2026 Siskiyou Crest Artist in Residence Program at Acorn Woman Lookout
A 5-day artist-in-residence opportunity
About the program
The Siskiyou Crest Coalition in Applegate, Oregon, is offering a 5-day artist-in-residence opportunity for an artist
of any medium at the stunning Acorn Woman Lookout in the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon. Constructed in 1942 as
a fire lookout, with windows on all sides, and now listed on the Registry of National Historic Sites, the building affords
art-inspiring views of the Red Buttes Wilderness Area, Acorn Woman Lake, the Little Applegate Valley, Wagner Butte,
Dutchman Peak, and, to the north, the Cascade peaks—Mt. McLoughlin, Mt. Bailey, Mt. Thielson, and the Crater Lake rim.
Goals of the program
The Siskiyou Mountains are a little-known, ecologically rich mountain range stretching east-west between the arid atmospheres
east of Ashland, Oregon, through old-growth forests, rocky peaks, and wildflower wonders, to the ocean-misted western side.
By emphasizing, through art, the beauty of the landscape, the richness of the flora and fauna, and the inspirational quality
of these mountains, SCC hopes to spread the word about the specialness of the area. The intent is that the artist who spends
a few days at Acorn Woman Lookout would be able to translate, through art, that experience in the Siskiyous for those who were not there.
The surroundings
Acorn Woman Lookout offers a unique experience in the wilderness—a 360-degree view of sunrises and sunsets over mountain peaks,
weather patterns, forested landscapes, and, at the same time, on-the-ground access to trails, lakes, wildflower meadows, and other
beauties of the Siskiyou Mountains. Without distractions of motors or electrical appliances, the solitude, the silence, and the
expanse of natural beauty invite artistic meditation and creation and give the resident a retreat from the exigencies of daily life.
The accommodations
The Acorn Woman Lookout is located up a steep gravel road (Forest Service Road 350) in the
Siskiyou Mountains southwest of Medford, Oregon, approximately 19 miles from Ruch, Oregon. The access road
is steep and winding and has tight switchbacks which may not be suitable for low-clearance vehicles or large trucks.
Trailers will not make it. Parking is limited to two vehicles at all times.
The one-room cabin is 14 x 14 feet. The Forest Service furnishes it with a small wooden table
with a working Osborne Firefinder on it. The Siskiyou Crest Coalition will provide an outdoor table, a cot,
a light source, a small camp stove, fuel for the stove, matches, minimal cookware and utensils (as for camping),
garbage bags, and water for drinking, cooking, and washing. SCC will erect a pop-up shelter outside the cabin for
the artist’s convenience. The artist must provide a sleeping bag, towel, soap and other personal items, as well as
food for the duration of the residency. There is a vault toilet, with toilet paper provided.
The residency is for the artist, who is welcome to bring a companion, if desired. A dog would also be allowed.
The rental period is for five days. Arrival time for the artist is 4:00 on the afternoon of the first day
of the residency. The artist must have vacated the premises by noon five days later. Dates of the residency
vary according to availability of the lookout.
The Siskiyou Crest Coalition will pay the rental fee for the lookout and provide gift cards
totaling $200 for the artist to supply their own food for the week of the residency.
There is no internet, though cell phone coverage is good.
The Artist in Residence should be aware that there are rattlesnakes, ticks, bears, and poison oak in the vicinity.
So as not to attract bears and other animals, do not leave any trash or food outside the building.
For information and advice about
these elements of natural life in the Siskiyous please view the following information:
For more information about the Acorn Woman Lookout, visit the National Forest Service website.
Expectations
In addition to providing the residency and the accommodations mentioned above, SCC will give the recipient good promotion,
on the website and in other media, as that year’s SCC Artist in Residence at Acorn Woman Lookout. The artist, in return, will
produce a work of art inspired by the week in the Acorn Woman Lookout and will also give a public presentation, including a talk
about the experience and a display of the artwork, within a month of the end of the residency. SCC will promote and advertise the
event. The artist will retain the art piece that results from the residency but allow SCC to use it in promoting the SCC mission.
Eligibility
Applications are open to both established and emerging artists, including writers, sculptors, photographers, painters,
cinematographers, musicians, sculptors, composers, fabric artists, and artists of any other mediums. All applicants must
be 18 years of age or older. A committee of two local artists and two members of the Siskiyou Crest Coalition will determine
the recipient of the residency.
Application and selection process
The deadline for applications is November 15, 2025.
The Siskiyou Crest Coalition will notify the winner and other applicants by January 7, 2026.
As an applicant, please provide:
a brief statement of intent explaining what you hope to achieve from this residency and from this
extended relationship to the Siskiyou Crest,
a brief statement about your comfort level and experience with relatively primitive camping, backcountry roads, and wildlife
a brief resume, including a link to your website or other online presence, if available,
three to five samples of your work in electronic format.
Criteria for acceptance:
Artistic quality and merit of the work submitted for review