The Bureau of Land Management is encouraging interested artists to grab a camera, sketch pad, paints or any other artistic tool and prepare to capture the beautiful landscapes found at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument for the Artists-in-Residence program.
Proposals for the 2015 residency must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 4. Winning proposals should promote an appreciation of the landscape, raise awareness of its unique value and inspire conduct that helps preserve its fragile resources.
The artists selected for the residency will spend at least one week developing artwork inspired by and representative of the monument. Resident artists must provide their own lodging or shelter. Applicants with vehicles such as campers or RVs are welcome. No developed campgrounds, water, or electricity are available within Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, although dispersed camping is allowed in most locations. The staff can assist artists with finding a suitable location for a base camp.
At the conclusion of the residency, artists will lead a public presentation about their artwork and the value of public lands. The artists will also donate at least one digital image of their completed artwork to the BLM. The copyright will remain with the artists with permission granted to the BLM for promotional and educational reproduction.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is filled with both scenic beauty and unique human stories that serve as inspiration for artists. The monument, northwest of Cortez, encompasses as many as 30,000 archaeological sites including 13 Ancestral Puebloan sites.
Further information, guidelines and applications are available at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nm/canm/artist_in_residence.html. For more information, contact the Artist-in-Residence coordinator at (970) 882-5600.
