Artist in Residence

Writer and editor Mabel Loomis Todd and her husband, Amherst College astronomer David Todd, became enamored with Hog Island in 1908. They subsequently purchased a portion of the island and constructed a small cluster of buildings for the family’s summer getaway- a place to enjoy the lush forests, rocky shorelines, and marine and terrestrial wildlife of the rugged Maine coast.

After Mabel’s death in 1932, her daughter, Millicent Todd Bingham, acquired the rest of the 300-acre island. In 1935 Millicent reached an agreement with the National Audubon Society to manage and use the property to educate teachers about the environment. Hog Island Audubon Camp and the Todd Wildlife Sanctuary opened in 1936.

In 2012 an extensive program was undertaken by the Friends of Hog Island to restore the Todd/Bingham compound’s original Main Lodge and Writer’s Cabin structures as well as their purpose as a creative retreat. The “Bingham Cottages,” as they are now known, serve as home base for the Audubon Artist-in-Residence and provide a unique rustic retreat. This setting provides an opportunity for our artists to unplug and immerse themselves in the natural surroundings.

The Hog Island Artist-in-Residence program unofficially started in 2014.  Each artist has provided some type of finished project to be donated to Hog Island Audubon Camp at the end of their term. Below is a list of all previous artists that have participated in the program:

2023
Justine Lee Hirten, artist
Jim Rataczak, artist
Samantha DeFlitch, writer

2022
Tim Gallagher, writer/photographer
Madison Mayfield, writer

2021
N/A

2020
N/A

2019
Ralph Grady James, artist
Brendan Kiem, writer
Rosalie Haizlett, artist

2018
Jennifer Anderson, artist
Mark Heddon, writer
Ingrid Erickson, artist

2017
Rachel Dickinson, writer
Michael Boardman, artist
Dan Grenier, photographer
Judy Boyd, artist

2016 
Janet Ames, artist
Alex Dunn, writer
Kerry J. Thompson, artist
Sean Murtha, artist

2015
Sherrie York, artist

2014
Tom Schaefer, author
Rebecca Gilman, playwright

Get connected online with our Audubon Residency Facebook and our hashtags: #hogislandarts and #auduboncamp

The Bingham Cottages are historic and delicate structures that will provide an Artist in Residence with a unique experience. 

The rustic nature of the facility means that it is not for everyone, so please take note of the following details and be sure the situation will work for you before applying.

1) Just how rustic is it?

Applicants should be in good health and should be able to regularly walk the 3/4-mile uneven, rocky, and rooted path to the main campus daily for dinners and other amenities. This may include walking the trail alone after dark. Expect solitude and immersion in nature, including varied weather and the possibility of ticks and mosquitoes.

While Hog Island staff will be available for support, we expect the Artist in Residence to be self-directed and independent during their stay. The cabin interior tends to be dark even on sunny days, so Residents usually spend most of their time working either in the field or on the large covered porch of the cottages’ Main Lodge.

While the Bingham Cottages are located away from the main campus, you will not be entirely secluded. The Todd Wildlife Sanctuary is open to the public during daylight hours and participants in Audubon camps will be using the trails regularly. Privacy signs will be posted on the buildings while Resident is present but be aware people may be hiking past the cottages from time to time.

2) What do I do about meals?

There are no cooking facilities and cooking is not allowed at the Bingham Cottages site. Breakfast and lunch foods that can be stored in a cooler will be provided at your cabin, and you are welcome to bring your own snacks that do not require refrigeration. The Artist in Residence typically joins the full camp dinner each night.

3) Is there running water?

There is no running water at the Bingham Cottages residency site. Drinking water will be provided in a cooler. The toilet facility at the Cottages is an outhouse (outdoor, covered toilet). Showers and flush toilets are available at the Audubon camp, approximately 3/4-mile away by hiking trail.

4) Is there electricity? How about WIFI?

Minimal electricity is available at the Main Lodge via a small solar panel. One power outlet will charge a cell phone or laptop and small LED lamps. Cell phone service can be spotty across the island. There is no internet service at the Cottages, but WIFI is available at the main campus.

5) Can I bring my partner? How about my dog?

The Bingham Cottages can only accommodate one person at a time. Pets are not allowed on the island. We expect that the Artist in Residence has applied for this program because a rustic and solitary experience will inspire their work.

6) How much does it cost to be an Artist in Residence?

There is no charge for the residency aside from the $45 application fee. We do require residents to provide some programming to the camp during their stay, and the donation of a piece of work for the camp collection and archives. We reserve the right to bill you for any physical damage to the building, grounds, or property during your stay, excluding ordinary wear and tear.

7) Is the Residency facility wheelchair accessible?

No. The distance from camp is too great and the trail is very rugged.

8) Can I smoke at the Cottages?

No. Smoking and vaping are not allowed in any camp buildings and generally discouraged even outdoors. Fire is a very real concern for old historic wooden buildings and a wooded landscape that is often uprooted by storms.

9) How do I get to Hog Island?

Residents are responsible for getting themselves to the Audubon camp’s mainland dock in Bremen, where Audubon staff will pick them up for transportation to and from the island at an agreed-upon time. There is no regularly scheduled boat between the island and the mainland Audubon dock.

If you drive, parking is available on the camp’s mainland property for the duration of your stay. The closest airport is Portland, Maine. There is a bus service that runs on a limited basis between Portland and Damariscotta, and there are limo services available.

10) Can I participate in camp programming while I am there?

The residency will correspond with the scheduled camp sessions, and artists will engage somewhat with the camp community. You will be with our campers and staff during dinners, and we invite you to join the camp for evening lectures. The artist will also provide some programming for the campers during each session. This could be a short art activity, an evening lecture, or a ‘show and tell’ of the artist’s work. The artist will not attend camp programming that happens during the day like field trips and workshops, because they will be busy working! We will try our best to include the artist in at least one field excursion during their two-week residency.