Golden Spot Residency Supported by The Ford Family Foundation

In 2013, Whitney Nye was honored to be selected for the Golden Spot Artist in Residence program at Caldera Arts, an honor awarded to a small group of Oregon visual artists each year through support from The Ford Family Foundation. The program is designed to recognize and support mid-career artists who have demonstrated exceptional skill, originality, and commitment to their practice.

Whitney’s selection reflected her innovative approach to materials, her ability to explore the intersection of pattern, rhythm, and the natural world, and a career marked by significant exhibitions and public art commissions. The residency provided her with uninterrupted time and space in Caldera’s stunning high desert setting near Sisters, Oregon—a creative environment that fosters experimentation, reflection, and growth.

The Ford Family Foundation established the Golden Spot program to strengthen Oregon’s visual arts community by giving accomplished artists the resources and environment to advance their work. By partnering with organizations like Caldera, the program offers not only a physical space to create, but also a supportive network that encourages exploration and professional development.

Whitney’s time at Caldera expanded her ability to push her artistic language forward, integrating new influences from the unique landscape and community she encountered there—work that continues to inform her practice today.

——————

About The Ford Family Foundation

Since launching the Golden Spot program in 2011, The Ford Family Foundation has collaborated with institutions like Caldera to support more than 25 artists annually across Oregon. Their residencies foster creativity through meaningful, immersive experiences and reinforce the Foundation’s commitment to the visual arts community in the region