News Release

Congratulations to the Summer 2025 Isle Royale Artists-in-Residence

Date: April 9, 2025
Contact: Christopher M. Amidon, 906-487-7152

HOUGHTON, Mich – Isle Royale National Park is proud to announce the summer 2025 artists-in-residence:

• Riley McManus (Ceramics, Dallas, WI)

• Victoria Reynolds (Poetry, Fairfax, VA)

• Cyndy Weeks (Found object assemblage, Colrain, MA)

Six alternates were chosen:

• Jason Anderson (Songwriting, South Sutton, NH)

• Amber Dietz, (Photography, Detroit, MI)

• Rebecca Fullerton (Oil, Bethlehem, NH)

• Caleb Malooley (Songwriting, Clyde, MI)

• David McGuffie (Painting, Detroit, MI)

• Sarah “Penguin” Rafferty (Tattoos, Sacramento, CA)

The artists chosen for the Teen Artist Exploration:

• Elsa Carter (Acrylic, Benzonia, MI)

• Virginia Szok (Painting, Fort Worth, TX)

Four alternates were chosen:

• James “Jimmy” Conley (Songwriting, Savage, MN)

• Elliana Heintz (Gouache, Fort Wayne, IN)

• Anthony Land-Closson (Fly tying, Wheat Ridge, CO)

• Sofia Scicchitano (Oil, Lake Stevens, WA)

Isle Royale received 253 applications for the 2025 Artist-in-Residence program, the highest number of applications ever received. Artists in many mediums displayed professionalism, creativity, and a mix of traditional and modern art styles. The jury’s selections were based on artistic integrity, creativity, ability to reside in a wilderness environment, and how an artist would relate and interpret the park through their work.

Isle Royale received 57 applications for the 2025 Teen Artist Exploration. The Isle Royale Teen Artist Exploration provides teens the opportunity to develop their art through experiencing wilderness, and is open to all visual and performing artists, writers, and composers ages 13 to 18 at time of participation.

These programs are co-sponsored by Isle Royale National Park and the Copper Country Community Arts Council. More information can be found at www.nps.gov/isro/getinvolved/artist-in-residence.htm.