Their time is almost up. But artists Robin Cole and Anthony Henderson aren’t ready to leave yet.
“We’ve gotten comfortable here,” said Henderson, preparing for another day of work in a studio at the Kress Center. “I would like another four weeks here.”
“Or longer,” added Cole, his wife.
Henderson and Cole are Emporia’s first “artists in residence,” given a month to live in town and work on their art without any other distractions. And since the two have spent the last year dealing with a home that was walloped by Hurricane Katrina, Emporia has literally been a shelter from the storm.
Cole draws and paints, while Henderson is a sculptor, stonecarver, engraver and printmaker. Both lived in Bay St. Louis, Miss., in a home on a 28-foot bluff. But thankfully, both were in Baton Rogue, La. when Katrina hit in 2005
“I do a lot of work for the movie industry,” Henderson said. “A lot of films come down to Louisiana because of the tax advantages. So I already had a hotel room, which is where we stayed for the next six months when Katrina hit. It was really fortunate.”
How fortunate, they didn’t realize until the storm hit. A 28-foot bluff is no protection when a hurricane creates a storm surge 35 to 40 feet high. The waters had swelled to four feet in their home and even with such damage, they were the lucky ones. Homes closer to the beach were washed completely out to sea.
Studios were gone. Oak trees were uprooted. Everything had to be put back together through a mass of bureaucracy and insurance struggles.
“I don’t know what I thought,” Cole said. “I guess I thought everything would be OK in less than a year. Instead, what happened was we just sold our house a week before we came here (on Sept. 23). I had to deal with the insurance, FEMA, the mortgage companies day-to-day, trying to live with this total unbelievable mess. I’d wake up at 4:30, get on the phone and the Internet and start to solve problems.”
It was during all this that Henderson and Cole got a visit from some old friends — Patrick Martin and Roberta Eichenberg, Emporia State University art professors who used to live in Louisiana. It was quickly clear how many artists had been wiped out or nearly wiped out by the hurricane. And the two visitors had an idea.
Before long, the university and the Emporia Area Chamber & Visitors Bureau had created the artists in residence program. And Martin and Eichenberg had an offer to make.
“They said, ‘What do you think about coming up to Kansas?’” Cole remembered. “We said ‘You’re kidding? Really? Yeah! Let’s do it!’”
On arrival, the two lived in a home donated by Susan and Jason Brinkman. Their working space on the third floor of the Kress Center actually seemed a little overwhelming at first — there was just so much of it.
“I felt like a kid at Christmas, when you have all these presents,” Cole said. “I just had to do everything!”
The studio space was provided by John and Sophie Mallon.
Working days usually begin around 7 or 7:30 a.m., although exploration trips and forays for supplies are common. In addition, Henderson has a second space on campus where he can work on some marble he brought north with him.
Some of those trips can be dangerous. At one point, the two toured Glendo and Henderson had a chance to try out some of the powered engraving equipment. Cole kept waiting. Henderson kept engraving.
“He finally said, ‘Robin, you’re going to have to get me off this thing,’” Cole said with a smile.
The two were scheduled to speak at Emporia High School today and are available to speak to other groups or students. Members of the public are welcome to visit them at their studio, located at 7th Avenue and Commercial Street. Their final day in Emporia is Friday.
“It’s just been great since we’ve been here,” Henderson said. “It’s such a great, different experience.”
Organizers expect to continue the program in the spring of 2007. Donations are being sought to cover artist’s stipends and other expenses and can be sent to the Emporia Area Chamber Foundation, care of the chamber at 719 Commercial St.
Meanwhile, Cole is ready to spread the word at her end.
“I’m going to go back and tell everyone I know, ‘You’ve gotta go to Kansas — it’s beautiful!’” Cole said. “You give, you get.”