Scherbarth Residency Program
The Scherbarth Residency Program provides lodging and studio space to artists and makers in the visual, performing, and literary arts to participate in the creative community at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts, and the rural community of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. While living on our unique campus of historic and reproduction buildings, Scherbarth residents will be able to contribute in meaningful ways to the mission of Shake Rag Alley and participate in the creative ecosystem of the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. Through the generosity of Jim Scherbarth, artists and makers will have access to the time and space needed to work and create, as well as to the nurturing environment of Mineral Point, and opportunities to network with its resident artists.
The Scherbarth Residency Program honors the artistic legacy of James (Jim) Edward Scherbarth, an award-winning visual artist who taught oil and cold wax workshops at Shake Rag Alley in 2013-19. Based in Minneapolis until his death in June 2021, Jim loved the process of art making and the creation of imagery through an increasingly spiritual conversation with the world around him and within himself. His work was inspired by continual learning, sharing, and traveling. His creative process was an intuitive one of constructing and deconstructing, of collecting, blending, erasing, blurring, marking, and clarifying. Reflecting the natural processes of the world: accumulation, erosion, growth and decay, his process was an archaeology of mind and spirit—an excavation of imagery, of stories, emotions, memories, and experience buried within his creative subconscious.Â
2026 Scherbarth Residents
Wendy Crone
From McFarland Wisconsin, Wendy Crone is embarking on her second career as a visual artist. She has advanced degrees in the field of engineering and has used visual arts throughout her engineering research, her college-level teaching, and her work to engage public audiences with scientific topics. She continues to explore ways in which art can be employed as an entry point for those who might not be as intrinsically interested in science. This work has included collaborations with other artists and science museum exhibit designers, and has resulted in exhibits, publications and presentations spanning products such as science-as-art exhibits, K-12 science/art kits and activities, and hands-on balloon art models.Â
During the Scherbarth Residency she will use her art practice to develop a sense of place in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, immersing herself in the local landscape, exploring the grounds of the Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts and Mineral Point, and engaging with the other artists in the residency. Wendy will share about her experiences on social media (Facebook: Wendy Crone and Instagram @wccrone), and blog on her website. Wendy will also offer a talk at the Mineral Point Public Library on Reimagining Retirement: One Artist’s Journey March 3.Â
Isabela Presedo-Floyd
From San Luis Obispo California, Isabela Presedo-Floyd makes things. With a background in drawing and painting, she studied graphic design, art history of the last century, and, informally, reads lots of books. Currently, she works across mediums like ceramics, writing, printmaking, and zines depending on the project’s context. She finds serial commas quite useful. Her favorite words include liminal, contemporaneous, umwelt, why, and but.
While in residence, she will complete the editing and visual design component of her in-progress poetry project Open Letters, Unaddressed. Visually, they play with the literal interpretation of personal letters and the mail as a public venue. Once edited, these poems are to be written and mailed as letters. The postal service is the final artistic collaborator adding the wear and tear of the journey through the public (service).
During her residency, Presedo-Floyd will participate in the Shake Rag Alley Fun-A-Day showcase on March 12, 4-7pm at the Sardeson Studio, where she will engage with guests through her Open Letters, Unaddressed project. Attendees will be offered stationery to write their own poem, copy one of her Open Letter poems, or copy another existing poem with the intent to send to someone. She will then collect and mail the poems (unread but counted). Versions of Isabela’s own poems will be displayed with encouragement to touch, hold, read aloud, and possibly leave marks upon.
Colette Wright Adams
After living and studying in France, Nebraska, Switzerland, and New York, Colette Wright Adams earned a BFA cum laude from the University of Michigan, followed by an MFA in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 1979. Since 2006, she has maintained an active curatorial practice and has been deeply involved in community-based art initiatives. Her current studio, located in Albany Park, Chicago, also houses BringWonder Arts, a community and art collaborative dedicated to providing free and low-cost art experiences to the public.
During her residency, she intends to structure her days to balance fieldwork, studio practice, and reflection. Mornings will be devoted to walking and direct observation—studying the geological contours, winter flora, and evidence of habitation, both human and otherwise. Through attentive observation and creative response, she aims to explore how stillness, time, and transformation are reflected in the rhythms of the terrain and in her own artistic process. Join Colette for Approaching Drawing, a Makers & Shakers workshop on March 18 incorporating meditation, hand-relaxing techniques and traditional observational drawing skills.
The Scherbarth Residency Program is open to artists and makers at any stage in their careers who can benefit from the residency’s cohort model, and wish to contribute in a meaningful way to community. Residents are expected to:
- Share their work in a public forum, which could include face-to-face models as well as social media.
- Contribute stewardship hours to the Shake Rag Alley campus. This could include snow removal, maintenance of common areas, assistance with administrative tasks, and caring for our historic buildings.
- Work on a project described in the application proposal.
To maximize flexibility and accessibility, residents may choose to be in residence from one week to six weeks (February-March). Artists and makers who are self-directed and focused are invited to apply for residencies; we welcome proposals in any media and/or genre. The Selection Committee reviews applications with the Shake Rag Alley mission in mind, as well as how the proposed projects contribute to the cohort and larger community.
Lodging is provided in the historic Coach House rooms (private bedroom and bathroom) and studio space in one of our campus buildings at no additional charge. Access to a shared kitchen, shared laundry, and several communal spaces, along with WiFi is provided. Residents are responsible for their own meals, materials, and incidentals, as well as travel to and from Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts. For an introduction to the Shake Rag Alley campus, please visit the links above to see our spaces; some of the studio spaces do not have running water, and all are on our rustic campus. During a winter in Wisconsin our campus will often be snow-covered and—although beautiful—includes walking through snow drifts and salting walkways.
Please note that because Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts is housed in historic buildings from the 1800’s, and as portions of our grounds are reproduction to match that aesthetic, many of our spaces are not ADA accessible. Please call or email with questions about accessibility and to discuss available accommodations.
Application Process
- Applications are due by November 30, 2025. Apply using this form.
- Submission materials include a $40 non-refundable application fee, a portfolio, and additional materials.
- Decisions will be made by early January.
For more information about the Scherbarth Residency Program, contact Executive Director Christina Kubasta at ckubasta@shakeragalley.org or call (608) 987-3292.
2025 Scherbarth Residents
Penelope Cake
Katie Hogan
Meghan Rosing
2024 Scherbarth Residents
Hilda Demuth-Lutze
Nina Kissinger
Janet Vetter
2023 Scherbarth Residents
