Past Volland Residents
SPRING 2023
BETHANY ENGSTROM
Belfast, ME
May 4 - May 18 | Bethany is a sculptor and installation artist interested in “the spaces and states of being we encounter every day, those residing within philosophy, society, psychology, and pop culture, and the anxieties they produce.” At Volland, Bethany expanded on a series revolving around the work of being a mother and an artist using video and plaster castings.
DANIELLE FAUTH
New Orleans, LA
April 18 - May 2 | Danielle’s practice moves between sculpture, writing and installation. Drawing inspiration from everyday, “typically mundane” objects, Danielle launches discussions of place, time and ephemerality. With her two weeks in Volland, Danielle further explored questions about place and time, and experienced the Flint Hill's unique setting and history.
PAIGE KAPTUCH
Grand Junction, CO
April 18 - May 2 | Paige is a writer exploring themes of family, land use, feminism, and religion among others. During her Volland Residency, Paige finished a new novel. One of the short stories in the novel - "The Promise of Water" - was nominated by The Forge Literary Magazine for Best Small Fictions in 2025.
JESSICA MATIER
Lee's Summit, MO
April 18 - May 18 | Jessica Matier’s work explores mankind’s relationship with nature and society, the preordinance of human existence versus free will, and the knowledge of wisdom within man. Through her mixed media practice, Jessica merged the story of Flint Hills with her own, and built a relationship between her internal world and this place while at Volland.
STEPHANIE ZELNICK
Lawrence, KS
May 4 - May 18 | Stephanie is a clarinetist and used time at Volland to focus on two ongoing projects. The first, Clarinet Alone, saw composers from Kansas and Wyoming reflecting on prairie ecosystems. Simultaneously, Stephanie completed a book project, The Ultra Musician: Air Support and Conditioning for Wind Players from Health Professionals, Scientists, and Endurance Athletes, while at Volland.
SUMMER 2023
DERRICK DOTY
Manhattan, KS
June 13 - July 11 | Derrick’s purpose as a music historian is twofold: generate awareness of Kansas’ rich musical heritage and perform well-researched pieces in historic styles on original or replica instruments for audiences. A Volland Residency provided Derrick time to produce new musical compositions and work on a book on Kansas’ music history.
LINDSEY DRAGER
Salt Lake City, UT
June 13 - July 11 | “Who gets to voice our stories and from where comes that power?” is the central question of Lindsey’s prose. Editing Drager’s fifth novel, a social science fiction allegory exploring “surveillance culture, class mobility, bisexual identity, the art of translation, and Johannes Kepler’s 1608 Somnium,” was Lindsey's residency project.
Read Lindsey's essay "Embracing the Enigma: An Account of the Volland Residency Experience"
ALEXANDRA ROBINSON
Austin, TX
June 13 - July 11 | Alexandra appropriates symbols of American exceptionalism in her art. Regular moves as a result of growing up in a military family have left Alex longing for place and identity. These same feelings are mined in the artist’s work through “the use of Morse code, flag semaphore and the flag form.” While in residence, Alex completed a new piece, Spanglish.
ANDY WEBSTER
Penzance, Cornwall, UK
June 13 - July 11 | Working across sculpture, performance, moving image and sound, Andy responds to characteristics associated with a particular site, context or discourse. While at Volland, Andy made a site specific piece, prompting viewers to “reconsider relationships with nature and technology, climate change, the natural environment, habitats and ecologies” through a homemade dirt battery.
FALL 2023
KEVIN BENHAM
Baton Rouge, LA
October 3 - October 17 | Testing the boundaries of landscape architecture and materials are central to Kevin’s practice. The Louisiana State University professor installs works that put spacial qualities and temporal movement into relief. While at Volland, Kevin made new drawings and installed a site specific work, Konza Bales.
TIELIN DING
New York, NY
September 11 - September 30 | Tielin works across several mediums to create playful objects with performative actions. The artist extracts the “invisible systems” as he walks and maps. Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy, Tielin spent much of his time in the Flint Hills landscape while in-residence, and made temporary works along the way.
MICHAEL SHI
Shanghai, PRC
September 20 - October 17 | Michael’s photography brings people together. Often highlighting local dancers in his work, his artistic pursuits “capture the subtle gestures and expressions that communicate the depth, beauty, and complexity of human relationships.” At Volland, Michael collaborated with UMKC Conservatory dance students on three separate projects.
2023 Resident Happenings
June 13 - 27, 2023
Lindsey Drager is the author of three novels, a professor in the creative writing program at the University of Utah, and a recipient of the Bard Fiction Prize. In June 2023 she finished the manuscript of her current book project sitting on the front porch of the Little House at Volland.
October 29, 2023
Join us on Sunday afternoon to take a look at Volland Resident Michael Shi's various projects while in residence, through a collaboration with the UMKC Conservatory in Kansas City, MO. Michael has returned to Shanghai, but he has generously offered to share his work for this one weekend.
Winter Update
Celebrating the relationship of the Tallgrass Prairie to the Celestial Sky above it, Wabaunsee County hay bales become markers for the Summer and Winter Solstice. Thanks to Kevin Benham, Fall 2023 artist-in-residence at Volland.