Artist-in-Residence

About The Artist-in-Residence Program

The Umbrella's Artist-in-Residence program offers a year long residency in a vibrant multidisciplinary art center with 50 artist studios, an independent ceramics classroom, makerspace, performance and gallery spaces in historic Concord, Massachusetts. Our Artists-in-Residence create new bodies of work for exhibition at the culmination of their residency and engage the greater Concord community in their practice throughout the year. Applicants must be within the first five years of finishing a BFA , MFA or equivalent training program. 

Fall 2024 Artist-in-Residence: Shima Taj Bakhsh

Shima Taj Bakhsh is an Iranian artist based in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her interest in the crossroads of narratives, places, and multiple time frames began in the interwoven architecture of Iran’s cities, where it is difficult to distinguish sounds from bodies, pollution from buildings, and history from self. In her work, Architecture possesses a soul-like quality that actively participates in events, alternating between mocking, sheltering, and overwhelming the viewer. It conceals, reveals, and speaks to personal, social, and political boundaries.

During her residency, Shima will experiment with ideas that address social issues, collective memory, and the intricate relationships between species and society. Her project will include architectural sculptures and a soundscape inspired by documentary and biographical research.

To learn more about Shima, visit her Artist page here!

2024-2025 Ceramics Artist-in-Residence: Kyle Johns

Widely exhibited and published artist and teacher,
Kyle Johns is the Ceramics Artist-in-Residence at The Umbrella Arts Center. Kyle’s work deconstructs traditional industrial mold-making processes and functional domestic objects – from mugs and shot glasses to vases and holiday ornaments – to create unique new forms that explore “the grey area” between the practical and the sculptural.

To learn more about Kyle, visit his Artist page here!

Meet Previous Umbrella Artists-in-Residence