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The Jacob and Gwen Lawrence Fellowship at Skowhegan, established through the generosity of the Lawrence’s and with the support of the Jacob and Gwen Lawrence Foundation, offers scholarship support for one or more artists to participate annually in Skowhegan’s unique summer residency program for emerging visual artists, located in Maine. In addition to this generous Fellowship support, the Lawrence’s entire art library now resides at the Robert Lehman Library on the Skowhegan campus.
Located in rural Maine, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture was founded in 1946 and has since served as an unparalleled resource for artists and a catalyst for the advancement of their work. Founded by artists, and still governed by artists, Skowhegan’s intensive nine-week residency program provides a rigorous, supportive atmosphere in which emerging artists are encouraged to work and explore free from the expectations of the marketplace and academia.
Jake & Gwen Lawrence were dear friends to Skowhegan and their presence is intricately woven into the School’s history. Jake taught eight times over 40 years, more than any other faculty member, and for over 30 years he was a dedicated member of the Skowhegan Board of Governors. Part of the Lawrence’s legacy at Skowhegan are lectures that they gave over the years, five by Jake and one by Gwen (with Bernarda Shahn), which are among the highlights in the Skowhegan Lecture Archive. The Archive is a collection of over 500 lectures recorded by Skowhegan faculty since 1952 (and ongoing), representing the depth and breadth of post-war American art. In many cases the lectures reveal important and unique information about an artist or artistic period; the Lawrence lectures address topics such as the Harlem Renaissance, both of their involvement with the WPA, and many experiences which influenced their work.
Skowhegan receives over 1,600 applications from U.S. and international artists annually for the 65 residencies available each summer. Scholarships such as the Jacob and Gwen Lawrence Fellowship are absolutely crucial to the School's mission of allowing any student accepted through the highly-competitive application process (last year only 4.5% of applicants gained admission) to attend, regardless of their ability to pay. Alumnae/i often report that their summer at Skowhegan marked a pivotal point in their artistic and personal development. Support from the Jacob and Gwen Lawrence Foundation will assist in allowing gifted artists to attend Skowhegan for this important and unique experience in their artistic life.
Applications are only available online -- for further information, please visit www.skowheganart.org
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