Salad Days Artist Residency

Associated Residency Program

Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts' annual Salad Days fundraiser draws art appreciators to campus for a summer celebration of handmade ceramic work and local food. For each year’s event, a Salad Days Artist-in-Residence produces hundreds of plates or shallow bowls from terracotta clay. During the celebration, guests choose a plate to take home and enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. The Salad Days Artist’s plates serve as the primary feature of the day and many event attendees return year after year to collect each new design.  

Watershed selects a Salad Days Artist annually to create plates or shallow bowls for the following year’s Salad Days. The Salad Days Artist spends seven months at Watershed – from September to April – producing 475 plates or shallow bowls for the following summer’s Salad Days. The Artist is also commissioned to create approximately thirty small functional or decorative pieces for Watershed’s sustained giving donors. 

The residency runs on campus during Watershed’s quieter programming season. While the Artist works closely with studio staff to fine-tune their plate design and making process, much of the work is completed independently. Strong self-management skills and comfort working independently in a rural area are essential.

There is no application deadline
Residency Length
7 months - 7 months
Languages
English
Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time
1
Collaborative Residency
Must apply and be accepted individually
Discipline
Ceramics/Clay Arts/Pottery
Country of Residence
Only open to artists based in country the program is located
Family Friendly
N/A
Stage of Career
Any stage of career
Additional Expectations/Opportunities
Donate a work of art
Give artist talk or presentation
Accessible Housing
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Meals Provided
Residents have access to shared kitchen
Food stipend provided
Studios/Special Equipment
Private Studios
Shared Studios
Ceramics Workspace
Electric Wheels
Kick Wheels
Slab Roller
Clay Mixers
Plaster Room
Raku Kiln
Electric Kiln
Gas Kiln
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
ADA Compliant
Type of Housing
Private housing on campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus
Additional Eligibility Information

To apply, artists submit the Salad Days Artist application, which includes:

  • Questions related to applicant's experience and interest in the Salad Days Artist role
  • A proposed design for the Salad Days plates or shallow bowls which includes a written description and a visual prototype (sketch, drawing, photo of finished work, etc.) 
  • Images of work

Artists who are comfortable working independently in a clay studio with experience working in series are encouraged to apply. The Artist is selected annually by Watershed staff in consultation with other practicing studio artists, as needed. Consideration is given to the feasibility of applicant’s proposed design, quality of work, and experience working independently on large-scale projects. Applicants with promising proposals will be interviewed by Watershed staff to discuss their ideas and plans. 

The annual application deadline is February 15th. Artists are notified of their standing by mid April. The residency begins the following September and runs through April of the next year. 

Because of the length of the residency, applicants must be American citizens. At this time, Watershed is not able to support work visas or study visas for international artists. 

Number of Artists Accepted in Most Current Year
1
Total Applicant Pool in Most Current Year
18
Artist Stipend
4000
US Dollar (USD)
Travel Stipend/Material Stipends
Residency Fees
0
US Dollar (USD)
Grant/Scholarship/other Funding Support
Application Fee
25
US Dollar (USD)
Application Type
Open application