Robert Gamblin and Catherine Kumlin Donate Financial Aid

2 days ago
2 min read

We are delighted to announce five (5) Robert Gamblin and Catherine Kumlin Monte Azul Financial Aid Awards!

As artists who own and operate Monte Azul, we know firsthand how tough it can be to invest in your artistic career. With funding for the arts diminishing these days, it's often left to our own community to support each other's growth.

That's why we're so thrilled that Robert Gamblin, artist and founder of Gamblin Artists Colors, and Catherine Kumlin, artist and writer —both Monte Azul alumni who've built successful careers as visual artists—decided to give back by helping future residents experience what they did.

Monte Azul Center for the Arts is excited to offer five (5) $1,000 financial aid awards for qualified artists working on paper, and particularly monotype printmakers selected for our artist residency program. Thanks to the generosity of Robert and Catherine, these awards can be applied to either our three-week or four-week residency.

About the Donor Artists

Robert Gamblin creates expressive landscapes using a Symbolist approach to convey his spiritual connection to nature. His deliberate avoidance of green at Monte Azul challenged representational tendencies, focusing instead on the inner emotional states the landscape evokes within him.

Through self-portraiture, Catherine Kumlin's work addresses a woman's perspective as the central character played by the artist herself. Daily portraits at Monte Azul developed into a series of intellectual, psychological, and social explorations of self-perception amid her immersion in the exuberance of the rainforest.

Our Location

Nestled in Costa Rica—one of the planet's most biodiverse countries—Monte Azul sits on a private nature reserve where selected artists can immerse themselves in our surrounding rainforests and waterways. Our facilities lie between the magnificent Chirripó Pacífico River and pristine primary forest, right where wilderness meets a thriving agricultural community of family farms. Artists often find inspiration exploring this unique relationship, including both conservation successes and ongoing challenges.

What We're Looking For

Those interested in exploring landscape, wilderness conservation and agricultural community relationships through their art, relative to he Monte Azul location
A clear project proposal outlining specific techniques and concepts you'll develop during residency
Experience with printmaking equipment (when applicable) and ability to work independently in our shared studio. Professional references from the printmaking world (instructors, master printers, gallery directors) are a plus.
Documentation of previous projects including images, exhibition catalogs, or reviews

How to Apply

Interested artists should submit a proposal outlining their project, including a statement of intent, portfolio of previous work, and detailed plan for your proposed artwork.

Proposals can address any topic related to rainforest and watershed conservation, and/or small-scale family producers in the area.

Access the application form from this link.

Selection Process

We will evaluate proposals based on artistic merit and relevance to the specifications outlined above. Our anonymous selection committee includes prominent artists and curators from our network.