Baby Cat Yarns Scholars Program

Kestrel Fields Studio is thrilled to partner with Baby Cat Yarns to provide artists with LOTS of beautiful yarn for their residency-specific projects. 

Baby Cat Yarns, a dyed-to-order yarn service based in Colorado, is excited to sponsor select Kestrel Fields Studio Artists-in-Residence with custom-dyed wool yarns for their residency project(s). "Baby Cat Yarn Scholars" are encouraged to push the boundaries of what they can do with design and color with this special supply of soft, high-quality, versatile, custom-dyed 100% wool.

BCY Scholars will receive up to (14) 100g skeins of fiber in their yarn base of choice, OR (25) 50g skeins of fiber in their yarn base of choice to use in their residency project(s). (That's up to $425 in yarn!)

Yarn bases can be seen here.  Baby Cat Yarns are versatile and appropriate for many types of fiber art projects, including weaving.

Artists are encouraged to consider their final color story and utilize the BCY catalogue to get there. If customized colors are desired beyond the BCY color catalogue, the artist will work 1-on-1 with Britta Horsfall of BCY 4-5 weeks before their residency start date at Kestrel Fields Studio to generate custom colors.

If the artist requires more yarn than listed above, they will receive 10% off additional skeins with a personalized coupon code. 

The heart of this scholarship is that the artist will partake in intentional play and curiosity within their respective process, as well as bring an audience into that process.

If accepted, Baby Cat Scholars will be required to: 

• Work with BCY in the 4-5 weeks leading up to your residency to get your custom yarn dyeing going in time for your residency at Kestrel Fields Studio.
• Document your process along the way of working with BCY and then using BC yarn in your project(s).
• Within six months of your residency, share gallery quality photos of finished works with Kestrel Fields Studio and Baby Cat Yarns so that we can use them in our own marketing and promotions in the future (you would obviously get ALL the credit!)
• Share your process/experience/lessons learned with your community to promote Baby Cat Yarns and honestly review the quality/color/handle/fiber. Speak specifically to your inspiration and intention, and how the fiber supports/interacts with your vision.

Sharing your experiences can be done through at least one of the following channels, and should be completed during the residency or within six months of completing the residency: 

• Regular posting on social media (minimum 2x week throughout the process, must have a semi-regular posting history on your account) - you'll add Kestrel Fields Studio and Baby Cat Yarns as collaborators
• Writing blog posts or e-newsletter articles during and after your residency about your experience
• A live presentation to an appropriate audience in your home town that includes a slide show.
• A zoom presentation to an appropriate audience in your community which includes a slide show.
• Your ideas and suggestions for other ways to share your work and your experience are welcome!

To apply for the Baby Cat Yarns Scholars Program, read more about the residency program here, or click the button below to go directly to the application! :)