Connecting with Creative Communities and Careers through Emmanuel Arts

There are many pathways in art. Helping students gain hands-on experience and connect with creative communities are two ways the Emmanuel Art Department supports exploration of those possibilities. 

One example is the Emmanuel Artist-in-Residency (ECAR) program, which hosts up to four emerging and established artists each summer. The artists receive six weeks in a supportive studio space to develop their work, and they reciprocate by sharing their creativity and perspectives with the Emmanuel community. 

“It’s building bridges and bringing people in,” said Associate Professor of Art Stephan Jacobs, who runs the ECAR program. “It gives students a chance to interact with people who are working in art and maybe start to build their own networks a bit.”

The summer 2025 residency provided some great learning experiences for Emma Smola ’26. A double major in English and art history, ECAR was central to her summer internship with the Art Department. Her initial assignment was providing studio support and shadowing the artists, with the ultimate goal of writing a magazine article that would help publicize the program. 

Those pieces fell into place, but Smola also leaned into opportunities to assist one of the artists on their project. It was a collaboration that led to another internship for Smola this fall- and some newfound perspective on her career interests. 

“I feel like I’m learning more about what I’m interested in, especially since I started doing archival research,” said Smola.  “I’ve always wondered about the process of research and fact checking for media, and this internship lined-up so that I’m working with a filmmaker and doing that kind of work; Its been really fun.” 

The filmmaker is Kristal Sotomayor, an award-winning director, producer, journalist, and curator. Their residency project was focused on researching and documenting stories of Boston-area LGBTQ elders. The history aspect piqued Smola’s interest, and she gravitated toward the project from there. Her dedication and aptitude with research made a great impression with Sotomayor, who very much appreciated Smola's contributions.  

 “As an art history major, she brings a thoughtful, research-driven approach and asks insightful questions,” said Sotomayor. “Her curiosity and initiative were especially valuable when she helped uncover archival materials from The History Project to include in our work…it was a meaningful moment where her passion for art history and community storytelling came together.”

Smola’s internship came about through discussions with her faculty advisor, Professor of Art Dr. Cynthia Fowler. They were looking for something that would match Smola’s skills and interests, and Dr. Fowler credited her with making the most of that opportunity. 

 “Emma has really benefitted so much through the residency program,” said Dr. Fowler. “She went above and beyond what was expected and had an amazing experience through this.” 

 Smola will continue that work as an intern with Sotomayor Productions this fall. In addition to wrapping up the documentary about Boston LGBTQ elders, she’ll support research efforts for an upcoming podcast about the privatization of water and sewer utilities in Pennsylvania.

Its been an interesting journey for Smola, who came to Emmanuel as an English major who loves reading and history. She added the second major after taking an art history course and finding the topic fascinating.  While her career goals are still coming into focus, Smola knew she was onto something when she helped unearth old newspaper photos that Sotomayor was seeking at the History Project earlier this summer.   

“It was just a thrill,” said Smola. “Finding something that works so perfectly for the project we were working on-- I was like, ‘I could get used to this.” 

Connecting with Creative Communities 

Sotomayor was one of three artists at Emmanuel through ECAR over the summer, along with printmaker Grant Brownlow and photographer Jewan Goo (more information below). 

In addition to the summer residency, the artists are often invited to return during the school year to engage with students through guest lectures and workshops. Established in 2010, the program has always been based on that mutually beneficial arrangement, said Associate Professor of Art Brian Littlefield. 

“We started the ECAR program with two goals in mind: to support artists and to provide opportunities for our students to directly engage with contemporary art and artists,” said Littlefield. “ECAR is great way for our students to see some of the possibilities that their studies at Emmanuel have prepared them for.”

Fowler also credited the Art Department’s two studio managers, Rachel Lee and John Paul McCaughey, for playing an important role with the program. Their duties include ensuring things go smoothly while the artists are on campus, and overseeing the work students complete with the artists. 

Helping others connect with art has a full-circle dynamic for Hannah Kiernan ’26. A double major in studio art and secondary education, she was inspired by art teachers in high school. Her career goal is to do likewise for the next generation in that role. 

The creative studios on the fifth floor of the Eisner Administrative Building were a key selling point for Kiernan in choosing Emmanuel. She’d created with ceramics in high school, and eagerly embraced a more hands-on role as a studio assistant all four years at Emmanuel. She learned a lot along the way— growing as an artist, learning how to operate the kiln, and generally learning how to help out in the studio; this summer she often acted as a second set of hands to support the residents while they were creating. 

Studio time was both a mainstay and a highlight of Kiernan’s journey at Emmanuel. She said the community was a big part of that.  

“One of the main things that I've really loved about being in the art program is just having a community of other art people…who are all very passionate about their work,” said Kiernan. “It's just such a fun environment to be in and very inspiring.”

Meet the 2025 Emmanuel Artists in Residence

Grant M Brownlow

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI (working in Detroit)

Medium: Printmaking - Lithography

What sparked my interest in Emmanuel: Emmanuel’s ECAR Program offered space, time, and facilities in the heart of a new city I had yet to experience. This seemed like a perfect place to try something new, meet some local people, and get to know the area.

Advice for young artists: Apply for all the opportunities you can, you never know what you may end up achieving. 

Jewan Goo

Hometown:  Seoul, South Korea. Currently based in Philadelphia.

Favored Medium: My current practice centers on 3D modeling and architectural visualization, along with photography, diorama, and archival research. I use these methods to explore how memory and state power are structured and visualized.

What sparked my interest in the Emmanuel Residency: I was drawn to the program’s commitment to research-driven practice and open dialogue. The residency offers space to question inherited narratives and rethink how we remember collectively.

Advice for young artists: Stay skeptical of easy answers and let research and careful observation guide your work. Keep asking questions that challenge dominant perspectives.

Anything else you’d like to add? I see art as a site for counter-archival intervention and cross-disciplinary dialogue. I look forward to exchanging ideas with others who are interested in reimagining how we see and remember.

Kristal Sotomayor

Hometown: Based in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh

Favored Medium: Documentary Filmmaker

What interested me about the Emmanuel Residency: What drew me to the Emmanuel College residency was the opportunity to access the incredible facilities, especially the photography studio. 

The space is filled with resources that have really elevated my creative process. As an independent filmmaker and artist, it’s such a rare gift to have this kind of access.

This is also my first residency where I’m living in a new place for a short amount of time, and it’s been an amazing experience to connect with the local community while creating new work. While here, I’ve been documenting stories from Boston’s queer community. So far, I’ve interviewed Sherry Edwards, Craig Bailey, and Emmanuel alumni Isis Ortíz-Belton. It’s been an incredibly meaningful learning experience, and I’m so grateful for the time and space to reflect, create, and build relationships.
 

Advice for young artists: My biggest advice to young artists, especially those who are low-income or students of color, is to take the time to figure out what’s most important to you. Being an artist doesn’t always come with financial stability, so it’s important to understand your priorities and know that it’s okay if your path looks different from others.

You can absolutely build the life you want, whether that means owning a home or being financially independent, but just know that pursuing those goals might impact how much time or energy you have for your art. That’s a valid tradeoff, and it doesn’t make your voice any less important.

It can be hard not to compare yourself to other artists who have financial security or can create full-time, but everyone’s journey is different. Just because your timeline is longer doesn’t mean your art matters any less. Keep going, and don’t give up on your voice because it’s needed.