Famed for her ephemeral chalk art, North Fork based artist Kara Hoblin recently traveled to Jackson, Wyoming where she took part in an Uncommon Art Residency at The Anvil Hotel, owned by the same group that runs Sound View in Greenport.
Erik Warner, partner in Sightline Hospitality, started the Uncommon Art Residency four years ago at the Sound View, where Kara was one of the first artists in the program. Now in its second year, in partnership with Teton Artlab and through the Jackson Hole Art Association, which provided working space, the residency expanded to the western town of Jackson, Wyoming. With over 300 applicants to choose from, Uncommon Art welcomed one of Long Island’s own in September 2021.
“I wish we had a facility on the East End like the Art Association of Jackson Hole because oh my God it is amazing. It’s my dream as a reality,” Hoblin expressed of the working space provided. “In Jackson, the whole area, you really understand how nature rules. Like the oceans of Long Island, the way it pulls you under for you to realize it’s the one in control, in the West, the entire surrounding area, nature has that same pull. You don’t control it, it controls you. It inspires you.”
Once Hoblin was accepted into the Uncommon Art Residency, a previous discussion with Warner came to fruition — a mural at The Anvil Hotel. The timing was right and it was decided that, in addition to her residency, Hoblin would create a mural on the side of the hotel.
Hoblin’s work has long been heavily inspired by the environment that surrounds her, and Jackson was no different. Inspired by the creatures in the area, the nearby Elk Refuge, the mural showcases an elk made up of native plants to the area.
“My work has always been community driven, and I brought that even to Jackson. I was painting on the side of the building for five days and I had people stop to talk with me.”
All other works by Hoblin, as part of her Uncommon Art Residency, are still in progress but will become available soon. Be sure to stay up to date with her work available on Etsy @KaraBellaArt. Her upcoming travel murals include Marshfield, MA and Nantucket at “Flannel Jam” with two live murals. She will return to The Anvil Hotel in Jackson in Spring, 2022.
“Interacting with the community is such a big part of my work. Usually it’s through a chalk erase but these outdoor murals are exciting and new for me, in my personal career. And it’s a direct result of the pandemic since, for so long, I couldn’t go into businesses to do work. So, to have my art be interactive and impact people in positive ways, it had to be outside because no one could go inside. It’s a nice experience because now, working outside, I can have more interactions with the community on a permanent level.”
Both the Sound View Hotel and The Anvil Hotel welcome open applications for the Uncommon Art Residency every year.