Grounded by Creativity: From Earthquakes to Enso Circle

I lived in Berkley, California, in 1989 when the earthquake struck. I had been painting in an
upstairs bedroom/studio when the house shook, cabinets emptied, and life suddenly went crazy.
To a South Texas girl, whose only natural disasters included the occasional rattlesnake or
summer drought, shaking earth seemed like the world's end. For weeks, I experienced the
residual effects of that afternoon's upheaval. When I least expected it, I would be overtaken by
an elevator-drop feeling in the pit of my stomach, accompanied by an impending sense of
doom. I had lost something essential, the certainty of the ground beneath me.

Earthquakes appear in the guise of a sudden death in the family, the loss of a relationship, or
the addition of something new that rattles our security and overwhelms our senses.  For a
reason I don't fully understand, I turn to rocks. After the earthquake, I bought a fossil, feeling the
need for the reassuring feel of something ancient. This Fall, I was in between times with my
work, having closed Ordinary Prayers at the Nave Museum in the summer. Unconsciously, I
began collecting stones as representative expressions of kindness or cause for gratitude. It has
become my way to mark time with something tangible.

This personal connection to rocks and their grounding presence mirrors the essence of the
Enso Circle Artist Residency. As artists, we look for a solid foundation for our studio practice to
be consistently productive. We also understand that earthquakes happen. We can find
ourselves stuck in our own in-between time—primarily if we work in isolation or come up against
a wall in our art.  Participation in a twelve-week residency can be a welcome structure to
jumpstart the creative process. The Enso Circle helps artists mark progress with achievable
goals, supported by a like-minded community to build a path forward.

Now in its tenth term, The Enso Circle Artist Residency hosts twelve artists in the Fall and
Spring, serving as a touchstone that nurtures artistic process and personal growth.  Much like
my collection of rocks, participating artists gather experiences and insights as they find
reassurance in the continuity and support of a shared journey of artistic exploration. Thus, the
Enso Circle becomes not just a residency but a sanctuary where the uncertain ground of their
lives finds stability and purpose.

We invite you to apply for the Spring Enso Circle Artist Residency. Applications open February 1st.
Visit our website for more information or to review our most recent final exhibition catalogs.

~~Michelle Belto