In previous Enso Circle residencies, we have intentionally avoided assigning a common theme. We wanted each artist to arrive with complete freedom to pursue the questions, materials, and creative paths that felt most meaningful to them.
Over time, however, we have come to recognize that there is something deeply valuable in beginning together with a shared point of orientation—not as a limitation, but as a gentle point of connection.
This fall marks the first time we are introducing an optional residency theme. Rather than prescribing subject matter or expecting artists to create work that directly reflects a particular idea, By Compass and Stars offers a shared language for our journey together. It provides a common touchstone—a way of thinking about how we navigate our creative lives, how we find direction, and how we support one another as fellow travelers.
We hope this shared sense of orientation will strengthen our community by giving us meaningful points of connection and conversation throughout the twelve weeks. Each Resident will still follow their own unique path and pursue their individual goals in their chosen media. Yet, like travelers setting out beneath the same sky, we may discover that our journeys occasionally intersect and illuminate one another.
In this way, the theme becomes less a destination and more a shared horizon—a reminder that while each artist's path is unique, none of us travels entirely alone.
Over time, however, we have come to recognize that there is something deeply valuable in beginning together with a shared point of orientation—not as a limitation, but as a gentle point of connection.
This fall marks the first time we are introducing an optional residency theme. Rather than prescribing subject matter or expecting artists to create work that directly reflects a particular idea, By Compass and Stars offers a shared language for our journey together. It provides a common touchstone—a way of thinking about how we navigate our creative lives, how we find direction, and how we support one another as fellow travelers.
We hope this shared sense of orientation will strengthen our community by giving us meaningful points of connection and conversation throughout the twelve weeks. Each Resident will still follow their own unique path and pursue their individual goals in their chosen media. Yet, like travelers setting out beneath the same sky, we may discover that our journeys occasionally intersect and illuminate one another.
In this way, the theme becomes less a destination and more a shared horizon—a reminder that while each artist's path is unique, none of us travels entirely alone.
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By Compass and Stars
Artists navigate their creative lives in many ways. Sometimes we move by compass—through intention, discipline, plans, and the steady practices that keep us oriented toward our goals. At other times, we travel by stars—guided by intuition, wonder, memory, dreams, and the quiet inner knowing that cannot always be explained. This Fall, The Enso Circle invites Residents to explore the balance between these two forms of navigation. What serves as your compass right now? A long-held artistic vision? A desire to master a new technique? A commitment to showing up consistently in the studio? And what are your stars? The images, memories, questions, and moments of mystery that draw you forward even when the path is uncertain? Over twelve weeks, we will consider how artists find direction in both practical and unexpected ways. We will honor planning and spontaneity, structure and serendipity, maps and mysteries. We will reflect on the markers that guide us—our values, our influences, our teachers, our symbols, and the experiences that help us recognize our own true north. |
The Quiz: By Compass and Stars How Do You Navigate Your Creative Journey? There are no right or wrong answers—only different ways of finding your way. Choose the response that feels most like you. 1.When you begin a new creative project, you usually…
2.You find your best ideas…
3.When you encounter a creative obstacle, you tend to…
4.Your studio is usually…
5.Which statement feels most true?
Your Results Mostly A's — You Navigate by Compass You trust structure, intention, and steady practice. Your compass helps you stay oriented and move purposefully toward your creative goals. Mostly B's — You Navigate by Stars You trust intuition, curiosity, and the unexpected. You are comfortable following faint lights into unknown territory, knowing they often lead to your most meaningful discoveries. A Mix of A's and B's — You Navigate by Compass and Stars Like many artists, you know when to rely on planning and when to surrender to surprise. Your creative journey is guided by both intention and instinct. In The Enso Circle, there's room for every way of traveling. Our hope is that, over these twelve weeks, we'll each strengthen our own navigation while learning from the paths of others. |
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Website designed by Lyn Belisle
All content © Michelle Belto and Lyn Belisle, The Enso Circle, 2021-2026 |