had planned with the kids. I spontaneously offered to teach paper-making for the afternoon, and we all had a great time. Everyone, including the officers, made paper. It was nice to be able to offer something unusual and have it appreciated.

Rachal: I had a lot of folks drop in who wanted to try drawing but were intimidated. It was humbling to have people show up to challenge themselves. I often find that those who think they can't draw, draw the best. It reminded me that you have to try in order to see what you are capable of.

Eric: I'm still working on the dinosaur coffin I started while I was in the Bubbler, but I am also working on a drum with an inscription to talk about language and culture. It's called "back to your roots." When I meet my Ghanian brothers and sisters in Madison, they are all speaking in English. The language is not something they appreciate; they take it for granted. I am trying to teach my son to speak to 3 Ghanian languages, and this piece is a celebration of that African culture.

Hannah: I’ve been doing residencies all over the place. I went to Kansas, Maine, and now upstate New York. In New York, I’m doing an Art-in-Ed Residency at Women’s Studio Workshop. It’s very similar to what I did at the Bubbler, although more formalized. Specific school groups come and make paper with me for a day, as well as making my own work.

Rachal: Since my residencies with the Bubbler, I've done a handful of other public and private events in Madison and Chicago, including a neighborhood library residency at Monroe Street Library. But, this year my primary focus is on creating new work. One area I keep going back to is storytelling. I'm fascinated by hearing people share stories and illustrating them. I also plan to share some of my own, too.

You can learn more about all of our Artists-in-Residence, their time with us, and connect to their own websites at the Bubbler's Artist-in-Residence site.

Check out Eric's amazing recent story on Wisconsin Public Television.