John Mueller and Jill Mulholland awarded COAR 2024 residency

Opening: October 12, Noon - 8:00pm

Anita Building, 1312 Commercial Street Astoria

Recology Western Oregon and Astoria Visual Arts are thrilled to announce the newest award winners for the Coastal Oregon Artist Residency, Jill Mulholland and John Mueller. Each artist will receive a monthly stipend, materials, and a studio space at Recology Western Oregon’s Astoria Recycling Depot and Transfer Station for a four-month long residency beginning June 1, 2024. A public exhibition will showcase the artists’ creations at the end of the residency to be held at the Anita Building in Astoria in October.

Jill Mulholland of Long Beach often uses light as a three-dimensional medium. “I am fascinated with light’s beauty and its power to be felt on a bodily level, to elicit joy and/or bring us to another place,” she explains, “Light needs something to reflect upon or we cannot see it, so I combine light with found objects. I find interesting objects in garbage cans, flea markets, and junk stores; as gifts from friends; and when I am walking around outside. I rescue and keep these objects because some aspect of them intrigues me. My hope is that, by combining light and found objects, my art elevates these everyday items and they become beautiful, that viewers experience ordinary things in a new way, that they bring a smile and recognition in a joy of discovery.”

John Mueller of Astoria has a background in art metals and jewelry. His experience as a museum preparator in Austin, Texas profoundly influenced his approach to sculptural work. “These disciplines have ingrained in me a profound appreciation for the preciousness of materials, the significance of meticulous detail, and the power of presentation all of which are fundamental aspects that I infuse into my art. My mixed-medium sculptural pieces are meant to challenge conventional perceptions of art. They serve as a platform for my explorations into formal presentation, containment, and rarification concepts, as well as the transformative potential of utilitarian items. I strive to transform what is often overlooked into compelling, thought-provoking art, thereby pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.”

Both artists come to the Coastal Oregon Artist Residency with extensive educational credentials and significant histories of exhibiting their artwork professionally. Mulholland holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Texas A&M University, and Mueller holds a BFA from University of North Texas.

This is the seventh round of the Coastal Oregon Artist Residency (COAR), which was developed collaboratively by Recology Western Oregon (RWO), an employee-owned company that manages resource recovery facilities on the North Coast, and local arts non-profit Astoria Visual Arts (AVA). Astoria’s residency is a part of a larger program that was founded in 1990 and based in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. COAR is designed to support the creation of art from recycled, repurposed and discarded materials. By supporting artists who work with recycled materials, AVA and RWO hope to encourage people to conserve natural resources and promote new ways of thinking about art and the environment.