Artist in Residence Program
The Appalachian Center for Craft's Artist in Residence Program (AIR) allows emerging professional artists to work in its immersive studio environment. The AIR program is a one-year appointment, renewable for up to an additional year. Each studio (clay, fibers, glass, metals, wood, and exhibitions) has an Artist in Residence with a BFA, MFA or professional equivalent. AIRs are integral to the educational programs of the Craft Center, providing additional artistic perspectives, expertise and experiences to our students.
Applying to Become an Artist in Residence
The Center for Craft employs a competitive application process to fill these positions. Open positions are typically posted in February and are posted to the Tennessee Tech University jobs page as they become available. Applications can only be accepted through the Tennessee Tech jobs web page. Please refer here for the latest open positions. For more information, please email craftcenter@tntech.edu, call 931-372-3051, or request to be added to our email newsletter list, so that we can send you our latest monthly news.
- Artist in Residence Functions
TERM OF THE RESIDENCY: One year appointment, with option to renew for one more year at the discretion of ACC faculty.
QUALIFICATIONS: An MFA degree from an accredited institution is usually preferred, but BFA degree holders and those with equivalent experience may apply.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Oversight of and general maintenance of studio supplies and equipment. The resident will work 15 hours per week. Tasks include managing studio needs, ordering materials, and ensuring smooth operation of programs. Specifics of managing the studio will be discussed with the artist in residence in advance of agreeing to a contract.
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT: Occasional teaching opportunities may be available during faculty absence, if the candidate possesses an MFA degree. Resident may have the opportunity to teach workshops and academic classes, but this is not guaranteed and varies by studio concentration. The resident must produce a significant body of studio work while showing a high level of technical expertise and aesthetic merit. In consultation with the department head, expectations of the AIR’s studio work will be reviewed after arrival.
COMPENSATION: 15 hours per week. $6,000 annual stipend. One year appointment. Single occupancy bedroom with private bath (no partners/spouses allowed to live in housing, cooking and lounge facilities are shared with other residents), individual studio space, and 24 hour studio access are provided. A small stipend annually is provided. Also, opportunities for additional employment through workshop and outreach programs may be available. Benefits include the accumulation of annual and sick leave on a prorated basis equal to the percentage of employment, and thirteen (13) pro-rated University holidays. Other benefits include pro-rated retirement, optional 401k, and educational benefits.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: All applicants must apply online here and are required to electronically upload a resume and provide contact information for three references. Official transcripts required upon hire. Tennessee Tech University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex, disability, age (40 and over), status as a protected veteran, genetic information or any other category protected by federal or state law. Inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies should be directed to equity@tntech.edu.
Current Residents
CLAY ›
Darby Lewis
dlewis@tntech.edu
Darby Lewis is currently the Clay Artist in Residence at the Appalachian Center for Craft (2024-2025). After receiving their BFA in Clay from Tennessee Tech University in 2020, they were the adjunct instructor for Cumberland University’s clay program before going on to their current residency.
Growing up artistic and queer in a conservative south, Lewis focuses on creating work about their experiences as a queer person navigating self-identity and mental health. They create abstract forms that use ceramic and recycled cloth to juxtapose the masculine and feminine, and portray the confusion of discovering self-identity in a society that is unaccepting.
FIBERS ›
Bethany Larson
blarson@tntech.edu
B. Jean Larson (b. 1993, Southeast Iowa) is an artist and researcher currently residing in Tennessee at the Appalachian Center for Craft. They received their Master of Fine Arts from Arizona State University in 2024. B. Jean’s work focuses on the intersections of utilitarian textile craft, queer theory, and posthumanism. By reappropriating and reclaiming traditional textiles, B. Jean questions ideas of uselessness and usefulness in systems that consume objects, people, and land. Their work has been shown nationally and internationally at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (Mesa, Arizona, 2024), the Icelandic Textile Center (Blönduós, Iceland, 2023), and the Wakkanai Public Library (Wakkanai, Japan, 2019.)
GLASS ›
Sarah Montrond
smontrond@tntech.edu
Sarah Montrond received her BFA in Painting and Art History with a minor in Glass from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2019 with departmental honors. She is a glass artist and painter who connects nature to craft. She draws inspiration from backpacking long trails, such as the Appalachian Trail. She has completed programs such as the Pittsburgh Glass Center’s Technical Apprenticeship, StarWorks’ Glass Resident Internship, Pilchuck Glass School’s Fellowship, and Lexington Glassworks’ Resident Assistantship. Sarah has completed residencies at the Worcester Center for Crafts and Salem Art Works. She has been awarded scholarships for craft schools such as Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Craft, Tulsa Glassblowing School, and Haystack Mountain School of Craft. Her work has been showcased in prestigious national and international exhibitions, including the Glass Art Society Member Exhibition Connection at Wilhelm Hallen in Berlin, Germany. Notably, she was a finalist in the International Competition Milano Vetro 35 at Castello Sforzesco in Milan, Italy. Sarah is currently enjoying her time in a year-long residency at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, TN
METALS ›
Talia Tax
ttax@tntech.edu
Talia Tax is an artist from Arizona currently residing at the Appalachian Center for Craft. They collect techniques and ways of making to create sculptural objects that pick at the threads of contemporary American society and gender norms. Using metal and found objects, Talia examines the concepts of safety and authenticity through a queer lens.
After graduating from Yale University with a B.A. in Computing and the Arts, Talia completed Penland School of Craft’s 3D Studio Internship before moving to the Appalachian Center for Craft. Previous experiences include workshop instructor and artist-in-residence at Salem Art Works, and designing, building, and operating an iron-casting furnace for the 2023 NCCCIAP Student Cupola Conference. Their work has been featured in exhibitions at Penland (Miscellaneous, 2024), Sloss Furnaces (NCCCIAP Juried Exhibition, 2023), Carnegie Mellon University (Meeting of the Minds Festival, 2023), and Yale University.
WOOD ›
Alexandra Mavrikis
amavrikis@tntech.edu
Alexandra Mavrikis is a multidisciplinary artist, furniture maker, and visual arts educator. She received her MFA in Woodworking and Furniture Design at the San Diego State University. Her work incorporates mixed media, with a focus on wood and ceramic and has been exhibited nationally. She addresses the body, gender and spatial relations while also questioning the necessity of functionality for furniture objects in the home.
EXHIBITIONS ›
Jim Wysolmierski
jwysolmierski@tntech.edu
Jim is a sculptor and arts educator from the flatlands of Florida. He holds an MFA in Emerging Media: Studio Art and Design from the University of Central Florida and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida. His art making process draws upon the understanding and acceptance of previous traumas, employing the intersection of industrial and body imagery. The sculptural forms and installations he builds serve as corporeal and allegorical accounts of lived experiences, using visual narratives of trepidation and metamorphosis. The artwork draws from principles rooted in Buddhism, affect theory, phenomenology, and materiality; incorporating them as tools to comprehend his position in the world, and to grasp the power of transformation.
He has contributed as a panelist at the SECAC academic conferences in 2022 and 2023, and has exhibited his artworks in solo shows as well as in a range of galleries and museums from Florida to New York, and up to Alaska. This past summer, Jim brought college courses into the Florida prison system through the Florida Prison Education Project, providing college credit to those incarcerated.