By PHYLLIS SIGAL
“A friendly, welcoming environment.” … “A vibrant arts community.” … “Genuine people.” … “A good push.” … “An intense experience.” … “Eye-opening.” … “An adventure.” … “A remarkable journey.” …
Ceramicist Ellie Stanislav, encaustic artist Freddie Bainbridge and oil painter/stained-glass artist Terra Leone chose those words and more to describe their three-month stint in the Stifel artist residency program at Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling.
“I don’t think I’ve met more genuine people. I’ve made some really good friends,” Ellie said — wearing her trademark overalls and flashing her sweet smile — said. “Everyone’s so friendly, so welcoming.”
Terra — personally intense, artistically whimsical — noted that Wheeling is much smaller than her town of Castle Rock, Colorado. But, Wheeling boasts more artists. “It seems geared toward artists,” she said of Wheeling. “I’ve met a lot [of artists]. Everyone has a connection with everyone.”
“I have loved every minute, I really have. It’s been awesome,” said Freddie, whose wispy gray-brown beard marks him as unmistakably creative. The Pittsburgh resident has adopted Wheeling as a “second home. I’ve been smitten,” he said. “You have a great arts community.”
LEAVING THEIR MARK
The artists may have returned home, but they haven’t been forgotten.
They’ve given pieces of themselves to Stifel Fine Arts Center: some literal — Terra’s “Welcome to Stifel” mosaic sign; some figurative — the impressions left on their students.
“They’ve definitely left their mark,” said Rick Morgan, Stifel Center director.
WIN-WIN-WIN
The program creates a win-win-win situation — for the artists, Stifel Center and community.
“Ellie worked with new glazes; Terra suggested using every little scrap of glass for mosaics; and everyone loved Freddie’s classes,” Rick said.
For Stifel, the program exposes his patrons to new talent. “It keeps our studio fresh and innovative.” Rubbing elbows with new artists creates “a buzz” and offers “a new perspective,” Rick explained. “It enhances the studio.”
The program has certainly delivered wins for the artists.
“They get to work with different materials, in a different studio and to network,” Rick said. “They get the ability to see how others do things, like how I run the center, as well as an opportunity to show their work.”
“Terra has learned new skillsets — mosaics and stained glass. Ellie has worked with different clay bodies and has gotten to be in a different studio with a real community vibe. Freddie is now giving classes here — a great opportunity for him,” he said.
And for the community? Dozens of students — from seniors in Belmont County to area adults at the Stifel Center — enjoyed numerous workshops and classes.
“The Stifel collaboration was a hit with Belmont County seniors,” said Lisa Kazmirski, director of Senior Services of Belmont County. “People who would normally not get involved in arts and crafts projects at that level were very proud of their accomplishments through the program. We all hope to offer many more collaborations like this to our seniors.”
Rick added, “It has created relationships with the groups and an outlet for me to get my foot in the door. That can lead to more programs throughout the year,” Rick said. “It gets our name out and broadens our reach into the community.”
THANK YOU SPONSORS
The 2025 Stifel artist residency program was made possible through support from the EQT Foundation and the Elizabeth Stifel Kline Foundation.
‘A PERFECT STORM’
For Ellie, the residency was “a perfect storm.”
“I had nothing planned, and I wasn’t doing anything, and I needed to. Landing [the residency] and being here was incredible,” she said.
“Professionally, it has done so much for me. It’s taken me from college grad to semi-professional.”
She credits the residency with giving her a new “confidence in my skill level.” Usually, she dives right in to a project, and if she doesn’t tackle it “now,” she doesn’t think it can happen. But, with her newly gained confidence, she believes she can complete the project, even if it simmers in her creative gray matter for a while.
“I know what I’m doing a little more with my hands, with the modeling clay.”
Before the residency, she didn’t know how to work outside of her studio at Michigan State University. “I didn’t know my skills would translate, but you just have to figure it out and adapt. You make it work.”
The hustle and bustle of Wheeling influenced Ellie’s major work, “Garden Party,” which she completed during her residency. So much was happening around her — people excited about the buzz of summer activities like wine tastings and a garden tour — “it felt right for the bugs to have their own garden party.” Sixteen tansy beetle tiles edged in flower tiles compose “Garden Party.”
EXPLORING FACETS
Terra sees herself as “a diamond,” with many facets “shifting in the light.”
“I think I explore my facets more than most. … I like exploring different angles,” she said.
Her goal focused on learning the art of stained glass and subsequently making oil paintings of the glass pieces she created. She accomplished that and learned the art of mosaics as well.
Along with her new skills, she has incorporated more structure into her painting schedule, she noted. “I’ve produced a lot more work and have been a lot more consistent.”
She also works hard … and pushes herself hard. “I don’t like rushing my art. I’m the founder, CEO and owner of my own sweatshop!”
A magnificent “Welcome to the Stifel Fine Arts Center” mosaic piece demonstrated this dedication near the end of the residency.
A TEACHER! WHO KNEW?
Freddie discovered his love for teaching during the residency. “I enjoy teaching so much. … It was a surprise to me!” That represented a major shift for him. And he’s looking forward to this new chapter.
“[Encaustic art] is fun because it’s new.”
Sort of.
“It’s a 2,000-year-old archival technique that has found its way into the contemporary art world,” he said. Almost, as if it’s “reincarnating itself.”
While immersing himself in his relatively new art form of encaustic art during the residency, he used 14 pounds of bee’s wax and created 16 paintings.
He particularly enjoyed his studio space at Stifel. “My studio — it’s been awesome, more than ample space. Artists just dream of this space. And if I need a break, I just go outside and walk around the fountain, the gardens, the koi pond.”
Wheeling and its architecture have influenced his art, he noted. “I did two paintings of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. The architecture is wonderful here.”
COLLABORATION & CAMARADERIE
You can’t be part of the residency without creating camaraderie — with each other and with Rick.
The artists had nothing but compliments for the center’s director.
“Rick was a huge help in getting materials,” Ellie said. And whatever Freddie suggested, “Rick would say ‘Run with it,’” he noted. Rick was particularly pleased with Terra’s suggestion of using glass scraps for future mosaic endeavors.
Freddie saw himself as something of a “senior” among the three. He brings more years and has more careers under his belt than Terra and Ellie.
“Freddie brought a lot from his work history and what he knows,” Ellie — a recent college graduate — said, and added that Terra brought much from her career, as well. Ellie learned “you can make it work at any stage. I’ve only experienced people my own age.”
Their completed works of art provide concrete proof of their collaboration and impact on one another.
Terra made a stained-glass piece and then created an oil painting modeled after one of Ellie’s ceramic rams.
Freddie’s encaustic work inspired one of Ellie’s tiles.
But the collaborative piece de resistance is a 4-foot by 10-inch multi-media work titled: “King Teres Tiles.”
From Terra’s website, Freddie chose a gold mask that Terra had photographed (and subsequently painted) while she studied repousse art pieces in Bulgaria — repousse is a three-dimensional metalworking technique.
“He spoke to me. I love gold, but how will I pull this together?” he wondered.
Surprisingly, a Netflix documentary about Led Zeppelin provided the solution.
A close-up shot of a musician’s hand and torso and a pale blue, flowered shirt also spoke to Freddie.
“It was a contradiction — the flowers, the light blue and the hard rock. My brain automatically flashed to Terra’s gold face and Ellie’s floral tiles. … I saw it. All I had to do was pull it together the next day.”
In a couple of hours, he had completed the masterpiece.
ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget, …” Ellie said, laughing at a memory from a workshop at the St. Clairsville Senior Center. She brought her tiles — one of her newest creations was a bug tile based on the tansy beetle — to the senior center. When she showed it to her class, someone said, “Eewwwwww … is that a tick?”
But mostly, the seniors enjoyed it. Some didn’t want to get clay on their hands. Others dove right in, she recalled.
She also enjoyed the classes she led at Stifel Fine Arts Center. Many students belonged to the close-knit pottery group already established there. “I enjoyed them and became close with lots of the people.”
Some were skeptical of her tactics — “Tiles? … Plaster?” — but eventually they realized, “this is cool! … Winning over some of those people was really fun and really satisfying,” Ellie said.
For Terra, teaching provided a new experience, not having worked with large groups before. “Some of them really, really enjoyed it!”
Freddie describes the classes and workshops as “big fun!”
“What a cast of characters! They all came in with their own personalities. I enjoy teaching adults.”
He shared the story of one of his students telling him that every week she had the same conversation with her husband: “I am going to use a blow torch. … You are not going to use a blow torch. … I am going to use a blow torch.”
He has a photograph of her using a blow torch.
EXPLORING NEW SURROUNDINGS
The artists also enjoyed some sightseeing in the area. Together, they went out to dinner a few times and visited the West Virginia Penitentiary.
Terra enjoyed Oglebay Park and booked herself a spa day at the end of the residency as a reward for her hard work.
Freddie loves the “vibe” at Later Alligator. Ellie enjoyed Sarah’s on Main.
Stifel Center front desk receptionist Mary Rose shared some hometown sites with Ellie, pointed out special headstones at the Greenwood Cemetery and even drove Ellie to Sistersville to ride the ferry across the Ohio River.
WHAT’S NEXT … For the Artists
Ellie believes that this residency has helped her to achieve future prospects. She’d also love to return to Wheeling. “I have friends here. The culture is great. I’d love to teach a plaster class.” She also wants to enter work in the “Earth and Fire” ceramics exhibition next February at Stifel Fine Arts Center.
While Terra concentrated on learning the art of mosaics and stained glass, she also discovered “stained glass isn’t my one true love. I love oil painting.”
A multi-media maven, she now sets her sights on incorporating her newfound art forms into her oil painting. “That’s something I really, really want to explore.”
Terra said she would return to Wheeling if the opportunity arose — perhaps in the area of mosaic work. “I could do mosaic work in my studio at home and install it here.”
And Freddie? Well, because he lives just an hour away, he’s already on Stifel Fine Arts Center’s fall class schedule. He also plans to reach out to other art centers for teaching opportunities.
WHAT’S NEXT … For the Program
Rick believes he’s worked some bugs out during the residency’s second year. “The first year was spectacular. Was that a fluke? It was not. We’ve been able to get the right people. These six artists were great — with open minds, easy to work with and very creative.”
And the good news? Program funder EQT already has offered money for next year.
Rick looks even beyond year three.
“My big plan is to have an exhibition of all of the artists of the past residencies. We can showcase 12 or so artists, a reunion of sorts.”
“JUST DO IT”
When asked what advice they’d give to artists considering a residency program, all three said, “Just do it!”
“Absolutely do it!” Terra said. “It depends on the artist and what they hope to accomplish. … It’s been an adventure to explore new techniques and ideas.”
“I still can’t believe I’m here. It doesn’t feel real. It would’ve been easy to just stay home and not try. I would’ve missed out on a lot,” Ellie said. “It’s been an accelerant for my skills, my career and my inventory.”
She added, “It’s a good push. It’s your time to explore … and to fail. It’s great. They give you space and time and say, ‘Make art!’”
“It’s worth it!” says Freddie.