Each semester, Burlington City & Lake Semester students have the opportunity to partner with an artist-in-residence. The media and forms of expression are different each time, but the unifying goals remain the same: to synthesize a core theme from the semester, to express that insight through public art, and to actively build community in the process. This semester’s BCL12 students were lucky to get to work with both Corrine Yonce and Sarah Letteney. Each artist brought different gifts. Corrine is an artist who collects, accrues, builds, and tells colorful stories. Sarah works in pen and ink, using elegant lines to draw the observer in.

As different as their media may be, these two artists have one remarkable trait in common — their humanity. Throughout the twists and turns of an emergent art process, Corrine and Sarah remained affable, flexible, and supportive. Their easy laughter invited us to loosen up and trust the process, and we did.

One of the through-lines in both Corrine’s and Sarah’s art is the idea of home. In different ways, they both explore what our material lives say about our identities, and vice versa. They are also both interested in our connection to place, both internal and external. Corrine is especially interested in third spaces–meaningful, shared places that aren’t home or school, but that feel like home.

A recent installation of Corrine’s work is in an unlikely third space: The King Street Laundry. It’s a mundane, quotidian place, filled with people doing personal chores. But it is also a gathering place, and a place where people can feel safe and connected to their community. What better way to learn about what makes this place tick–or spin–than to visit the laundromat?

We added another layer of immersion when Corrine and Sarah invited us to visit their studio, The Hive, on Pine Street. We realized immediately that talking about art pales in comparison to being in a space where creativity is channelled.

Corrine and Sarah set the stage for exploring complex ideas. Together, we had rich conversations about our material lives; we explored our sense of place, identity, and community; we reflected on our feelings of displacement, and our feelings of home. But before long, the conversations morphed into hands-on work. It was a medium that none of us had worked with: 3D wall sculptures, made of cardboard, tape, plaster, and paint. At first, there was confusion, but then, as with all BCL art projects, things began to take shape.

Every art project culminates in a public gathering. When BCL1 designed projection art, we hosted a nighttime light show. When BCL8 worked with a theater producer, we hosted an interactive play. Each event takes a different form, depending on the medium. What’s the most natural way to celebrate and share 3D wall art that explores third spaces? Nothing other than a public gallery show, in the Old North End Community Center’s own third space–the first-floor Event Space.

No matter how gratifying and empowering the art-making process is, it is often just as meaningful to throw a party, if not more so. Hosting an event is a complex project, a real-world challenge with an authentic audience. The rigor is real too, because students own all of the details. Every element is in their hands: the flyer, the invitations, the lighting, the setlist, the activities, the food, the gifts, the MC script, the t-shirt raffle…

The stakes are high. Every time, without fail, there is a moment of dread. Will people actually come? What if no one shows? Invariably, people do arrive, and as soon as the room is full, it feels real and alive.

Surrounding the installation are students’ artist statements. Each explains why they chose their particular third space, and many go further, expressing what they hope for our collective artwork’s lasting impact.

My third space is Smugglers’ Notch , a place that feels deeply personal and communal. It’s a place that I spent many hours learning, connecting and healing. This project helped me pay more attention to my surroundings and appreciate things I normally would look over. 

– Dylan

UVM’s Patrick Gym feels like home, because it’s a place where I spent many hours there during practice and games. Like the gym, everyone should feel safe and welcome here. Our paintings should do a great job of welcoming people. 

– Semin

For my third space, I chose north beach. I chose North Beach because it’s a place where I can just get away from reality and have fun! Everyone is different in some way and it’s beautiful to show that off. 

– Tobey

My third space is the Surf Club. It’s a place I went during the pandemic. During that time, it offered a place for me to be outside, to see people, and to swim. I hope that people who see our art think about how a place can mean a lot to people. 

– Zeke

For my third space I chose the track and football field at BHS. When I am there I just know what to do, it’s like life becomes clear. There is only one goal: improve.  

–  Ahmed

In my first BCL inquiry project, I explored the bakeries in Burlington, and witnessed the important role of third spaces. These spaces are very important to our sense of place.Our art piece should encourage our audience to go out and notice and appreciate their own favorite third spaces as if they were new. 

– Helen

My third space is the BHS art room. I spend a lot of time there, and I feel really comfortable being able to draw anything I want. I hope that this art piece makes people curious about what it means. I like picturing people having to work for it, to understand the overall piece. 

– Kylee

I chose to make my art piece about the sunset on the lake. Sunsets make me feel calm and serene. The plaster was weird to work with, but I’m happy with how it turned out. I hope the audience feels happiness and joy. 

– Riley

I choose Secret Beach as my third space because that is where I feel most at home, other than my actual house. This place is very special to me because it is where I go most of the time to clear my head. I think our collective art project should show how important third places are to people, and how different things can have different impacts on people. 

– Caleb

My third space is the Waterfront, because I feel welcome there. It’s peaceful, there’s a beautiful view, and I’m able to get out of my head, and not think about negative things. I hope people are curious about who made these pieces and why. 

– Fataiya

Memories are greatly important to me and Red Rocks Park holds many. I have been going ever since I could remember and know the path like the back of my hand. I hope that when people look at my piece, they can think of a natural spot that is important to them. Through our art, I think people will start thinking about their third spaces and what they do for us and we do for them. 

– Layla

This project conveys my third space but also my passion for aquatics and nature, but it’s not necessarily for others to understand. It is up for them to interpret. I want it to be something one can keep looking back at and continuously find new aspects and ideas to look at. From afar our art appears to be one big piece.  Yet when you walk closer to really look, you get to know the art and see us individually.  That is the beauty of BCL.  We can all work together for one common goal for our community and school yet we are all so different. 

– Rory

I chose to make my art about the pier. I go there with my friends, and by myself. It’s a place where I feel at peace. 

– Ifrah

For my third space, I chose my family’s restaurant. It’s an important place because customers can connect and build community. It’s also the place we are carrying on my uncle’s legacy. I hope people reflect on how different places in the community make them feel happy. 

– Bahja

The third space that I chose was Patrick Gym at the UVM campus, which was also our home gym for the season. I chose this spot because it helps me connect with my boys while doing something that I really enjoy doing. One thing our art project should do is make people like art and they can see that anything in their life could be art.

– Khamis 

For my third space I chose Texaco Beach. I choose this place because I have a lot of emotional ties there, and a lot of people consider this their third space. This art project is a way for us to tell people we were here. 

– Hilowle

My third space is a store where I like spending time. I chose to show some jeans that are exclusive and high-value. Coming from a small city, there aren’t a lot of stores that would have items like this, so for me to get that item in my hands, it means something. My third space helped me feel that connection to the world outside Burlington. 

– Mustafa

Gratitude to Corrine Yonce and Sarah Letteny for their countless hours of engagement and endless patience and energy, Jason Horne (CHT Building Superintendent and installer/party-thrower extraordinaire, and Burlington City Arts for their funding support!