By now you’ve probably heard that our good friend Heidi Parkes is the 15th Artist in Residence at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. I talk about Heidi like everyone knows her, and if you’ve been in my world for very long, I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about her.

We are both former public school educators turned professional artists and have been friends for almost a decade now. If you’re not familiar with Heidi’s work, she documents her life in her quilts, tracking days, places, and memories through applique and embroidery.

In this conversation, Heidi gives us an inside glimpse to this new residency. It’s something she’s tried out for 3 times before and never got it. She decided she’d take a break for a while, and just when she did, something unexpected happened: they reached out to her.

*WHY LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE?*
Listen to this conversation if you ever:
① applied for something and didn’t get it
② have an interest in setting up a public studio, or
③ are looking for a creative transition in your own life

*CONVERSATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS*
04:04 Heidi's Studio Practice
05:03 Transition to Public Studio
05:29 The Pfister Hotel Residency
06:55 Previous Artists in Residence
09:30 Reflections on Rejection and Persistence
15:52 The Studio Space at Pfister
22:04 Interacting with the Public
27:06 Expectations for the Residency
30:00 Preparing for the First Public Event

*REFLECTION PROMPTS*
1. *Perseverance in Art:* Reflect on a time when you faced rejection in your creative endeavors. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience?
2. *Public vs Private Creative Spaces:* Consider the differences between creating in a private space versus a public one. How do you think each environment would affect your creativity and interaction with your art?
3. *Artistic Community Engagement:* How important is it for artists to embed themselves in their local community? What are some effective ways to do this?

*HELPFUL RESOURCES*
→ Join the QUILTY NOOK: A Curious (and Sometimes Feral) Online Textile Community https://nook.zakfoster.com/
→ Top Ten SEAMSIDE Episodes Guide https://gift.zakfoster.com/pzp
→ Weekly Email Goodies from Zak https://nook.zakfoster.com/newsletter/
→ Visit Zak’s website https://www.zakfoster.com/
→ Follow Zak on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zakfoster.quilts

*ABOUT SEAMSIDE*
Hosted by quilt-maker Zak Foster, we explore how working with cloth has changed who we are as people, what we call on the show *the inner work of textiles.* Zak speaks with a wide variety of textile artists from quilters to embroiderers, from activists to educators, writers, and collectors.

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