Isle Royale National Park announced that 25 artists from across the nation will participate in the 2026 Artist in Residence program.
The program brings artists to capture the landscape, flora and fauna inside national parks through artistic mediums that are then displayed by the parks. Each artist program includes three selected artists and alternates who will participate in the two- to three-week residency if a selected artist cannot attend.
The program includes a youth-specific residency for young artists to gain experience.
Five selected artists come from Michigan, with four Michiganders chosen as alternates. Atlantic Mine’s Meg Ruohonen was selected as one of five alternates in the teen artist program.
Those interested in learning more about the artist residency programs at Isle Royale National Park can find details here.
Find a full list of artists and alternates included in the 2026 Isle Royale Artist-in-Residency program:
The artists chosen for the Established Artist-in-Residence are:
- Ellie Anderson (Fiber, Chicago, Illinois)
- Amber Dietz (Photography, Detroit, Michigan)
- Katey Funderburgh (Poetry, Fairfax, Virginia)
Five artist-in-residence alternates were chosen:
- Paul Atkinson (Photography, Raleigh, North Carolina)
- Rachel Black (Oil, Irving, Texas)
- Anangookwe Wolf (Mendota Heights, Minnesota)
- Luisa Barron (Writing, Marquette, Michigan)
- Joe Blanchard & Maya Reter (Audio fiction, Chicago, Illinois)
The artists chosen for the Emerging Artist Experience are:
- Sheila Babbitt (Photography, Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- Patty Durell (Writing, Troy, Michigan)
- Claire Foxworth (Gouache, North Hollywood, California,)
- Jaimie, Krankel (Oil, Oxford, Michigan)
Five emerging artist alternates were chosen:
- Allison Campbell (Drawing & Writing, New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Janel Crooks (Watercolor, Munising, Michigan)
- Corrina Stadler (Photography, Olympia, Washington)
- Annesha Sengupta (Writing, Chicago, Illinois)
- Svea Van de Velde (Watercolor, New York, New York)
The artists chosen for the Teen Artist Exploration are:
- Kara Bolognino (Acrylic, Plymouth, Minnesota)
- Julia Thomas (Acrylic, Raymond, New Hampshire)
Five teen artist alternates were chosen:
- Adele Freistroffer (Watercolor, Fort Wayne, Indiana)
- Jade Piko (Acrylic, Lancaster, Ohio)
- Meg Ruohonen (Acrylic, Atlantic Mine, Michigan)
- Sylvia Strelish (Oil & Acrylic, Scottsdale, Arizona)
- Mea Wesley (Watercolor, Indian River, Michigan)
