“My residency at Prairie Ronde not only provided me with time and financial support to research, write and deepen my practice with an ongoing book project, but also allowed me to experiment with new mediums. I was humbled and honored that the Prairie Ronde team facilitated my collaboration with tremendous musician Amaad Hardy at a time when I was thinking about trains (like the one near The Mill), liminal spaces for Black folk seeking freedom and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I am astounded by the radical hospitality of this space and the care of its people who create an environment where not just the art, but the artist’s full self, is championed.”

“It is rare to find a residence opportunity where you receive travel expenses, a stipend, use of a car, a lovely residence, food in the cupboard and fridge when you arrive, a great video interview and a gallery exhibit all while meeting wonderful new friends in a few concentrated weeks of working. Care like that can keep you going for years afterward. Thank you and Bravo Prairie Ronde!”

“My residency at Prairie Ronde came at a much-needed time in my life. The world was slowly coming out of the first year of the pandemic and I was at a crossroads in my practice and personal life. From the interview conversation, my exchanges with John were filled with care, generosity, respect and most importantly the intention for me to have access to everything I needed (and dreamed of) for a successful residency and to move forward in my work. During my wondrous six weeks there, I was able to spread out and write in comfortable accommodations and surroundings, and push the boundaries and presentation of my art. I worked with their phenomenal director and videographer and was embraced by the community. Overall, my experience was deeply rewarding and I left renewed with new work in fresh genres and mediums!”

“The month I spent working in The Mill was unlike any other period of creative time I’ve experienced. In addition to providing time, space and funds to make new work, Prairie Ronde lets artists loose in a gigantic and inspiring space steeped in the past. Exploring The Mill’s nooks and crannies, watching the light move through the spaces and listening deeply to each room in the building helped me to enter a focused headspace that I didn’t know I was capable of.”

“Space and light (with a big emphasis on the SPACE) were big perks of the residency here at The Mill. It’s been great to have all the ongoing work on display around me as I continue. Rudimentary, but the luxury of space-time-light is the most important part of the equation.”

“At first glance, we were overwhelmed by the colossal scale of the construction site that is the centerpiece of the Prairie Ronde experience—namely the monumental restoration project of an abandoned paper mill factory in the heart of Vicksburg. But as we toured the labyrinthian facilities with our visionary host and director of the residency, John Kern (each of us properly geared with hardhats and neon safety vests of course), a flood of ideas for creative interventions started pouring in. As installation artists, this was the inaugural moment in our collaborative venture as Gibson + Recoder where we were challenged into thinking big, thus inheriting something of The Mill’s promising forecast boldly stated on its banner: ‘Something Big Is Coming.’ “