Año Asites Art Residency

My solo art residency in Año Asites took place in October 2025. My goal in attending was to visually represent the rural culture and countryside of the small Greek village of Año Asites, where I would be staying for 10 days. This area was similar to that where my grandparents were born and raised before their immigration to the United States.

I stayed in the village apartment that is well maintained. Early mornings I enjoyed the sun on the terrace sipping a coffee and writing in my travel journal.

The rest of the day was spent painting and sketching outdoors. The owner of the house cooked traditional Greek food for me daily (enough to have for two meals) Mathew the head of the program was very helpful in arranging his schedule so that he could accompany me to and from Heraklion via bus. He was always attentive to any questions or concerns I may have had. I enjoyed the group get togethers that we had with other artists from the mountain hut and also in Heraklion where we met two of the artists from Germany who were part of the city residency that Mathew also maintains.

Immersing myself in this culture fostered daily discovery; I wandered roads and pathways, my backpack filled with art supplies, ready to paint or pause and sketch along the way. I worked outdoor in oils using a pochade box I had specifically crafted for traveling abroad. I also completed pen and ink drawings with watercolor washes. The completed art may be used by the town for their 2026 calendar.

I will incorporate what I have accomplished during this residency into the larger, body of work that I have been developing over the past two years.

This experience was an extraordinary opportunity to connect with a culture similar to that of my ancestors, and that of my remembered youth, providing a lasting influence on my project both artistically and personally.