My 2025 Angelo State University Painting Residency

I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected for the 2025 Edwards Trust Residency in Painting at Angelo State University (ASU) in San Angelo, Texas. This four-week residency (August 25 – September 19, 2025) is generously funded by the Joseph Henry and Winona Edwards Family Trust. The Edwards Trust was established in 1992 to support the ASU Art Program – funding scholarships, a lectureship, and this very artist-in-residence initiative. In fact, ASU’s program is specifically designed “to bring to the university noted individuals in the visual arts to share their knowledge, expertise and creative research with students, faculty, staff and the greater San Angelo community”. I am honored to join this tradition of artists-in-residence and to contribute my own experience to ASU’s visual arts environment. (www.angelo.edu/)

During the residency, I’ll be based on ASU’s campus in the Carr Education – Fine Arts Building. I will have access to the university’s studio facilities to create new paintings and will also meet and interact with ASU’s fine arts students. These conversations and classroom visits will be an important part of the experience; the residency guidelines explicitly encourage the artist to “interact with fine arts students” and share studio practices. At the end of my residency, I will install a solo exhibition of recent work in Gallery #193 on campus, culminating in a public lecture about my process. One of the paintings I make will also become a permanent acquisition for ASU’s Art Program collection. In short, this residency will blend studio work, teaching moments, and a final exhibition/lecture for the ASU community. (https://artist.callforentry.org/)

• Residency Dates: Aug 25 – Sept 19, 2025.
• Location: Angelo State University, Gallery #193 (Carr Fine Arts Bldg.) – San Angelo, TX.
• Studio Work: I will have access to ASU’s painting studios to create new work.
• Exhibition: Solo show at ASU’s Gallery #193 from Sept 1 – Sept 19, 2025.
• Public Lecture: Lecture and slide presentation on Thurs., Sept 18, 2025.
• Stipend: $7,000 from the Joseph Henry & Winona Edwards Family Trust (to cover materials, travel, lodging, etc.).
• Donation: One new painting will enter ASU’s permanent Art collection.

I’m truly grateful for the full stipend provided by the Edwards Family Trust, which supports all my costs during the stay. It’s a wonderful gift to focus wholly on painting for a month, using ASU’s resources, and not worry about expenses. This kind of support is what allows me to dive deeply into my work.

My Artistic Practice

My painting practice is centered on abstract figurative art. In other words, I start with the human figure or recognizable shapes and reimagine them through abstraction. As one description of abstract figurative art explains, the artist “distort[s] or rework[s] these elements to build something beyond exact representation”. I do exactly that – my figures are often not sharply defined; they emerge, dissolve, or intertwine within layers of color and texture. This approach lets me explore deeper concepts than a strict portrait or landscape would allow. (https://store.bartoszbeda.com)

I often begin a piece with a loose, gestural sketch of a figure or form. Then I build it up by layering paint with brushes, stencils, squeegees, cardboard, and other tools to create rich textures. ( https://store.bartoszbeda.com/) Bold, earthy tones contrast with more ethereal hues, making the figure stand out against a layered background. In the studio I’m always playing with the balance between the abstract and the representational – each brushstroke and layer adds narrative depth or emotion. My hope is that viewers see both the figure and the story it hints at, inviting them to complete the narrative in their own way.

The themes of my work are deeply personal. Growing up in Poland and later moving abroad, I’ve been drawn to subjects of identity, migration, and change. For example, my series “Echoes of Seasons” (a recent solo show at Collin College in Texas) was inspired by the cyclical nature of life – how we grow, fall, and renew like the seasons. I intended that series to symbolize transformation and resilience. As one write-up on my work noted, “Echoes of Seasons” symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and transformation, prompting viewers to engage in a dialogue about resilience and self-expression in the face of change. In my own words, I believe there is an ongoing tension between reality and hope. My paintings often reflect that tension – contrasting conflict and comfort, fear and love. I want viewers to feel that inner conflict too, to spark their own reflections on what they seek or find in life.

Technically, my process is experimental as much as it is painterly. I mix traditional oil painting techniques with non-traditional tools. For example, I might use a squeegee or a torn piece of cardboard to scrape or drag paint across the canvas. These methods create intricate patterns and layered forms. By carving out shapes and then re-mixing color, I find unexpected harmonies. The result is often a textured, multi-layered surface. You might make out a human figure in the scene, but it’s enveloped in color fields that suggest emotion or movement beyond literal form. This tension between abstraction and figurative imagery is really the core of how I work.

Past Fellowships and Residencies

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have my practice supported by several residencies and fellowships that have broadened my perspective. Some highlights include:

• Fondazione Per l’Arte, Rome (2016): A residency fellowship in Italy where I delved into Europe’s rich art history. Time in Rome exposed me to classical forms and urban textures that later influenced my color palettes. (https://bartoszbeda.com)
• GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading PA (2018): A 10-week residency in Pennsylvania where I experimented with mixed media and connected with other international artists. (https://bartoszbeda.com)
• Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden, Germany (2012–13): A scholarship to study at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts during my Master’s years. That period was crucial for developing my painting language and taking risks with abstraction. (https://bartoszbeda.com)

Each of these experiences – living abroad in Italy, teaching and creating art in the US, studying in Germany – has enriched my work. Meeting other artists and seeing different cultures reinforced my interest in themes of migration and identity. I often draw on those memories during painting sessions, even if subconsciously.

Plans for the Residency in San Angelo

I am still finalizing the exact projects I’ll tackle in Texas, but a few things are clear. I will dedicate these four weeks to making new paintings, pushing my technique and subjects forward. The central theme I want to explore is how human narratives unfold in a new environment – possibly reflecting on the open Texas landscape, local culture, or the intersection of place and memory. Even though I’m not from Texas, part of the creative adventure is absorbing the surroundings and letting them seep into my work.

At the same time, I’m excited by the educational aspect. I’ll be working alongside ASU students, possibly giving informal studio tours, critiques, or Q&A sessions. Sharing studio time with younger artists is one of the residency’s goals, and I find teaching and dialogue very stimulating for my own practice. I look forward to learning from them as much as offering any guidance from my own journey. The residency schedule also includes setting up the gallery show and preparing my lecture.

As I create new pieces, I plan to document my process – snapshots of work-in-progress, quick sketches, notes on ideas – so I can later discuss them openly. The public lecture on Sept 18 will be a chance to reflect on those creative decisions and give the ASU community an insider view into my process. It will be less of a formal speech and more of a visual story: how a blank canvas becomes a finished painting. I hope it will be engaging for everyone, from art majors to members of the general public.

Exhibition and Lecture

The residency will culminate in an exhibition at Gallery #193 (Sept 1–19, 2025), where I’ll display new and existing paintings. This solo show will be my opportunity to share the art I created on campus. The college gallery is a great space, and I’m planning a variety of sizes – perhaps some large canvases to make an impact, alongside more intimate pieces. I want the exhibition to capture the range of the month’s exploration.

On Thursday, September 18 at 1:30 PM there will be an opening reception and public lecture. I look forward to speaking with the ASU community about the ideas behind each painting and the techniques I used.

Because one piece is donated to ASU’s permanent collection, I feel a special connection to this residency – that painting will remain on campus after I leave. It’s an honor that part of my work will become part of their collection, and a reminder that this experience is mutual: I gain new inspiration, and ASU gains a new artwork in return. Overall, the exhibition and lecture are a celebration of art in education, and I’m thrilled to close the residency by sharing with everyone what we’ve all been working toward.

Small Paintings Available

In addition to working on new large-scale pieces at ASU, I also have smaller paintings ready for collectors. I regularly update my online store with small original paintings (under $300). These works often start as quick studies or explorations that grow into miniatures with bold color and texture. They’re great for collectors looking to acquire affordable pieces that still carry the depth of my abstract figurative style.

If you’re interested in supporting my art, feel free to browse the available small works on my website. You can find them here: Small Original Paintings Under $300. Each is shipped framed and ready to enjoy. Collectors and art lovers – this is a perfect way to bring a bit of my creative journey into your own space while I’m away in San Angelo.

Looking Ahead

This residency represents a new chapter in my artistic practice. I’m energized by the opportunity to focus on painting full-time for a month, to experiment with ideas inspired by Texas, and to engage with students and community members. My past residencies in Rome, Reading, and Dresden have all taught me the value of immersive creative time, and I expect ASU will be no different. Each painting I make there will carry a bit of San Angelo’s spirit and the support of the Edwards Trust behind it.

Thank you to the Edwards Family Trust and the ASU Visual & Performing Arts department for this honor. I can’t wait to share updates from the studio. To all collectors, curators, fellow artists, and friends: please stay tuned for news about the exhibition and feel welcome to attend the September 18th lecture if you’re in the area. And of course, thank you to everyone who has followed my work – your support means the world to me as I continue to create and grow as an artist.

Sources: Angelo State University and Edwards Trust residency announcement; ASU Henry Edwards Program info; Bartosz Beda’s artist statements and bios.