For a community only 65 miles from the heart of Manhattan, Redding’s 32 square miles are unique. The steep slopes and exposed crests of three distinct ridges are separated by dense forest, lush meadows, cool ravines, and meandering streams. For decades, this idyllic landscape has lured an impressive list of creative influencers – Charles Ives, Edward Steichen, and Mark Twain notably among them – drawn by the striking beauty and peaceful lifestyle.
Nestled amidst Redding’s woods is a privately owned 28-acre sculpture garden. Developed over the past 25 years, the owner’s vision for the property, named InSitu, is an oasis where nature and art interact. Working hands-on with a gifted team of professionals, he has significantly redefined the land to flourish in unique harmony with his internationally curated sculpture collection. The result is a nationally recognized showcase of architecture, horticulture, and sculpture. InSitu has been named one of the country’s most celebrated gardens by the National Garden Conservancy.
The owner of InSitu has long believed that his living, breathing gallery invites exploration and inspiration. InSitu isn’t simply a place where art can be seen; it’s a place where imagination is sparked. Nature is a studio, not a backdrop. With this core philosophy, the owner envisioned more for InSitu. The 2019 acquisition of an adjoining piece of property that included a 1910 Colonial Revival house provided a means to an end: this fall, the Artists’ Residency at InSitu will be launched.
There are over 450 artist residencies in the United States, with a program landscape as expansive as it is diverse. Studio space at the gatehouse inside Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams, cabins at the edge of the wilderness at the Alderworks Retreat in Skagway, Alaska, the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, and Ridgefield’s Weir Farm, which offers a furnished cottage and studio to artists representing a wide range of media.
“The Residency at InSitu is unique in its impressive origins,” states the owner. “Few, if any, hold ties to such an impressive collection of significant cultural trailblazers: Mark Twain, the father of American literature; Anna Hyatt Huntington, a celebrated sculptor; Charles Ives, an internationally renowned composer; and Edward Steichen, a pioneer of modern photography. This illustrious group has two things in common: their creative contributions are iconic, and they all lived and worked in and were inspired by Redding’s scenic backdrop. Our program grew out of Redding’s impact on them, and their impact on the world.”
A pilot Residency program was hosted at InSitu last year in conjunction with the University of Southern Maine. Six artists came to embrace uninterrupted time and space to explore their own work in an environment designed to spark creativity. There were no assignments, no deadlines—just the quiet hum of the garden, a shared appreciation for the arts, and the freedom to create. InSitu’s expansiveness gave them not only room to work, but to dream. As one student shares, “It was so special to be invited into such a peaceful, beautiful, and personal environment.” Another reflected on the rare gift of “being with myself and my thoughts in the gardens… making a cup of tea and listening to the birds before a day of creating.”
In October, The Residency at InSitu will host its first official session. Five writers will be provided room, board, and the opportunity to pen without interruption, looking out upon the same forests and meadows that inspired Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, over a century ago. In addition to literature, future programs focused on photography, musical composition, sculpture, and landscape architecture will rotate annually.
Redding’s idyllic landscape is indeed unique, having long enticed talented individuals to call it home. Numerous artists, musicians, filmmakers, producers, authors, and actors continue to settle in Redding’s quiet woodlands. It is the goal of InSitu’s next chapter to inspire visitors to harness the peace and passion that nature and solitude offer and embrace the possibility to do great things. •
NOTE: InSitu is a private property and residence. The garden is not open to the public; tours are arranged in conjunction with the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days. You can go to www.gardenconservanacy.org for more information.
