Artisan Residency Program
Announcing the 4th Residency Cohort (2023-2024):
L-R, Rachel Kmecheck, Beth Rathburn, Josh Sommers, Elizabeth Sommers, Lauren Wojcik
4th Residency Cohort: 2023-2024
Rachel Kmecheck
Rachel Kmecheck, a Wisconsin-based artist, draws profound inspiration from medieval architecture, manuscripts, history, and art techniques. With a unique blend of creativity and history, Rachel breathes life into her art through the intricate Intaglio printing method. Intaglio, derived from the Italian words for "engrave" and "cut into," involves the meticulous engraving of designs onto metal plates using diverse tools and techniques.
Rachel's artistic journey takes an even more captivating turn as she weaves in watercolor embellishments and ancient marbling techniques known as suminagashi, stemming from the Japanese term for "ink floating." A master of harmonizing past and present, she intricately intertwines historic techniques to craft art pieces that exude timeless allure.
A true artist at heart, Rachel Kmecheck has honed her skills both through self-discovery and academic pursuits. Her background includes a degree in Graphic Design and Print Technology from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. With an unwavering dedication to her craft, Rachel invites you to explore her world of artistry, where the past finds a seamless embrace with the modern canvas.
Visit Rachel online at: www.modernmedievalpress.com
Beth Rathburn
Beth Rathburn’s love of glass grew from admiring her grandmother’s paperweights as a child to loving stained glass windows in church. In her 30s, Beth began working with stained glass, mosaics, and garden stones as a hobby. In 2021 Beth took a fused glass class at the Artisan Center and fell in love with this new found form of glasswork.
In 2023 travels to Barcelona Spain exposed Beth to the glass work of Antoni Gaudi and his masterpieces the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi House, and Parque Guell. This intensified her passion for working with glass, color and light and the splendor of glass. Beth has been exploring incorporating mediums of metal and wood with her glasswork.
Visit Beth online at: Sisters' Glass
Elizabeth Sommers
Elizabeth Sommers is a Wisconsin-based ceramicist creating with soulful intuition and an explorers heart. Each piece is handmade as a way to invite art and beauty into everyday life.
You may see hints of Elizabeth’s formal medical education background throughout her work in her attention to detail and skillful mastery. Her artwork is influenced by sensitivity to her surroundings, compassion for nature, and her empathic relationship with animals. Working from a place of discovery fuels her joy of the process.
In 2022, Elizabeth stepped back from her full time career as a Physician Assistant, and with the support of her husband, Josh, they created Birds in Clay, LLC.
Just as birds take dust baths to tend to themselves, Elizabeth & Josh work in clay to take care of themselves.
“A bird sitting in a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not in the branch but in her wings” —unknown
Visit Elizabeth online at: www.birdsinclay.com/
Josh Sommers
Josh is a functional potter who is exploring the world of ceramics in De Pere, WI. He is learning and practicing from his home and the NWTC artisan center. Josh is fairly new to the world of art but has found a passion and drive for learning and absorbing all there is to know about wheel thrown pottery, glazing, and shaping clay.
Josh has an analytical side that really enjoys creating and learning. He has always had an interest in areas that allow the freedom to explore and landing in the world of clay has been a great experience for him. He has been a lifelong fan of music and has played instruments for most of his life. He has been an avid sailor from a young age and really enjoys working with his hands and the tactile feedback that comes with each of these pursuits.
Josh feels a sense of happiness knowing his pieces will be used and enjoyed for years to come. He strives to make works of art with a functional form while continuing to explore new ideas in the world of ceramics.
Visit Josh online at: www.birdsinclay.com/
Lauren Wojcik
Lauren Wojcik is an artist based in Pulaski and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She approaches all aspects of her life as opportunity for creative expression, and works in a variety of mediums including ceramics, drawing, paper crafts, fiber arts, and jewelry making.
Lauren’s work comes into being through stillness and deep listening to the environment. Inspiration comes from such varied places as the Lake Michigan, herbalism, Polish and Norwegian folk art, and the seasonality of life in the Upper Midwest. The harmonious color palette evokes nature.
Her work contains the imprint of gentle human touch as a balm to information and sensory overload in our increasingly digital society. Throughout the process of creation she works with intention and integrity in order to minimize the use of precious materials that are drawn from the land, and leave her mark, gently, on this Earth.
Visit Lauren online at: Lauren Jane Workshop
NWTC Artisan and Business Center Residency Program
The NWTC Artisan and Business Center offers a competitive business-focused residency program to visual artists starting or growing their arts-based business in Northeast Wisconsin. Up to five artists are accepted annually and receive mentorship, educational opportunities, and experiences to grow their arts-based business. There is no cost to apply or participate in the program.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At NWTC, we believe everyone has worth. We are not limited to age, gender, social status, sexual orientation, and religion. We are unified in dignity and diversity. We believe everyone — no matter where they are in their personal and professional journeys — can dream big and rise above their current places. We believe everyone can soar higher. For special accommodations or questions about accessibility, contact Carrie.Dorski@nwtc.edu.
Residency Program Goals
Residency Program Goals
- Encourage and foster entrepreneurship in the arts.
- Mentor artists to develop the business skills needed to be successful.
- Foster and contribute to a creative economy in Northeast Wisconsin.
Residency Program Timeline
Annual Timeline:
- April 29, 2024: Applications Open
- June 10, 2024: Applications Close
- End of June: Interviews / Contracts
- Mid July: Announce Artists
- End of July / Early August: Artist Orientation / Meet & Greet Mixer
- September: Begin Monthly Meetings
- September - April: Monthly Meetings
- Vision & Future
- Business Basics
- Branding
- Goal Setting
- Website & Online Presence
- Group Critique
- Exhibition Development
- May: An Artist’s Journey Conversation with Residents
- June/July: Residency Exhibition at the Art Garage
Selection Process
- All applications are reviewed by Artisan Center staff to ensure completion and eligibility.
- Artisan Center staff will select finalists for in-person or virtual interviews.
- Artisan Center staff will select and notify up to 5 artists each year.
Applications and interviews are reviewed by Artisan Center staff using the following criteria
- Is the provided application complete and contain sufficient detail related to all application questions?
- Is the artist living and working in Northeast Wisconsin?
- Does the artist produce artwork of quality?
- Is the artist starting and/or growing the business of their established art practice?
- Does the artist show potential to develop a successful business practice?
- Does the artist demonstrate a commitment to participate in all program activities and engage in opportunities offered at the Artisan Center?
- Does the artist have the capacity to create a body of work for exhibition?
- Does the artist demonstrate passion for a creative community?
NWTC Artisan Center Commitment
- Follow above timeline.
- Provide an Open Studio Membership for the duration of the program at no cost.
- Provide website and social media features.
- Provide one non-credit class at no cost.
- Provide opportunities to create community within the cohort and with the Artisan Center’s staff/faculty/students.
- Provide opportunities to meet arts professionals to specifically help advance a resident’s practice.
- Provide exhibition space and marketing for residency exhibition.
*Please note, this is a nontraditional residency. NWTC does not provide studio space, housing, meals, or stipends.
Accepted Artists Commitment
- Participating for the duration of the program from July through June.
- Meeting with program mentor 1x per quarter.
- Attending monthly meetings with residency cohort.
- Engaging in responsive and timely communication.
- Attending and promoting residency events.
- Completing requirements for website and social media features.
- Creating a body of artwork for the culminating exhibition.
- Participating in the Artisan Center’s business-focused speaker series, An Artist’s Journey, near the end of the residency program.
Program Leader
Carrie Dorski
Carrie Dorski serves as the Operations Coordinator at the Artisan Center. She is also an artist and brings almost 20 years of experience working in arts management.
Carrie is passionate about entrepreneurship and helping artists meet and exceed their goals! She thrives on working behind the scenes supporting fellow artists and the arts through administration, advocacy, and discovery.
Connect with Carrie:
Kat Gottlieb
Kat Gottlieb is an artist, author, and entrepreneur with 30 years of experience. She has worked in a variety of roles and responsibilities within the creative industries as an independent graphic designer, photo stylist, and marketing consultant. In 2008, Gottlieb founded KatBlu Art & Design a bespoke specialty printing company that delighted customers around the globe. The business was acquired in 2014, and then she put her marketing talents to work co-founding Tundraland Home Improvements and Jacuzzi Bath Remodel of Arizona.
In recent years, she has returned to her artistic roots, founding Kat Gottlieb, LLC. She is a three-time published author in the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology series, she has published several books and motivational tools, creates illustrations for clients like Hay House Publishing, and is licensed through a large, international branding agency.
In her years of consulting, Kat realized that entrepreneurs and artists have a common trait; both professions become more than “just a job,” it is an extension of their identity. She became very interested in the intersection of intellect and emotion that sparks inspiration, and the daily disciplines and habits that support individualized success. In the mentorship she provides a unique perspective, helping the cohorts through the journey of identifying their authentic strengths and creating the disciplines that support their personal and professional success.
Connect with Kat:
Craig Bower
Craig Bower is a creative, entrepreneur and marketing professional. From a foundation built on creative design and marketing strategy, his career expands 30+ years over several industries proving every day that you can build, market, grow and maintain compelling brands. He is currently applying that expertise as Marketing Director to help Hansen Foods build some of the top outstanding frozen pizza brands in the world. Craig is the founder of Design That Rocks, a client-focused agency delivering a wide range of creative services, strategy, and marketing since 2007, Rub That Rocks offering handcrafted seasoning and dry rubs since 2019 and has been member of the Kiss Army since 1975.