Artists share histories in Clemmons residency

Winosha Steele and William Ransom have been picked as artists-in-residence for “UnderWater, UnderGround: Black/Indigenous Creatives Historize Charlotte, Vermont’s Sea Change,” at Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte.

The two artists were selected through a competitive process open to artists in Vermont, New York and Quebec who self-identify as African American, African Diaspora or Afro-indigenous cultures. A jury made the selections based on artistic excellence, commitment to the spirit and purpose of the residency and availability and flexibility to fully engage in the project.

The purpose of the “UnderWater, UnderGround” is to creatively lift up past, present and future voices and experiences of the peoples of the African diaspora who live or who have lived in the Lake Champlain Basin area.

The artists will research, learn about and create new works about some of the untold history, cultures and geography of the area.

Ransom, a Vermont resident, is primarily a sculptor whose work originates at the intersection of his material engagement and his investigations into personal history, collective history and agricultural experience. He was born and raised on a dairy farm in Vermont and his work and life continue to be informed by his early material experiences and engagement with the cycles and rhythms of the natural world.

Ransom received a Master of Fine Art in Sculpture from Claremont Graduate University and a bachelor’s degree Bennington College. His most recent solo show, “HoldUp/UpHold,” was held at NE Sculpture in Minneapolis.

Steele, a Caribbean artist who lives in New York, incorporates her identity and passion fearlessly into her work. As a Black female artist, she creates pieces with flamboyance, aiming to establish a connection between viewer and artwork.

She believes that the concept of nuances produced in her work create meaningful conversations and deeper understanding of the world provoked through introspection. Drawing inspiration from her Antiguan heritage, Steele’s art is boundary-pushing, yet personal. Her desire to expand her artistic horizon and emphasize racial correlation, however radical, stems from being a small islander.

She earned a degree from SUNY Plattsburgh and has exhibited her work in numerous local and regional exhibitions in New York.

During the residency, which will run through December 2024, each artist will receive $7,500, logistical support, art supplies, transportation assistance and occasional lodging and studio space on the Clemmons farm.

An “UnderWater, UnderGround” multimedia art exhibit created by the two artists will be installed at the farm next fall.

Learn more at clemmonsfamilyfarm.org.