Writer
1 week - June 2023
Emily Mathis is based in North Carolina and had just completed an MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) at UNCGreensboro. While in the MFA program, she was the Fiction Editor for The Greensboro Review. The goal for her residency was to work through logistics and organizational aspects of a large writing project from her Master's program as well as having down time to read, rest, and reboot after graduate school. She brought along her dog.
Unfortunately, Val experienced some weird tech issues with phone so the few documented images of Emily reading outside in the various flower gardens and shade spots have evaporated. Emily also went on daily treks with her dog and spent a bit of social time with the other residency participant at the same time - Micah Daw.
The gardens are evolving and summer is a fantastic time to see the lusciousness of the Tennessee flora. Lots of green and pops of color. Here's one of the outside spaces being landscape organized - next to the Lemon Lodge - ready for you:
This brief conversation was the only item saved from documenting Emily's stay and can give you an insight into her work.
Emily is a practicing pyschologist and her writing is a creative part-time discipline. One does not need to be a full-time artist, writer, etc. to qualify for a residency. Often times what we need to do is take that week or two vacation from our normal routines in order to feed the passion project that gets placed on the back burner. Do you have a professional and creative practice that you are balancing? Could you use some focus time to put the passion project first with complete attention? Can you use your off-season or find that vacation time for a personal and creative hibernation?
If so, what would you create? Apply today.