Studios Inc. Alum Harold Smith Enjoys Escape to Create
Studios Inc. alum Harold Smith is currently enjoying the Escape to Create Residency in Northwest Florida. When speaking about the residency, Harold States, “This is my third residency and my most enjoyable, probably because I was still dealing with significant anxiety disorder while at the other two. I completed series at the other two from start to finish but here I am taking more time to just relax, chill, not rush, take more walks, enjoy more time in the sun.”
Founded by Karen Holland and Marsha Dowler, the residency allows space to foster the creation of work that transforms, teaches, and inspires, provides an environment that supports our artists’ creative goals, and advances the role of artists in community life. With the help of Marsha Dowler, Karen and her started the residency fueled by their love of the arts. Both board members of the Seaside Institute, the two of them, started the nonprofit and opened its cottage doors to artists from across the country. While in residence, the group convenes each week to share their creations over dinner. Among Karen and Marsha, the rest of the board members are Elizabeth Burress, Cathy Toole, and Sue Trucksess.
Harold shared his experience by saying,
I'm currently in the Dallas airport returning from Escape to Create, an artist residency in Seaside, Florida. I was introduced to this residency by the Hollands, Jack and Karen, while in my second year of my Studios Inc residency. They were my patrons and have collected my work, including a work they acquired during my residency at Escape to Create.
This is my third residency, my first was the historic MacDowell residency in New Hampshire. MacDowell is the nation's oldest artist residency and was attended by luminaries such as James Baldwin and Howardina Pindell. My studio was in the Alexander chapel and on the tombstones (plaques signed by each resident during their residency), I saw Ms. Pindell's name. It was humbling and honoring at the same time. I suggest you google her work. She is in her 80's and still producing. The building attached to the one where I slept each night was where Porgy and Bess, the historic play, was created.
My second residency was Art Omi, in upstate New York. While the artists at MacDowell all had studios in separate buildings, some up to a mile from the main hall where we ate communal breakfast and lunch, Art Omi's artists were all under one large building. While our lunches at MacDowell were delivered to our studios and left outside in baskets for us, at Art Omi all the meals were communal.
At Escape to Create, we were afforded a weekly stipend for food and were responsible for our own meals. Some cooked their meals, some ate out daily, I cooked my meals but walked to the local coffee shop daily, picked up a coffee and a croissant and then sat on a gazebo overlooking the ocean and took in nature. I spent many evenings at this same gazebo watching the sunset. We did have weekly meetings with patrons and artists with a meal cooked by a patron's family. One thing about all three residencies is that the food was very, very good. At E2C, each artist stayed in a house in the private Seaside community.
All of these are clearly million dollar (or slightly less) valued homes with all the latest amenities from top of the line washer and dryers, stoves and refrigerators, up to smart televisions. The community is very laid back and peaceful with a lot of people walking their dogs daily, free concerts in the town square on weekends, lots of beachside restaurants and very gracious people. MacDowell and Omi are both in remote areas while E2C is in a populated area. If one goes to a residency with the intention of working in solitude without a lot of interruptions, E2C is great with MacDowell a close second. If one wants to work but also have fun and interact with other artists, Omi is a good fit. Each residency is, in my opinion, a very good thing for an artist.
On a personal level, I have found residencies very beneficial in that the new environment has stimulated new ideas. At MacDowell, I completed a series of portraits using only blacks, browns, and blues. One larger work that was influenced by this series is in the collection of the Beach Museum at Kansas State University. That opportunity was facilitated by Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art.
At Omi, I started a new series on "Blacktacularity" which was the overarching theme of my culminating exhibition at Studios Inc.
At Escape to Create, I completed my first play "We Just Be", a story of brotherhood and community that takes place against the backdrop of a barbershop in the historic Quindaro area of Kansas City, KS.
In closing, I always encourage artists to apply for residency opportunities. Most provide support to help offset transportation and even lost income during the time away. The change of environment, at least for me, has always led to new ideas and thoughts that inspire new avenues of creativity. Well, it's almost time to board my flight so I hope, as always, that you not only have a good day...but a fun day as well.
Attached are photos taken by the artist Harold Smith during his residency.
The application for the next round of residents closes July 31st, 2026. You can learn more about Escape to Create here