Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Hartley and Phil Reynolds.
Hi Heather and Phil, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Trillium Arts is a non-profit artist residency center located in a rural community in Madison County, NC that was co-founded by me and my husband, Phil Reynolds. Our Vision: Trillium Arts enhances Western North Carolina’s thriving, vibrant creative arts ecology and offers residency and Fellowship opportunities for regional, national and international artists working in a variety of disciplines. At Trillium, artists find time and space to create their best new work and connect that work to local communities.
For a bit of background, Phil and I worked as executive management leaders in the performing arts sector in Chicago, IL for over 25 years and relocated in the summer of 2019 to Western North Carolina to establish Trillium Arts as an artist residency center. Before even leaving Chicago we knew we wanted to move to the Blue Ridge area and already had all the paperwork done and our nonprofit status had already been established with the state in 2018.
We knew we wanted to be in Western NC due to its incredible natural beauty, the thriving arts community, and also because my family goes back four generations in Yancey and Buncombe counties. We believe that the land inspires creativity. Situated on 22 private acres in Madison County, 30 minutes from downtown Asheville, NC, Trillium’s home base is nestled in a forested cove overlooking a cattle pasture and the sensuous ridge lines of Chestnut Mountain. Five acres of rolling lawns feature flower gardens, a cascading creek, a lily pond, a fire pit, a gazebo, and a walking path. Magnificent sunsets and starry nights are all here for the enjoyment & inspiration of guest artists.
Artists have a variety of working/living spaces available depending on the season. Options include 1-3 bedroom apartments and cabins and the Red Barn Studio, a magical rehearsal space in the hayloft of an 80-year-old barn.
Trillium currently offers two different tracks of Programs, which include: Fellowships that are awarded annually and offer artists honorariums, and all-expense-paid travel and accommodations in an inspiring setting for 7-10 days. Current Fellowships include:
• ACE (Asheville/Chicago Exchange) Choreographic Fellowships: 3 per year
• “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers: 1-2 per year
Residencies
Trillium annually offers 8-10 residencies to artists working in a variety of disciplines. Resident artists are selected via an application and panel review process.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As empty nesters in Chicago in 2018, we thought, hey, we will do this artist residency thing in a few more years.
But then my Mom, who lived in Boone, NC where I grew up, became very ill. So we made a leap of faith, quit our big city jobs, and returned to our roots with our dreams and a lot of boxes. I then spent the next few months focused on caring for my Mom, a decision I will never regret.
During this time, Phil diligently began building relationships and searching for a property to house both us and our guest artists. We came to realize that our dream property did not match the size of our wallets. The next milestone occurred when my Mom passed away in February of 2020, Then COVID hit. So… we had moved, it’s a pandemic, and we did not have a whole heck of a lot to do except for jigsaw puzzles in our rental house and cook up various versions of business plans.
We sat in the woods for a couple of months until the magic happened. We found Trillium Art’s home base in July 2020 in a beautiful rural community in Mars Hill. The house was a major fixer-upper, but as the saying goes, she has great bones. And stunning land. Then our boots hit the ground and the work truly began…
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Trillium Arts is a place where creativity thrives. Trillium is a place where art, community, and ecology intersect. In the spirit of ecological metaphors, Trillium is an incubator where the seeds for new artistic projects are planted. It is a greenhouse where creative ideas take root. It is a place where natural beauty is celebrated. It is a place for nurturing, inspiration, rejuvenation, and growth.
In just over two years since launching its residency programs, Trillium has demonstrated its commitment and capacity to serve artists from Western North Carolina and throughout the United States. More than 85 artists working in various disciplines – primarily choreography, photography, and writing – have appreciated 33 residencies sculpted to support their needs and advance their aspirations.
Our commitment to contemporary artists housed in an inspiring rural setting sets us apart from others. Perhaps the most unique aspect of our organization is our rehearsal facility. The Red Barn Studio was created in partnership with our neighbors and good friends at Odonata Farm. The Red Barn Studio is a short walk from Trillium down a country gravel road and features a 20’ x 30’ sprung dance floor that was custom-built by my husband, Phil, in the hayloft of an 80-year-old barn. It’s a truly unique and magical space.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
We’ve recently become fans of the Blog /magazine, “The Bitter Southerner.” It’s a fabulous and provocative round-up of inspiring stories from all corners of the modern South. https://bittersoutherner.com/
We both are continually inspired by the ever-evolving glory of the Blue Ridge Mountains and find some of our best ideas come when we are taking long walks with our dog, Thelma, in the woods.
Contact Info:
- Website: trilliumartsnc.org
- Instagram: @trilliumartsnc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrilliumArts
Image Credits
Camilla Calnan Photography www.camiphoto.com, The Seldoms in the Red Barn Studio by Andrew Glatt, Alejandro Cerrudo by Camilla Calnan Photography, ACE Choreographic, Fellow Vershawn, and Sanders Ward
