Artist in Residency Program

About Chalk Hill Artist in Residency: 

Chalk Hill Artist in Residency and the Warnecke family are committed to sharing the ranch and the spirit of the residency. The concept for the residency is based on the vision of their father/grandfather, the late John Carl Warnecke, an internationally renowned architect (1919-2010). In 1983 he laid out plans for an artist retreat on their 280-acre property near the town of Healdsburg, bordering the Russian River. He established a 501 c3 nonprofit to fulfill this vision: that artists could live and work together in what he deemed the most beautiful place in the world. In his honor, the Warnecke family is proud to implement his vision, and he remains the inspiration.

Rodger Warnecke, brother/uncle and artist extraordinaire, is the Warnecke’s inspiration for the Studio Days Program. An acclaimed artist at Andover School, Rodger was diagnosed with schizophrenia during his freshman year at Stanford. He did not paint or participate in art for the next 25 years. In 1994 he received new medical treatment that relieved many of his symptoms. With the helpful aid of art therapists, Rodger started to paint again and painted enthusiastically and passionately for the rest of his life. Hence the Studio Program: to create more opportunities for outsider artists to inspire other artists. Sharing their vision with wider audiences has the potential to bring these artists further into the “abled” world as valued and vital participants.

We would like to thank Margo Merck and Alice Sutro for opening up their program to Becoming Independent Artists. 

Want to partner with us? 

For more information on how you can get involved, contact Taima Thompson / tthompson@becomingindependent.org