Anderson Center Deaf Artists Residency Capstone Presentation & Discussion

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Dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of Deaf Arts! Meet artists from across the country who are working at the vanguard of cultural expression in literature, film, visual arts, and performance based in American Sign Language and the Deaf experience. The Anderson Center Deaf Artists Residency Program public Capstone Presentation & Discussion is being held in the Tower View Barn on Saturday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m.

Five artists are spending the month of June living in community at the Center, sharing ideas and conversing in ASL, and making substantial progress on their individual artistic works. Each artist will offer a brief presentation on their creative practice before participating in a moderated discussion panel with the full residency cohort.

Open to the Public, this event is presented in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation provided for non-signers. All are welcome and admission is free. Registration is encouraged but not required, unless additional accommodations are being requested. Tactile interpretation requests to be submitted at least 2-weeks in advance through the registration form or by emailing stephanie@andersoncenter.org.

Now in its fifth iteration, the goal of the Deaf Artist Residency Program at the Anderson Center is to create artistic and organizational networks that support the development of the Deaf Arts as a distinct cultural area within the larger context of American Culture. Founded by local Deaf Artist and activist Cynthia Weitzel, the program has grown since its inception in 2014. With the addition of the 2022 cohort, the Deaf Artist Residency Program has connected and supported 28 artists. The Deaf Artists Residency Program is supported in part through an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and partnerships with Gallaudet University and Deaf Spotlight.

The 2022 Deaf Artists-in-Residence are:

Rosane Volchan O’Conor, Printmaker / Mixed Media Visual Artist, Boulder, CO
A Brazilian-American printmaker and installation artist based in Boulder, Rosane Volchan O’Conor’s work reflects her interest in natural science – from the microbiological to the macrocosmic. Her multilayered monoprints are the foundation for her site-specific installations, composed of ceramic and glass sculptures, neon lights, drawings, video, etc. Her work has been shown at museums and galleries in the US and abroad.

Nikolya Sereda, Playwright / Performing Artist, Washington, D.C.
Nikolya is a playwright, costume designer, and graphic artist who works in various mediums.  She most recently led the main stage production of Deafenstein with National Theatre of the Deaf and is setting her sights on developing an original ASL musical set in a high school, that will create a large impact on the deaf and hard of hearing community and send valuable messages to society as a whole about the value and role of deaf people in our modern world.

Ross Showalter, Fiction Writer, Mercer Island, WA
Ross writes stories about Deaf and disabled people, about being disabled in our capitalist society, and what it’s like to live under those ableist expectations; most of these stories are influenced by science-fiction, fantasy, or horror. His short stories, personal essays, and critical pieces have published in The New York Times, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Strange Horizons, Catapult, Black Warrior Review, and elsewhere. He is a contributor in the forthcoming nonfiction anthology Body Language, and teaches creative writing in UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program.

Tarique Sylvester, Playwright, Austin, TX
Originally from Texas, Tarique is a writer and director currently studying at Rochester Institute of Technology. He serves on the board of Deaf Austin Theatre and was involved in their production of Next to Normal as Deaf Henry. He recently wrote, directed and acted in the Deaf Austin Theatre Murder Mystery, a four-part virtual mystery series. He is currently writing a comedic ASL musical.

Yiqiao Wang, Painter & Visual Artist, Alexandria, VA
Originally from Beijing, Yiqiao is a senior artist and coordinator of creative design with the Center for Visual Language and Visual Learning at Gallaudet University. She takes a variety of approaches to explore her illustrative visions, both using hand drawing and digital work. Her creative principle is based on a theme of vivid color. She has also created several prominent mural designs, including the Loon Mural currently installed in downtown Minneapolis.

About the Anderson Center

The Anderson Center – in its historic setting of Tower View – offers residencies in the arts and humanities; provides a dynamic environment for the exchange of ideas; encourages the pursuit of creative endeavors; and serves as a source of significant contributions to society. One of the North’s top artistic destination points, the Anderson Center has served the national arts and humanities community and the citizens of Minnesota since 1995. From the grounds of Tower View, a grand national registered historic landmark in the scenic Mississippi River town of Red Wing, Minnesota, the Anderson Center supports and showcases creativity and innovation at the intersection of art and ideas.

The Deaf Artist Residency Program is a program of the Anderson Center at Tower View. This event is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and by support from Gallaudet University and Deaf Spotlight. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.