“Mother’s Milk was my first art residency, and I am so glad I applied. I spent two weeks there, from late September to early October, and it was truly a time of renewal for me. I had been kind of burnt out from my job and getting to spend those two weeks on a farm just making art was so refreshing. In addition, Gerry and Nelson are amazing hosts and made me feel so comfortable during my time there.”
“The house (where I spent most of my time) was so beautiful with so many cute little details (the bird’s nest lamp shade! the sunflowers!). I loved getting to slowly watch the landscape of the farm change with the season as well. I am so pleased that I got to experience Mother’s Milk, and I am so grateful to have met so many wonderful people as a result!”
“Mother’s Milk residency came at an important point in my career. My first experience at a 6-week residency in a quaint farm setting. This residency is a dream for an artist that wants to get lots of work done with no distractions, only encouragement. Both Nelson and Gerry create an environment of care which can be so important for any artist."
"Opportunities to be social or recluse, I did enjoy artist meals and learning the history of the farmhouse we were staying in. The studio space was inspiring - I was able to spread out and get a lot accomplished. Because I was a summer resident, I was fortunate enough to benefit from fresh produce being grown in the garden. I highly recommend attending this artist-run residency on a historical farm that doesn’t disappoint.”
“The residency provided an idyllic setting that proved to be a wellspring of inspiration. Surrounded by the serene landscapes and the echoes of the farm's history, I found myself immersed in an environment that seemed to breathe life into my creative endeavors. The rolling fields, the weathered barns, and the subtle shifts in light and shadow all contributed to the rich tapestry of ideas that began to take shape during my time there. The studio space, a haven for artistic exploration, became my sanctuary for self-discovery.”
“Freed from the constraints of daily routines and distractions, I had the luxury of dedicating my energy to experimentation. With the opportunity of uninterrupted time, I was able to refine my techniques, challenge my creative boundaries, and explore new mediums that had been lingering at the periphery of my practice. This freedom to experiment was instrumental in fostering both personal growth and artistic evolution.”
“Gerry and Nelson have gone above and beyond with Mother’s Milk, both as hosts of the residency and as stewards of the property, which has been in Gerry’s family for generations. I didn’t know what to expect when I was accepted– a city person at heart, I didn’t know if I would feel at home or out to sea (out to land?) in Newton. Any anxiety I had was instantly put to rest once I arrived. The alien-ness of the landscape proved a total inspiration— the Earth’s star and the sublime horizon was a constant, incredible companion."
“The house was comfortable and the studio was remarkably conducive to working— the perfect commute every morning, just a short walk through a copse of trees to the renovated barn, with light, and space, and privacy. A giant work surface, quiet, and no distractions— exactly what I needed. On top of that, Gerry and Nelson were thoroughly considerate hosts with just the right touch— there when you needed or wanted them (for a ride, for a tool, for a cocktail and conversation) but deeply respectful of an artists’ need for privacy and quiet. I would recommend Mother’s Milk to any artist looking for some space to think and work, and I hope to return someday. Thank you, Gerry and Nelson!”
“Mother’s Milk was my first experience at an artist residency, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better between the location, resources, and Gerry and Nelson’s hospitality. My work is a hybrid of self portrait photography and memoir, and their welcoming of both literary and visual artists gave me the freedom to work on each. The natural lighting on the upper floor of the house was a dream to photograph in and Gerry and Nelson were always supplying me with mirrors they had found around the farm. It was peaceful looking out the window of the studio to the fields when developing film and being able to drive to Wichita to visit the museums and camera stores were wonderful ways to spend days off.”
“I completed my residency during the summer before my last year of graduate school and it was refreshing to have a break from creating work on an academic schedule. I was able to build a foundation of photographs and new writing that I plan to continue with for my thesis. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I would love to return someday.”
“My Mother’s Milk residency was enveloped by generosity. Generosity by the hosts, Gerry and Nelson who have created a sanctuary in the middle of a corn field. They grow food in their abundant yard for the residents and have given over one of their beautiful and spacious barns so that artists can really spread out and make large work. The space is incredible. Generosity came from the other residents. They cooked for us (Jen's meatballs!!), helped us try new techniques (Mary Ann's indigo!!) and shared good conversation and advice with the group in the most kind and warmhearted way.”
“Lastly, this residency gave me the opportunity to be generous with myself. It is extremely hard to be let go of our labels...mom, teacher, caretaker, daughter etc....and let ourselves do what we really want to do and that is make work. I allowed myself to take something just for myself and that would not be possible without Mother Milk. Thank you Gerry and Nelson! p.s. to any potential resident that is interested in exercise: there is the most well equipped and nicest YMCA very close by.”
“Coming to Newton was an incredibly valuable and enriching experience. The Mother’s Milk campus is exactly as promised—quiet, restful, secluded, but also very thoughtfully put together. There’s so much care taken in every aspect of the experience, from the way the residence is stocked and decorated to the calendar of optional (but enticing) local events and sights that Gerry and Nelson curate for residents: the Pie Buffet, Little Sweden, that French bakery that’s only open two hours a week.”
“Finding that balance between social time and productivity can be a challenge at many residencies, but it never felt like a challenge here. I got a really nice snapshot of the area, had experiences I never would have had otherwise, met some lovely fellow artists, and made significant progress in my revision of an ongoing fiction manuscript, revising more than 30,000 words during my two weeks on site. All in all, it was everything a residency should be.”
“My favorite form of recreational danger is to be dropped off in a strange place with my art supplies. I like to be destabilized and see what shakes out into my work. By the end of day one I realized there was nothing I needed to push up against or prove, there was nothing to compete for, no one watching, no one requiring anything from me. It was like the way it feels when I’m up alone at night. I needed to feel that way during waking life and Gerry and Nelson have created an environment where I could learn how.”
“Solitude, calm, and clarity is how I would sum up my experience at Mother’s Milk. A stark contrast from the chaotic noise of city life back home, the residency truly cleared space for me to complete some important work and get inspired about future plans. During my stay, I borrowed the bicycle to explore, and bought supplies at the nearby shops”
“Initially I was focused on making collages, and ended up also creating a large plastic-tapestry piece, and some sculptures using old cow bones from the property. Outside the studio, I enjoyed perusing the book collection at the farmhouse, and cooking fresh vegetables from the garden. Studio visits with the other artists, and evening chats over wine and snacks with Nelson & Gerry definitely solidified my experience–a peculiar and charming interlude of a long, hot summer.”
“Time spent at Mother’s Milk allowed for an intensively focused studio practice that I hadn’t had the opportunity to experience for some time. The residency made it possible to experiment and think about my artwork in new ways. I took the opportunity to switch up my usual textile/fabric materials and stitching methods to work with paper, paint, and collage to evoke new ways of thinking and making.”
“The care and kindness provided by Gerry and Nelson was amazing and perfectly balanced between offering opportunities for gathering with invited guests and the other residents, and uninterrupted studio time. They offered optional, interesting “field trips” to surrounding areas that provided a great sense of place beyond the MM farm grounds, including the town of Newton, the surrounding prairie, and the Flint Hills of Kansas. The residency position was the start of long lasting relationships with Gerry and Nelson, the other concurrent residents, and new ideas for my artwork moving forward. What a great experience.”
"For me, as a dancer and choreographer, Mother’s Milk provided an incredible opportunity and space to experiment, play and dive into the new work I was investigating. Having access to regular studio space is a rarity where I am, so this was invaluable along with the dedicated time to devote to my work. I was able to go down many new and unknown paths by working site-specifically at Mother's Milk. I think I spent more time outside creating and dancing in the open space then inside the studio and it led to incredible new ideas.”
"I began to create vignettes of movement in each site at Mother's Milk, unwrapping a story I didn't even know was there. I thoroughly enjoyed the interdisciplinary nature of the residency at Mother's Milk and being able to share the time with a writer and visual artist. Through discussing and creating alongside other artistic disciplines, I always find my own work pushed and challenged in the best ways. I have been telling all the artists I know about Mother's Milk and would return anytime for the next phase of residency in my work.”
“Writing on the porch and in the library at Mother's Milk Artist Residency, caressed by the golden light of autumnal Kansas, felt like being blessed by an affectionate muse. It had been an emotional summer for me, filled with loss and medical emergencies; in fact, just before arrival, I found out that my son had matched as a living kidney donor for a severely ailing childhood friend and that the young men would have surgery upon my return. In addition, my cohort arrived on the first day of the Israel-Hamas war. So there was plenty of potential for distraction. But the charming farmhouse and its calm surroundings, all of it underscored by Gerry and Nelson's gentle, wholehearted hospitality, allowed me to both process and distance myself from trauma by working.”
“Using both formal and Oulipo techniques, I created a suite of experimental poetry pieces about rare pediatric diseases. In craft essays, I focused on place as embodiment, a key concept in my current work-in-progress, and challenged the poetry community's acceptance of eco-grief by asking how we can employ shmita, or the idea of giving the land and its animals a sabbatical from humans, instead. Finally, I completely revised and re-ordered a recently completed manuscript into a more organic final shape. When work was not on the agenda, however, I enthusiastically followed Gerry and Nelson's suggestions for exploring the local community. To that end, I have a few final words of recommendation: Big yes to the French bakery for apricot-sesame sourdough bread and do not miss the Mennonite barbecue and pie buffet!”
“My plan was to draw the abandoned farm machinery found at Mother’s Milk and to see what came up. Since Mother’s Milk does not require a specific result, I had the freedom to see what evolved and to do something I had not done before. A painting made from traced shadows cast by a mysterious implement became a rug on which to display other work for an upcoming exhibition. A painting of drawings of various machinery parts was turning into a giant sculpture. In addition, I had the privilege to be scheduled with a professional dancer and a professional writer and learn about how they create.”
“My experience at Mother's Milk was incredibly transformative and it incited a new and invigorating direction into my practice. It was a gift to have two weeks of uninterrupted time and space to create and explore. The beautiful house and the spacious studio provided a quiet and supportive environment to slow down and focus.”
“During my walks around the property, I found interesting nests and webs that prompted a new painting project that I am continuing to explore months later. Gerry and Nelson were wonderful hosts and their warmth and hospitality made this residency truly special.”
"My time at Mother's Milk was spent roaming around central and southern Kansas, seeking out spots from which I had historical photographs, to retake the same views. This work is designed to develop a view of how Kansas landscapes have changed over the past century. The work had me away from "home" (Mother's Milk) more than I would have liked, but having a base in the Newton area was amazingly efficient, and I was able to retake more than 80 such historical views and advance my long-term work considerably. Mother's Milk, nonetheless, was a place of excellent community, with Gerry and Nelson and another resident: great evening conversation and interchanges."
“I am a very busy single mom who runs an art school while maintaining my art practice. Mother's Milk was a refuge for me, and it's not an exaggeration in saying that two weeks of solitude at Mother's Milk changed me, and the trajectory of my work, for the better. It was such a gift to be given the time and space to explore my work, with the support of Nelson and Gerry around to just greet me with a friendly hello and occasional chats over cocktails-- they were the most accommodating and kind hosts, while allowing residents to have complete freedom and no pressure to produce."
“I fell in love with Kansas, and I fell in love with my work even more. I was able to explore something completely different than my usual work, which has gifted me a completely new avenue of both income and creative exploration. I would do Mother's Milk again in a heartbeat, and the only thing I would change is being there as long as possible. Two weeks wasn't enough!”
“My residency at Mother’s Milk was a much-needed respite in the middle of a hectic year for me. I worked on small works on paper and experimented with gouache, which I just started using this past summer. Being in the studio without any pressure to make a finished painting afforded me the luxury of not worrying so much about how the paintings turned out.“
“I also loved the austere beauty of this part of Kansas and was pleasantly surprised by how many trees there are in Newton! It’s a charming town; I went on the Sand Creek Trail for long walks and took photos for possible future paintings. It was great to meet the other residents and form friendships with them and Gerry and Nelson, who are lovely hosts and artists.“
“My two weeks at Mother's Milk provided an excellent opportunity to explore my work in a more reflective way. The quiet farm space was perfect to focus on my sculptural crochet work, I was able to get so much accomplished during that short period! Another big goal of mine was my on-going land art project, the landscape inspired me to take the work in a completely different direction than I originally envisioned.”
“Gerry and Nelson were so supportive and helpful in recommending a drone photographer to document the work. They are wonderful hosts (and fantastic chefs). It was also fun to collaborate and critique with the two other artists, I greatly enjoyed meeting everyone, learning about their work and having such a productive studio experience.”
“The time at Mother’s Milk offered me freedom and calm at this time in my practice. Surrounded by space in all directions, conversing trees and the beautiful studio that is available to us, I couldn’t have felt more inspired to think, reflect, conceptualize and develop the third movement of my tuba concerto. At the end of my residency, I walked away feeling accomplished, not-exhausted, in anticipation of returning home to LA. Music can be heard, but stories are sung and will live on.”