By Phyllis Sigal
It’s a brave thing they’re doing, says Rick Morgan, director of Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center.
What are they doing, you ask?
Art.
Art, for three months in a new city, in a new studio, far from their home bases.
Three artists in three disciplines are entrenched for three months in the Stifel Artist Residency Program, now in its second year.
Thanks to funding from the Elizabeth Stifel Kline Foundation and EQT, Freddie Bainbridge, Terra Leone and Ellie Stanislav, will create, learn, teach and more through the end of June.
Bainbridge, of Pittsburgh, is an encaustic painter; Leone, all the way from Castlerock, Colorado, is a painter and stained-glass artist; and Stanislav from Big Rapids, Michigan, works in ceramics.
“I think it’s a very brave and courageous thing to do — to completely uproot your life, to work in a studio you don’t know. I try to spend a good amount of time to make them feel welcome here,” Morgan said.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
“When someone is here for three months, we build a relationship,” Morgan said. He still keeps in touch with the three artists from last year’s program. In fact, stained-glass artist Kellie Ahmad who participated in the inaugural program, is planning to share some tips this year with Leone.
All three artists bring new disciplines, ideas and methods to Stifel Fine Arts Center studios, Morgan said. “I get excited about that.”
The artists bring a “new perspective,” “new energy” and are “teaching new tricks.” All of that will “enhance our space,” Morgan believes.
“When you have new people doing new things in your studio, it’s very contagious, and I love that,” Morgan said.
Stanislav hopes that some of her ideas have a lasting effect on Stifel potters. “I hope me being here brings new skills and new ways of thinking,” she said. She has a “deep desire to share my ideas and processes of tile making and would love to lead or co-lead with other artists a tile-making workshop series.”
Bainbridge said, “I see this residency as a valuable exchange between artists at different stages of their careers. The communal environment of Stifel Fine Arts Center offers a dynamic space where [artists] can learn from one another, share technical expertise and push creative boundaries.”
“The three of us are already bouncing ideas off one another,” Stanislav said.
Morgan also believes it’s important for the public to understand what goes into the creation of visual art. The three artists will instruct workshops at Stifel, offering the public a hands-on opportunity to learn their processes. They also will participate in outreach programs at several Belmont County senior centers. At the end of the residency, the artists will show and sell their work at an exhibition.
A TWO-WAY STREET
While Oglebay Institute will benefit from this injection of new energy, the artists get to create to their hearts’ content for their time here in Wheeling. They receive a stipend, housing and the freedom to work all day in the historic Stifel Fine Arts Center.
“Our studio space is really nice, very impressive. They’re working in a mansion!” Morgan said. Additionally, they can use the equipment in the Stifel studios — equipment that is expensive that they may not have access to in their hometowns. Not having a kiln or a pottery wheel or glazes can be “huge barriers” to an artist, he pointed out.
“They get to fall in love in Wheeling, and that’s a cool thing. They’ve taken a leap of faith to come here. Hopefully it will be a good experience,” Morgan said.
“I am excited about the possibility of working alongside fellow artists, engaging with the rich creative energy of Oglebay Institute, the surrounding community and using this experience to propel my career forward,” Bainbridge said.
Stanislav has her sights set on the Stifel kiln, but along with her tile making, she would like to learn the business side of life as an artist. “Both the work I create and the entrepreneur I can become during the residency are the transformational experiences I seek,” she said.
Leone shared, “This residency offers a unique opportunity to merge the ancient art of stained glass with my existing artistic pursuits, and I am eager to contribute my perspective while learning from this experience.”
THE ARTISTS
TERRA: A New Facet to Her Art
“My work delves into the mystical connection between nature and the unseen energies flowing through all living things.” — Terra Leone
Terra Leone — who, some days rides her electric unicycle to the Stifel Center from her housing at Oglebay Park — wants to add the art of stained glass to her repertoire during her residency. The multidisciplinary artist also works in oils, acrylics, murals, metal smithing and digital art.
Specifically, she wants to create stained-glass pieces to serve as three-dimensional models for two-dimensional paintings.
“A year and a half ago it popped into my head to do stained glass, then paint it. And I love learning new things,” she said. “The opportunity to learn a new medium will not only enhance my own practice but also allow me to share insights into the intersections of various art forms with the community.”
She’s been teaching herself to make stained glass via YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, but her hands-on work at Stifel should take her craft to a higher level.
“I am a self-starter, constantly researching and testing new ideas to push the boundaries of my work. This adaptability and curiosity are what make me an excellent fit for this residency,” she believes. “I was really excited when I got the [acceptance] email.”
Her end goal is to take home a lot of reference material — her newly created stained-glass pieces — to use in future oil paintings.
“I want to get better at both [stained glass and painting],” she said. “I’m pretty good at painting, but I think I could paint for 100 years and still just scratch the surface.”
FREDDIE: Waxing Artistic
“I aim to make the world a little more beautiful every day.” — Freddie Bainbridge
Dancer, house painter, interior designer, and now, encaustic painter with a residency at Stifel Fine Arts Center — that’s Freddie Bainbridge. And that’s quite the journey for one artist.
But to hear him talk about the “magical” encaustic process, it seems his journey has taken him in the right direction, to the right place.
Encaustic art uses beeswax, pigment, water and heat. Examples were found as far back as 100-300 AD — the oldest surviving encaustic panel paintings are Romano-Egyptian Fayum mummy portraits.
Bainbridge describes encaustic art this way: “Layers of molten wax, bold pigments and embedded materials create ethereal landscapes where color, texture and light converge.”
He tried the process a decade ago, but it wasn’t the right time. Now, it seems, the time is right.
“It took me until now to put it all together,” he said. “It” includes collage, photography, semiprecious stones, dried flowers and jewelry. He also loves acrylics, metal paintings and big spaces. “This product allowed me to combine it into one type of art.”
Bainbridge was searching for fine art juried shows — one of his pieces was accepted for a recent hip-hop exhibit at Stifel — when he came across the residency.
While here, he’s hoping to build his collection of his work, while participating in community outreach and presenting workshops.
“I’m hoping it will open doors. These people are awesome — some of the most professional people I’ve dealt with.”
And, he’s happy to be back in the valley. Bainbridge’s journey began in nearby Mingo Junction, Ohio, before his mom moved him to Washington, D.C., to pursue ballet as a youngster. The first Broadway touring show he ever saw was “A Chorus Line” at the Capitol Theatre, 45 years ago.
“So it’s cool to be here. … Oddly enough, I feel like I’m coming home.”
ELLIE: Breaking Into Her Mold
“I found rhythm and stability in tile making, offering me the opportunity to find clarity and make meaning of a past that was first washed away in flood waters, but then re-emerged through flowers connected to New Orleans.” — Ellie Stanislav
Ellie Stanislav, fresh out of Michigan State University and “just breaking out as an artist,” is here to explore, get new ideas and increase her cache of work.
She has found her niche as a tile artist. Her process involves making plaster-cast molds, then “punching in the clay” to create the tiles.
Her childhood is embedded in her work. Black-eyed Susans and magnolia flowers are evident in her tiles, representing her early years in New Orleans. Her family moved from the Big Easy to Big Rapids, Michigan, in 2004, after Hurricane Katrina flooded their home.
Incorporating those symbols into her art is her way of holding onto memories of the brief years she lived in New Orleans, she noted.
While in Wheeling, she wants “to experiment and keep making tiles,” she said. Her latest tile motif is the tansy beetle, with the addition of flowers and leaves.
The young artist pointed out, “It’s a lot of pressure to go into the world and establish yourself.”
However, she’s already attracting attention.
Shortly after graduating from MSU, she won first place in the emerging artist category at the 2024 Michigan Ceramics Biennial Exhibition. (Coincidentally, George Rodriguez, whose work was part of the recent “Earth and Fire” exhibit at Stifel, juried the show.) “I also got into Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, which is a big deal,” she noted.
“I’m excited to be here,” she said. “Coming into the studio, I put on my overalls, put my hands in my clay … it’s easy, my brain just works away!
“This is huge for me to say ‘yes’ to do this, to be here on my own. I think I’ll step away stronger. If I can do this, I can do the next thing.”
MEET THE ARTISTS MAY 10 AT STIFEL OPEN HOUSE
Join us from 1-3pm Saturday, May 10 at Stifel Fine Arts Center for a free open house and art demonstrations with the 2025 Stifel artists-in-residence.
Watch as they demonstrate their skills. Ask questions. Discuss art and life. Explore art-making tools, and learn more about upcoming hands-on workshops with each artist. You can also tour the Lyrical Abstraction exhibition on display in the galleries.