With my first residency fast approaching, I feel like I'm in a whirlwind as I prepare to depart for Ireland. So I figured I would break down how I am preparing. First of all I have been planning out what materials I am bringing with me, and preparing my canvases. As of right now, I have settled on a limited palette of titanium white, french ultramarine, Naples yellow,  yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, and raw umber. For a medium I plan on bringing a small amount of Liquin (my personal favorite medium for oil). I will also have my personal favorite palette knife, and three fresh rags. To prepare my canvases (I will be working on the smaller side to make travel easier), I will be priming them all with a mix of white and brick red gesso. 

For this residency I proposed the start of a new body of work based on the 1977 book The New Lesbians: Interviews with Women Across The U.S. and Canada. My plan is in similar format to the book, interview queer elders in Galway from that time and make portraits based off them. To help me achieve this I reached out to the LGBT centre in Galway to ask that they share my contact information so that I can make these interviews happen. 

I've also had to consider the wardrobe I'll be packing for my time in Ireland, as the weather will be fairly different from the hot Savannah summer weather I am use to. Some essentials I know I'll be packing are my hiking boots, a raincoat, and a good scarf, as every piece of advice I get about Ireland seems to circle back to wearing layers. The last aspect of packing that I have been considering is travel documents and what I need to bring: passport, license, insurance card, and my wallet, to name a few. 

The last thing I have been considering is transportation while in Ireland. My plan is to travel via bus and taxi the majority of my time there to save money, and I have found and booked the bus tickets I need already in preparation. 

Overall I can say I am filled with excitement for my first residency and have nothing but gratitude towards Watershed Studios for this amazing opportunity.