Today, I am in transition. My art, my home, my studio, my day jobs, and my community are all in flux. I recently moved to New Jersey from Boston and then left shortly after to come to Vermont for a residency at Vermont Studio Center (note to reader: Don’t think twice. Apply here. Do it!). I feel the metamorphosis of an artist leaving an MFA program is not a setback; rather, it is the rising action in a series of constant transitions. It is the beginning, somewhere to go next, a place to push forward from to get to another point of transition, which in itself is an accomplishment.
Diana Jean Puglisi, "Material Sketch, Vermont Studio Center," 2016, Courtesy of the artist.
Working on my art full time is making me keenly aware of how much of daily life prevents artists from making and creating. Everything slows down here because you don’t need to spend time on the cluttered habits of everyday life like grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Here, they take care of that for you. There are some fun distractions at Vermont Studio Center that create a sense of community between the fifty artists and writers that are here, such as resident presentations, artist lectures, bonfires, dance parties in the library, swimming holes, trips to local stores, hiking, stargazing, and eating delicious homemade pie on Tuesday nights at an outdoor event around the corner.
I feel settled into my studio now after eleven days and have been working on two larger works and fabric paintings that reference the construction and language of clothing and the body. I am paying close attention to my process; my work seems to be responding even to the mess I make cutting the excess fabric left from a seam. I am keeping a detailed journal of my thoughts and experiences day to day. My mind feels clear and focused only on my works and their next steps. My transition here has been wildly productive, yet I am able to observe the transition with clarity and introspection. Now that I am here, my aim is to enjoy my artistic liberty and succumb to constant play. My sketches are still very present, but intuitiveness has taken over.
Diana Jean Puglisi, "Studio, Vermont Studio Center," 2016, Courtesy of the artist.
