ChaNorth Artists-in-Residence Program: Creativity, Collaboration, Community and Cooking

Sarah Crofts examines the rubber-plant leaves overlaid with her great grandmother’s lace. They are lying on a tree stump in ChaNorth’s backyard. “The chlorophyll prints need at least five days of sunlight for the crochet pattern to be superimposed on the leaf,” she said, adding, “Would you like to see my corn cyanotypes?”

Crofts is one of seven artists chosen from 200 applicants to attend ChaNorth’s residency program in Pine Plains. Established in 2006, ChaNorth hosts 48 artists for seven month-long sessions (April to November); some have come from as far as Australia. They explore and exhibit their art, teach, network and share their talent with the local community. (There will be a public viewing of their studios from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2.)  

ChaNorth’s funding comes from its parent organization, Chashama (meaning “vision”), a New York City-based nonprofit founded by Anita Durst and dedicated to providing affordable housing and studio space for artists in the five boroughs. 

Brigitta Varadi, the director and alumna of ChaNorth, recalled how she was “drawn to the beauty of Pine Plains’ rolling hills, and its friendly community” during her four weeks as a resident textile artist a decade ago. When a management position became available in 2018, she jumped at the chance. “It’s my dream job,” Varad said. “ChaNorth provides a supportive environment in peaceful surroundings. This helps emerging artists discover themselves and develop their talent.” 

Her husband, Peter Fulop, is a 2016 alumnus and the ChaNorth event and exhibition programming manager. (They married at Pine Plains Town Hall in 2017 and live in the town.) Fulop said, “I’ve always wanted to work with fellow artists and encourage their success. Residencies are a great way to make that happen.” 

The ChaNorth acreage two miles west of the center of town was originally the Spruce family farm. The cabins that once housed working immigrants are now studios and cottages. Each artist has a studio appropriate to his or her specialty—extra wall space for painters, easy outdoor access for sculptors and photographers, side rooms and sinks for textile dyers. 

Rhonda Khalifeh, a fiber and textile artist from Katonah, has fabric of every hue draped across the walls of her cottage. She smiles and points to a large stockpot filled with dye in a small adjacent room. “This is heaven!” Khalifeh said. “Brigitta and Peter have thought of everything.”  

Each year, a panel of ChaNorth alums whittles the number of applicants for the residency program to 60. Varadi and Fulop make final selections after in-depth phone interviews. “We try to choose a diverse group on every level,” said Varadi. “Different backgrounds, art genres, ages—everything. The oldest participant we’ve had so far was 70.” Some back out during the interview after hearing about rural solitude and bugs. 

Most residents abandon takeout food. “Everyone learns how to cook here,” Fulop said. “ChaNorth has a communal kitchen. Brigitta and I believe in the power of cooking together—it creates a community.” Resident painter and photographer Xiomara Malpica, who lives in the Bronx, agrees: “We gather in the kitchen to make dinner, and we talk about everything. I feel like I’ve established a family here. I’ll stay connected to the friends I’ve made after the program’s over.” 

Sharing art and connecting with local towns is one of ChaNorth’s priorities. Open studios are held at the end of each month: The public can visit the cottages, meet the artists and view their work. Mixed-media artist Kacy Jung of San Francisco encourages a close-up view: The castings of her hands that she painted and mounted on her wall hold ripped fabric printed with a likeness of her face. “These pieces reflect my inner feelings,” she said. “If you look closely, you’ll see one of them has a tear coming from my eye.” 

The Pine Plains Free Library teamed with ChaNorth to bring art to the town every summer until the Covid pandemic. Varadi plans to resume and expand this collaboration. Artists have engaged with the agricultural community since ChaNorth’s inception. They work at McEnroe Organic Farm in Millerton once a week, picking blueberries, weeding or planting seedlings in the nursery. The farm provides fresh produce in return. 

Crofts transplanted living corn stalks from McEnroe’s to a sunny spot off ChaNorth’s back porch—yet another bit of synergy. “Now I’ll have plenty of green husks for my prints,” she said.  

Go to The New Pine Plains Herald Facebook page for more pictures and to learn about two of the other artists at ChaNorth: painter Kelly Olshan, who does site specific art installations, and Miguel Jimenez, a painter working in oils.