Artist Residency information

Experimental Artist Residency 2024-2026

Misty Hollow Residency started in 2024 by Asia Ward, a social practice sculpture artist, as a three year initiation period for a set of experimental artist residencies testing out different artist approaches and public engagements with the land of Misty Hollow. In 2027 the goal is to formally open Misty Hollow Residency as an organization using the three years of residencies as research to support the future structure (which is still in the process of discovery). These artist residencies are for emerging to professional artists in any practice.

2026 will be a partner year, supporting projects from Slippery Rock University and others. Programming for 2026 is still being worked on and if you want to be a part of the programming, please contact mistyhollowartistresidency@gmail.com with your inquiry. Please contact before plans are solidified by February 2026.

2025 Artist in Residence

2025 is an invite only for one Pittsburgh artist, receiving a stipend of $2000 to create a social practice project that engages the land and the local public over the course of the summer and fall of 2025. Artist is given room, workspace, help, and whatever natural resources they require within reason. To support the public programing, Misty Hollow will connect the artist to local universities, experts, and art organizations.

Lindsey Peck Scherloum

July - October 2025

2025 Artist in Residence Lindsey Peck Scherloum will engage the public in the making of a collective Monument to interconnection, each person creating a small figure out of clay gathered from earth that surrounds Slippery Rock Creek.  The audience will be prompted to consider their relationship to the Creek, to their community, and to write or think a small prayer for our future, message of appreciation to the water, or statement of intention as they create. The figures will be collected and assembled among the springs and running water that feed Slippery Rock Creek at Misty Hollow, eroding over time into the water and the creek and washing into it the meaning each has been imbued by its creator. Lindsey will provide 4-5 event based activities open to the public.

Upcoming Event

  • November 23, 2025 12:30pm-2pm Fern Moss Flotilla: A Monument to Interconnection at Misty Hollow Residency (free) RSVP ONLY Event link

Past Events

  • August 8th 2025 12pm-4pm Monument to Interconnection Children’s Summer Arts Festival at the Hoyt Center for the Arts (free) Event link

  • September 23, 2025 6pm-8pm We All Live Downstream Lawrence County Conservation District. New Castle Library (free) Event link

  • September 27, 2025 12pm-4pm Monument to Interconnection 32nd Annual McConnel’s Mills Heritage Festival, Kildoo Picnic Area and Gristmill, Portersville (free) Event link

Events

Project Title: Monument to Interconnection

  • Making temporary monuments

    Artifacts of the work from the Children’s Summer Arts Festival at the Hoyt Center for the Arts

  • Working with wild clay

    Testing the possibilities of wild clay as a medium. Consulted with PennOhio Clay Guild

  • Processing the wild clay

    Lindsey processed the clay in order for it to work for sculpture making

  • Gathering clay from Misty Hollow

    Lindsey sorts through the clay unearthed by a tractor

  • Clay ready for kids

    Kids create clay sculptures about the Slippery Rock Creek environment and creatures

2024 Artists in Residence

2024 was an open national call, and received a surprising number of applicants across the states. The call was for two artists or artist pairs to complete projects on site within two weeks of September. A $500 stipend was given to each artist group, including room, workspace, help, and whatever natural resources they required within reason. Their projects have become the property of Misty Hollow, and remain on site.

Merle Rogers and Felicia Cooper

September 14th-28th 2024

Merle Rogers and Felicia Cooper created ‘Leave No Trace / Leave, Know, Trace' for Misty Hollow Residency 2024. ‘ Leave No Trace / Leave, Know, Trace' was a performance that invited our natural guides–trees, rocks, ferns, herbs, mushrooms–to share what they know with a human and non-human gathering: city slickers, neighbors, glass objects, naturally dyed linens, trash accumulations. This brief walking tour of southwest Pennsylvania land investigated what it means to “go outside.”

Part 1: Cryptid and shadow puppet show by the greenhouse

Part 2: Camp Misty Hollow sing along and puppet show

Part 3: Gratitude Bucket in the meadow

  • Part 1: Cryptid plays banjo

    Leave no trace/leave, know, trace shadow puppet show by green house

  • Part 2: Camp Misty Hollow sing along

    A group sing along and a puppet show on the old stump

  • Part 2: Puppet show on stump

    Leave no trace/leave, know, trace roaming puppet show

  • Part 3: Gratitude exchange

    Back and forth gratitude for various found objects

  • Part 4: Human Nest gallery

    Merle curated a gallery within Human Nest of found objects, natural and human made. The Human Nest in 2025 has been reset.

  • Part 1: Cryptid plays banjo

    Leave no trace/leave, know, trace shadow puppet show

Madeline Cochran and Owen Donohue

September 1st-14th 2024

Human Nest by Madeline Cochran and Owen Donohue for Misty Hollow Artist Residency 2024. Human Nest is a cocoon-like structure built on artist Asia Ward’s property in Ellwood City, PA, as the first of a series of experimental art residencies. Inspired by Patrick Dougherty’s Stickworks, Human Nest is meant to be a site for shared reflection and solitude in nature. Collected saplings weave between neighboring branches and vines encouraging the viewer to spend time beneath its canopy. We invite visitors to leave any found or precious objects behind for others to enjoy. 

Saplings include a variety of tree species including butternut, maple, elm and birch. 

owenMadelinefaces.JPG

  • Building the Human Nest

    Madeline and Owen work on weaving gathered saplings into a shape

  • Human Nest in the mist

    Human Nest in the mist during the fall

  • Clearing the site

    Leveling and preparing the site. Gathering creek stones for ledge

  • Structure complete, floor next

    Madeline and Owen gather flat creek stones to make the floor

  • Sun through the grape leaf window

    Madeline and Owen admire their work