National Lakeshore welcomes artist in residence Phillip Donovan
Jeff Ripple’s photograph of autumn creeping over Sleeping Bear.
Superintendent Dusty Shultz is pleased to introduce this year’s September Artist-In-Residence at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Phillip Donovan, a sculptor from New York, is living in the National Lakeshore for three weeks, immersing himself in the natural wonders of the dunes, forests, beaches, and varied cultural landscapes this national treasure provides. Donovan will present a free one-hour program highlighting his work and experience during his residency on Friday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of the National Lakeshore’s Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. Works of art by previous Artists-In-Residence will also be on display in the auditorium.
Selected from 36 applicants, Mr. Donovan creates mixed-media sculptures and collages from natural materials. Interested in Native American culture, understanding of nature, and use of natural materials, he plans to meet and talk with local elders during his stay to create an outdoor sculptural piece influenced by those conversations and his time in the National Lakeshore’s landscape.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has sponsored the program for over a decade, and it is open, through competition, to American writers, composers, and visual artists, whose work can be influenced and enhanced by the outstanding features that are protected by the National Park Service and enjoyed by millions of visitors year after year. In exchange for the opportunity to live in the park for a short period, Artists in Residence donate an original piece of art to the park, interact with visitors while conducting their craft, and offer at least one public presentation of their work in a formal setting. There are only two sessions (September and October) available each year. For more details, visit www.nps.gov/slbe/parkmgmt/artistinresidence.htm.
