New Library Digital Collections celebrate Alchemy Artists-in-Residence
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Submitted by the San Juan Island Library.
The San Juan Island Library and Alchemy Art Center are excited to announce the creation of local digital collections celebrating three of this year’s artists-in-residence at Alchemy Art Center. These new collections memorialize the tenures of Kira Williams, Evie Hidysmith and Ella Rose Avery, with additional artists-in-residence to be added to the collections later this year.
Alchemy’s AIR program is a unique opportunity to live in an immersive arts community on San Juan Island, connect with the wider SJI community via teaching and outreach activities, and have focused time to create art in an environment that supports collaboration, cross-pollination and innovation. All AIR opportunities include a work exchange of 12-15 hours per week, a substantial component of which is community engagement. This can mean teaching adult-level classes, leading free workshops in the park, mentoring small groups of young people or simply interacting with Alchemy’s many studio members and visitors.
“I have had the pleasure of both participating in our residency program as a visiting artist in 2022 and managing the program for the past three years,” said Cozette Ellis, outreach coordinator for Alchemy Art Center. “It’s incredible to connect professional artists from around the country with islanders of all ages, and to see how it can light a creative spark in local youth that they can carry forward for their whole lives. Alchemy’s Artist in Community program is a valuable asset to San Juan Island and extremely impactful for the artists themselves.”
These new collections digitize the artists’ statements from Williams, Hidysmith and Rose Avery and several pieces that were completed during their stay on the island. These collections can be viewed on the library’s Biblioboard page, or by using this direct link: https://library.biblioboard.com/anthology/AACAIR.
The library is excited to add this collection to its growing catalog of local art and culture. “The Alchemy AIR program is a dynamic, engaging example of how the San Juan Islands can inspire our creativity and help us explore important ideas,” said Anthony Morris, assistant director of the SJI Library. “We’re so grateful that we can help memorialize these journeys, and we’re looking forward to continuing this work in the future.” To see the range of local digital collections the library has available, please visit sjlib.org/creators-circle/.
Library staff can answer any questions you have at 360-378-2798 or sjlib@sjlib.org. Library programs and cards are free of charge to San Juan Island residents. In addition to its collections of books, videos, equipment, games, audiobooks and other materials to loan, the library also provides public access computers, Wi-Fi and a suite of databases that patrons can access in the library or at home. Library hours are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 3 p.m.
Alchemy Art Center is a nonprofit community art space on San Juan Island specializing in ceramics, printmaking and darkroom photography. Alchemy offers classes, memberships, seasonal artist residencies and public events at our magically rustic woodland location and in public spaces across San Juan Island.
