Rumsey Travel Award grantees showcase artwork inspired by their 2025 travels

Travel Dates in 2025: July 28th - August 6th

Destination: Amsterdam, Netherlands

The activities participated in, and places and things observed, while traveling:

Most of my days consisted of going to a museum or other scheduled activity in the morning for a few hours and letting the rest of the day unfold on its own. I often walked around for hours and explored neighborhoods and parks, stopping in places to write and draw.

How the experience has assisted in the development of your artwork and/or scholarship: 

Living in Buffalo has had a huge impact on my art, I feel lucky to be a part of such a lively and caring community, but seeing new places is really important for my practice as well. There are aspects of every place that remain the same all throughout the world, but the details that are unique become more noticeable as I travel to new places. One experience that enhanced my print making education was spending time in the print room at the Rijksmuseum. It is truly an irreplaceable feeling—seeing something in person, after seeing it so many times on a screen.

Other Details (any anecdotes, surprises, benefits or challenges, etc., that you would like to share about this experience): 

I did find it difficult being alone but constantly surrounded by people. It made me feel isolated, but it was still a necessary experience. It gave me an opportunity to observe and reflect on everything around me. I have never spent that much time alone in my life before, and I feel more comfortable being in this situation in the future if I have another solo travel experience or do a residency.

Travel Dates in 2025: August 4^th – 14^th

Destination: Lowther Castle in Cumbria and London, England 

The activities participated in, and places and things observed, while traveling:

During my travels to the UK, I visited Lowther Castle, still held by the Lowther family—my great-grandmother’s lineage. When I was young, my grandmother told me about the castle, sparking a fascination with family history that stayed with me. Walking among the ruins, I encountered painted portraits of ancestors, historical artifacts, and a museum documenting the castle’s history. What had once been a childhood story became a tangible experience, connecting memory, ancestry and place.  

I also visited Westminster Abbey, where I saw the tombs of the House of Plantagenet kings. Tracing my lineage to this royal house, I was struck by the continuity of history, where names on a genealogical chart became monumental and real. 

In London, I explored the city on foot, wandering through parks, gardens, landscapes, with public sculptures. I visited the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Modern, and Tate Britain, experiencing works by Jenny Saville and Do Ho Suh. A mural and street art tour revealed works by Shepard Fairey and Banksy, showing how art shapes public spaces and communities. 

This journey intertwined ancestry, history, and art, deepening my understanding of how identity is shaped through inheritance and personal experience.

How the experience has assisted in the development of your artwork and/or scholarship: 

Visiting Lowther Castle, Westminster Abbey, and London’s museums and street art changed how I see both art and history. Seeing ancestral portraits, artifacts, and works from Jenny Saville and Do Ho Suh showed me how to connect personal history with creative expression. These experiences inspire me to bring memory, context, and curiosity into my work. 

For more info see this year's Rumsey exhibition page.