Art in Nature PROGRAM
The Art In Nature Residency, located in the Studio Gardens at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, captures the spirit of our long-standing mission to:
“Explore the relationship between humans and their environment.”
This unique program contributes to the growth and understanding of ourselves and others through the experience of creating and engaging with art in a natural setting.
Artists living in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, with a practice in any discipline, are eligible to apply.
Once accepted, they are encouraged to develop new works with a broadly experimental, environmental, and ecological focus. We invite the residency participants to take inspiration from the stewarded Gardens and Nature Preserve and glean from a wide variety of natural resources on the property.
Applications will open June 15 - August 5, 2026
The 2026/27 Residency Season will run October 1, 2026 - July 3, 2027.
The 2025/26 recipients are listed below.
Applicants must establish a clear connection between their projects and some specific aspect of the property.
The residency concludes each year with an exhibition and presentations of work, with 20% of sales proceeds going to the CEF/Taft Gardens. Every creative professional in any discipline, including visual fine arts, craft, sound, performance, writing, culinary, etc, is welcome to apply.
The application process is competitive. Due to limited space and funding, we cannot accept every qualified applicant each year. To maximize your chances of admission, we recommend that those sincerely interested plan to apply more than once, as we prioritize repeat applicants. See Residency FAQ for more details.
For inquires please email taftresidency@gmail.com.
2025/26 Residency Artists
This Residency Season began on October 1, 2025 and will run through July 3, 2026.
Our Opening Exhibitions and Annual Fundraiser event, took place on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
9-MONTH Studio RESIDENCY
Rodrigo Ormachea with Hugo Ormachea
Son and Father, Ceramicist and Metalsmith from Ventura
Historic Art Studio
October, 2025 - July, 2026
1-Month INVITATIONAL STUDIO RESIDENCy
Russell Crotty
Visual Artist from Ojai
Protea Studio
October - November, 2025
9-Month RESEARCH Non-STUDIO RESIDENCIEs
Summer van Houten
Analog Photo-Based Artist from Ojai
October, 2025 - July, 2026
Alicia Morris Soto
Children’s Book Author from Ojai
October, 2025 - July, 2026
1-Month Studio RESIDENCIES
Tom Pazderka
Painter and Writer from Ojai
Protea Studio
December - January, 2025
Emily Thomas MaHarry
Painter and Printmaker from Ojai
February - March, 2026
Carol Shaw-Sutton
Fiber Artist from Ojai
April - May, 2026