I had the best time at BSAR! Thank you so much for inviting me to NYC to create, this is an amazing experience. Furthermore, thank you for being so supportive to artists, and providing artists with a wonderful space to create. What you’re doing is beyond meaningful, and what’s more is that you are such great human beings. I feel very blessed to get to know you personally! Hopefully we will meet each other again soon. We’ll keep in touch ❤️❤️❤️ -Love, G.E.

My residency took place during the Covid lockdown where social gatherings were restricted and the world was still functioning mostly from-home. This made my one-on-one time with others much more valuable. I met fellow Colombian artists Edward Salas and Andres Monzón-Aguirre who gave me a tour of downtown galleries and supported me throughout my creative process. I was elated to meet the wonderful Heather Benjamin who gave me a very generous studio visit and critique… These memories linger because they remind me that I am not alone in my journey as an artist. The studio on Putnam avenue is more than just a residency studio, it is a place that fosters positivity, friendship, and a resilient community for the art world at large. 

Bed Stuy Art Residency came at a very interesting and extremely pivotal point in my art career. Fresh off quitting my job the month prior, and being displaced from my studio, the residency offered a very crazy work+ cozy living space. It was full of almost everything an artist needed to lock in and get to working from various mediums of paints, dry material, and work surfaces to even the moderately stocked kitchen. Being from Memphis, Tn, going to live a month in this sweet space nestled in Brooklyn was such a breather for me away from all the anti LGBTQ sentiment I passively run into on the day to day in the south. Not only was my world expanded artistically but also my access to safe and affirming spaces as well. I got all the love in the world always for Kathy, Marshall,Erwin and any other person apart of Bed Stuy Art residency. -

Bed-Stuy Art Residency completely expanded my practice. Being away from my traditional studio forced me to work & think outside the box, it got me out my comfort zone (which was so necessary). This opened doors for new ways to create, my practice is a lot more diverse and I've gained even more confidence in my abilities knowing that my practice isn’t limited to what I’ve always thought/used. The opportunity to work without the financial stress accompanied by the support from the team gave me so much peace of mind and as an artist that works from a sense of joy that was so important. The residency has this special blend of letting you be free in the city while also being really involved in your practice and you as a person. You’ll forever remember your experience and the people/friends you met in the process.

The Bed Stuy Art Residency, which I joined in February 2023, was one of the most wonderful residency experiences for me. Due to my constant busy exhibition schedule, where I mainly presented my paintings, I don’t have enough time to focus on drawings. So when I was at BSAR, I had a great opportunity to work on a series of drawings, it was important for my career development and I am very grateful for this chance.

BSAR has created such an inspiring and beautiful hub of art and community. It was a joy to spend time in that space, that neighbourhood and respond to the people and the surroundings I encountered. I really enjoyed leaning into areas of my practise I hadn’t had the luxury of time to experiment with. The residency gives room to try things out in a really open way. Having an open studio, rather than exhibition, at the end of the stay keeps the pressure down and prioritises development, connection and discussion. I’m really grateful for the opportunity experience and I’ll always feel part of the expanding community <3