We are excited to introduce five extraordinary artists who will be joining the Penland Resident Artist Program next spring. This year, Penland added the option of a one-year residency to the traditional duration of three-years. Geoffrey Bowton and Kimberly Thomas will come as three-year resident artists; Adam Grinovich and Annika Pettersson (collaborating partners) and Sarita Westrup proposed to spend one year and were selected to help us launch this new residency model. All five will arrive in March 2024 and will join current residents Daniel Garver, Sean O’Connell, and Sarah Vaughn who each have another year in the program.
Penland’s resident artists are full-time artists who spend one to three years living on campus and dedicating themselves to a proposed project or career transition. Many residents use this time to explore new ideas and directions, undertake ambitious projects, or develop new bodies of work. Please join us in welcoming Geoffrey, Kimberly, Adam, Annika, and Sarita! We are looking forward to having them join the Penland community in March.
Meet the artists!
“Standing for the disabled veteran community, I feel my voice can become an inclusive vehicle and deliver new conversations to social spaces…I believe that Penland supports individuals who address critical issues in their communities and prove meaningful change through creative and cultural expression.”
Adam Grinovich and Annika Pettersson
“We see this residency as an opportunity to fully focus [on our studio practice rather than teaching] and create bodies of work—both individually and collectively—to become engaged with craft communities and participate in the conversation of contemporary craft.”
“I am part of a new generation of contemporary glass artists. The support of and connection to a community who shares similar professional, intellectual and creative goals [will] offer me opportunities to inspire others and learn from them.”
“Rooted in weaving techniques and bricolage, my sculptural basketry works are inspired by where I was born and raised, the Rio Grande Valley on the Texas-Mexico border…I feel there is a momentum right now in my work that requires the attention and care which the Penland residency [will] provide.”
Selection Committee
Resident artists are recommended by a national committee of artists, curators, educators, and professionals who are knowledgeable about material-based work and understand what it takes to be successful in a self-directed residency. Panelists rotate frequently to bring a range of perspectives to the application review process. We received an outpouring of excellent applications this year, and it was a challenging task to select only five artists. Penland would like to extend a huge thank you to our review panelists who generously offered their collective insight to lively discussions and nuanced decisions.
Cristina Córdova, studio artist and educator; 2015 USA artist fellow; author of The Figure in Clay; former three-year Penland resident artist.
David Clemons, studio artist and educator; 2021 James Renwick Alliance Master of the Medium; former head of the metalsmithing and jewelry department at University of Arkansas in Little Rock.
Sarah Darro, curator, writer, and visual anthropologist; curator and exhibitions director at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; 2019 American Craft Council Emerging Voices Scholar awardee; 2020 Curatorial Research Fellow in Modern and Contemporary Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass
Wendy Maruyama, furniture maker, artist and educator; professor emerita at San Diego State University; 2020 US A Fellowship; Penland board of trustees.
Co
We ran workshops in the 
Instructor Paige Davis taught us forging techniques with a focus on sculpture in the iron studio.
Instructor Gasali Adeyemo’s workshop focused on traditional Yoruba dyeing techniques with indigo.
Instructor Kelly O’Dell worked with students to create this impressive piece in her hot glass workshop, “Rewilding,” which she co
Student Peter Renzetti demonstrated his tiny trip hammer during a raising workshop with Douglas Pryor. A
Students in Paulo Arao’s “Behind the Seams” workshop worked together to make this quilt, which they generously donated to help raise funds for Penland scholarships.
Better Together resident 
Many families shared a Penland experience this summer. Glass instructor Sayaka Suzuki invited her mom, who lives in Japan, to join her at Penland for a two-week workshop in the paper studio with instructor Jaz Graf.
We made friends! This lunchtime photo was captured by student Becca Martinez.
Penland staff worked tirelessly to pull off over 100 workshops. Here glass and clay studio coordinators Nick Fruin and Susan Feagin as captured by summer intern 
Colorful, slipcast ceramics were on display in Penland Resident Artist Daniel Garver’s studio.
At the end of each session, we gathered in Northlight to view the work created by each workshop.
These tables were created by students during Tom Huang’s workshop, “A la Carte.”
Students in Leeah Joo’s workshop, “Trompe L’oeil Oil Painting” displayed their impressive work.
Over the summer, we enjoyed five amazing scholarship auctions, in which work created and donate by students and instructors was auctioned to support Penland’s robust scholarship program. Not only were these affairs a ton of raucous fun, they also raised a total of 
Our community collaborations team put on nine wonderful camps for kids this summer, exploring crafts from woodworking to creating their own butterfly wings for the annual Handmade Parade. 
We closed out our summer with the 38th Annual Penland Benefit Auction, raising over $500,000 to support our mission of making lives meaningful through making. Thank you to our patrons, contributing artists, sponsors, volunteers, interns, and staff. Our annual auction is a labor of love, from the creation of unique artwork to that special weekend when we gather to celebrate craft, Penland, and each other. Read more 
This piece by student Alison Rosen, created during 
200 astonishing works found new homes and inspired bidding wars
Auction guests selected unique mugs while enjoying breakfast at The Barns with the Penland Resident Artists. 2023 mug‒maker Cat Coulter Lloyd is seen here (left) with Harriet Green (right)
Auctioneer Jesse Miller is always a crowd favorite! Volunteer “Vanna” Jennifer Rankin shows off a special vase that was pinch-formed by the late Paulus Berensohn and decorated by Jenny Mendes.
Fans were a theme of the weekend as we raised $108,700 for HVAC upgrades that will help preserve aging buildings and provide greater comfort for our students and instructors. Auction captain Corey Pemberton helped us get excited about climate control!
Featured artists Tanya Crane (right) and Dan Estabrook (left)
Julia Woodman, pictured here with her piece “Computer Aided Pine Cone” was the first recipient of the Lucy Morgan Award.
Lucy Morgan Award necklace by 
Guests rushed to acquire the steel centerpieces, created in honor of Outstanding Artist Educator Elizabeth Brim. These steel pearls were created by Susan Owen (right) and Charles Coffey. Beth Kokol (left) was excited to acquire this special piece!
Standing room only for Elizabeth Brim!
Elizabeth Brim together with many of the artists who contributed custom steel centerpieces in her honor. 
Summer intern Mindy helped make the 38th Annual Benefit Auction a great success. Thank you to development interns Mindy Yi, Ethan Helow, and Astrid Guerrero!
Wonderful volunteers make the Penland Benefit Auction possible (and fun)!