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Artist-In-Residence At Ridgefield's Weir Farm Puts Her Project Into Words

WILTON, Conn. -- Sarah Goetz put into words an unusual project she is working on as the artist-in-residence at Weir Farm National Historic Site during a presentation Monday night at the Wilton Library. 

Sarah Goetz, who is in the Artist-In-Residence program at Weir Farm, gives a presentation at the Wilton Library.

Sarah Goetz, who is in the Artist-In-Residence program at Weir Farm, gives a presentation at the Wilton Library.

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
One of the art projects of Sarah Goetz, who gave a presentation at the Wilton Library

One of the art projects of Sarah Goetz, who gave a presentation at the Wilton Library

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
One of the meditative drawings by artist Sarah Goetz

One of the meditative drawings by artist Sarah Goetz

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox

The 27-year-old student who is working on her master's degree in fine arts at Ohio State University has set up shop at Weir Farm in Ridgefield and Wilton as she edits the video for a multi-channel video installation called "Words Taken Right Out Of Your Mouth/Words Put In Your Mouth."

In the program, which was attended by about a dozen people, Goetz spoke about the project, using video as part of her presentation.

One project she completed involved images on a screen. She filmed a nature scene and collapsed each image, putting all the photographs together. "What might be too specific in a single photograph could be approximated by the use of many photographs all at once," she said.

Another project involved using others in an intimate and awkward manner, according to Goetz. "I had my friends, many of whom are faculty at my university, physically hold my tongue," she said. She filmed as her tongue was held, using a GoPro on her head that pointed down. "These are all people that I had built up some trust with," she said.

Yet another project was putting ice into her friends' mouth, and having them do the same to her.

As she works on her project, Goetz is also able to enjoy the Weir Preserve. She said she is impressed with the large number of trails there. "I started to understand the relationship between my time along the trails in a three-hour hike I took," she said.

Wilton resident Francesca Monro, who attended the program, found it interesting. "Goetz's art projects are more cerebral than (looking at) one piece of visual art, so you really have to be introspective and spend time watching a film like that. You have to uncover what is going on."

Lois Alcosser, a resident of Wilton, said she enjoyed the program. "I thought it was wonderfully imaginative and very provocative."

Goetz said that once she graduates next year, she hopes to teach art at a university and also work on her own art.

The Artist-in-Residence program at Weir Farm National Historic Site selects an artist to spend one month living and working at the park. For more information about the program, click here.

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