Bubbler Room Residency
Bubbler Room Residency
Jennifer Bastian
Hold & Release
Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence
October 2024 - Fall 2026
There is a lot of grief in our world right now. For some it is delayed processing of loss due to the ongoing Covid pandemic and ramp-up back to “normal,” for others it is due to income inequality or racial inequity in a segregated city, others are impacted by the reality of multiple concurrent genocides around the world. I believe we need space to slow down and process our grief. Art can help us access the emotions our daily lives do not leave room for.
Programming during my residency will include sewing circles, grief-themed sewing workshops, and opportunities to collaborate on larger projects as a community.
Grief Circles, a sewing series, will invite community members to bring supplies or inspiration from home to work with as a group to create a collaborative piece. I will also host photo sessions where neighbors will be encouraged to bring in objects to be photographed as a symbol of their grief. These photos will be made in the Thurber studio, and participants can be in the photograph as well if they wish. They will also receive a file or print of the photo.
Curated library materials list — coming soon!
Photo taken at Communication by Nate Ryan
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Spring Open Studios Sessions are held at Thurber Park (3325 Thurber Ave) hosted by artist Jennie Bastian.
May 30th from 10am-12pm
June 19 from 5:30 -7:30 pm
July 17 from 5:30 -7:30 pm
Aug 21 from 5:30 -7:30 pm
Sept 18 from 5:30 -7:30 pmDrawing, collage and fibers materials will be available for mixed media making. Jennie will be available to talk about ongoing projects.
Please note: One or more individuals in this small space are immunocompromised. For that reason, we are requesting all attendees kindly mask before entering. Masks are provided on-site if needed. -
Jennifer Bastian is an autistic, queer and disabled artist and mother. Making art is what allows Bastian to regulate her nervous system. Her practice is related to the labor of parenting, grieving, and making community.
Bastian received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MA and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She was a finalist for the Women’s Forward Fund Forward Art Prize in 2022, and was given an Award of Merit from WVA in the 2022 Wisconsin Biennial at MOWA. Bastian will be the Thurber Park Artist in Residence 2024-2026. -
Currently Jennie Bastian is preparing for her solo exhibition at Art Lit Lab in January 2025. Get involved by helping her prepare a large-scale piece, Flood Quilt.
See more here!
If you're interested in connecting with Jennie regarding her residency, email: jenniferhbastian@gmail.com. -
Learn about how the Thurber Park artist residency came to be here.
Spring Workshops:
Process through Portraits
What is an object that represents grief in your life? This could be something literal: a loved one's urn, a photograph of someone you've lost, or piece of clothing. Perhaps it’s something less obvious: a plant, a type of food, a piece of art. In these intimate, one-on-one sessions artist-in-residence Jennie Bastian is helping community members capture the essence of these deeply personal objects through photograph and reflection. Participants are invited to sign up for a time slot and visit the Thurber Park residency space to have their object photographed; participants are welcome to be in the photo, but that is completely optional.
Please note: One or more individuals in this small space are immunocompromised. For that reason, we are requesting all attendees kindly mask before entering. Masks are provided on-site if needed and the sessions will be 1 on 1 individual time slots with Jennie.
Thursday, May 22 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Thurber Park (indoors) - registration coming soon
Thursday, June 26 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Thurber Park (indoors) - registration coming soon
Thursday, July 24 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Thurber Park (indoors) - registration coming soon
Thursday, August 28 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Thurber Park (indoors) - registration coming soon
Location:
The Thurber Park Artist Residency is supported by Madison’s Municipal Arts Fund (Madison Arts Commission), The Friends of Madison Arts Commission, Madison Public Library, and The Friends of Madison Public Library.
