What I Learned During My Artist Residency

When I began my Artist Residency at the Westfield Memorial Library, I expected to spend much of my time painting. I certainly did that, but the experience became about much more than creating artwork.

For two months, the library served as a studio, gallery, classroom, and gathering place. Visitors could watch paintings develop from first sketch to finished work, ask questions, and share their own connections to the subjects I paint. I found great joy in seeing creativity, inspired by my creative process in the eyes of adults as well as children.

As I reflect on the experience, a few lessons stand out.

Art Is About Connection

One of the most rewarding aspects of the residency was the opportunity to meet people who might never visit a traditional gallery. Library patrons of all ages stopped to watch, ask questions, and tell stories of places they remembered or loved. I was reminded that art often begins conversations long before it results in a sale, or a potential lesson. Hearing the reactions from the community of Westfield truly reminded me of how important art is in our lives.

Process Matters

Working in public meant allowing people to see unfinished paintings, mistakes, revisions, and experimentation. It was a reminder that the creative process is often just as interesting as the finished piece. Many visitors were surprised to learn how much a painting changes from its first marks to its final details. I take for granted that watercolor has a certain spontaneity, and when people see how easy and rewarding a dab of water and some color can be — or how patterns can be added to truly make a piece come to fruition — it opens something up in them. I'm happy to have heard that many people I encountered tried some of the techniques I demonstrated, and even happier when I heard about their own watercolor paintings.

Teaching Strengthens Understanding

During the residency, I led watercolor workshops for adults, seniors, and children. Teaching required me to slow down and explain ideas that have become second nature through years of painting, and as a retired art teacher, it also reminded me of why I love to teach about art. I gained a deeper appreciation for the fundamentals of watercolor and the importance of keeping the process approachable, relaxing, and fun. Watercolor, for many young artists, can be a bit intimidating — until one learns how to play with the water.

Place Continues to Inspire Me

Many of the paintings created during the residency were inspired by the landscapes, architecture, and seasonal changes around me. Spending dedicated time observing a place reinforced my belief that meaningful subjects can often be found close to home. I have been making a practice of creating paintings inspired by my experiences, and some of these new memories will be very worthy to paint.

Two of those paintings — Sunset Jubilee and Between the Blossoms and the Bell Tower — are now available in my shop. Each one carries a piece of this experience.

The Value of Showing Up

Perhaps the biggest lesson was the importance of simply showing up consistently. Week after week, painting in the same space allowed relationships, conversations, and artwork to develop naturally. Creative growth rarely happens all at once. It happens through steady work, one session at a time. Being in public, showing and telling about my creative process, and seeing people in the community truly interested in what I was making was very inspirational.

Looking Ahead

The residency may be over, but its influence will continue. The paintings, conversations, and experiences from these past months will find their way into future work, workshops, and projects. I'm grateful to the Westfield Memorial Library, the Westfield Art Association, and everyone who stopped by to be part of the journey.

Thank you for following along.

— William Palm