Ep 78 - Being an Artist-in-Residence (forever!) with Maria Coryell-Martin

I ask Maria what is expeditionary art, and she tells me about the confluence of observational art and scientific exploration. We discuss the fellowships that took her to the Pacific Islands, to Western Africa, from Timbuktu to Greenland. And we talk about her recently concluded artist residency on the Washington State Ferries. Maria tells me about using project proposals and deadlines to structure her artistic life. In effect, Maria has been doing artist residencies her whole life, finding the ones she needs, and creating the ones she cannot find.

So this is an episode about being a lifelong artist-in-residence. If you are trying to survive as an artist in the 21st century, this conversation will give you much inspiration, and many good ideas. I hope you enjoy it.

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Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist and co-founder of Art Toolkit. In this conversation, she speaks about the historical importance and modern relevance of expeditionary art, and how she uses project proposals and deadlines to structure her artist-life. This episode offers inspiring advice and good ideas to practice your art in a way that resonates with your life and physical environments, while remaining pragmatic about how to make all of that work.

🙌🏽 Find Maria’s work on her IG or visit her website.

🎨 Check out wonderful art supplies and books with Art Toolkit.

🎙️ Read episode show-notes and useful links.

📚 Buy Nishant’s book: Make (Sneaky) Art

☕️ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee

❤️ Read Portland writer-artist Amy Stewart’s inspiring call-to-action to craft your self-appointed artist residency!

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Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist, following the tradition of traveling artists as naturalists and educators. Her expeditions have ranged from the Arctic to Antarctica, bringing her face-to-face with polar bears, leopard seals, emperor penguins, and narwhals, with residencies ranging from Norway to the Washington State Ferries. Her fieldwork serves as the basis for exhibits, presentations, and hands-on workshops to promote observation, inquiry, and environmental awareness for audiences of all ages.

Maria founded Art Toolkit to share expedition-proven sketching and painting supplies with artists worldwide.

Learn more at: expeditionaryart.com and arttoolkit.com.

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Maria is exhibiting art from her ferry residency at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center from May 1st to July 31st. In Salish Explorations, she illustrates how the Salish Sea shapes the Port Townsend region through its shifting light and atmosphere. She hopes to inspire audiences to appreciate changing marine landscapes, see the familiar in a new light, and seek adventures close to home.

In March 2026, Maria had a studio-based artist residency with Centrum at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. There, she focused on developing art from her Washington State Ferry Residency for exhibit, working in a beautiful studio in one of the historic Fort Worden buildings. Centrum is an arts organization with a vision to nurture creativity and community, offering music and writing workshops, youth programs, and artist residencies.