Grand Canyon Welcomes 2025 Artists and Astronomers in Residence

About Grand Canyon Conservancy's Residency Program

Grand Canyon Conservancy’s residency program supports Grand Canyon National Park’s priorities of dark sky preservation and inclusive storytelling by welcoming artists, scholars, and scientists from throughout the world to explore and contribute to Grand Canyon’s historic and cultural legacy. Our artists and astronomers engage the public in meaningful ways, adding to the collective scholarship on the region, and celebrating the rich environmental, spiritual, and cultural impact Grand Canyon has on the world.

The Artist in Residence program offers artists the opportunity to practice and share their discipline with park visitors at one of the most beautiful sites in the world. Through impactful, site-specific, community-engaged work, the program seeks to inspire the community to deepen their knowledge of Grand Canyon. 

The Astronomer in Residence program offers astronomers and dark-sky advocates from diverse fields the opportunity to practice and share their discipline with park visitors under one of the most pristine night skies in the United States. Through educational outreach and creative connection, the program inspires visitors to see the value of night skies, spread awareness about the threats of light pollution, and explore society's complex relationship with natural darkness. 

2025 Calendar of Events

February 1 - March 14: Astronomer in Residence Stephen Hummel
March 19 - May 1: Artist in Residence STo Len
March 15 - June 30: Artist in Residence Dani Kwan
July 5 - August 15: Artists in Residence Nayda Collazo-Llorens & Patricia Villalobos Echeveria
August 24 - October 23: Astronomer in Residence Laura-May Abron
November 1 - December 15: Astronomer in Residence Aomawa Shields

Meet Our Artists in Residence 

Let's take a closer look at our artists.

sTo Len

Artist in Residence March 19 - May 1

sTo Len is an interdisciplinary artist whose work has centered on place-based collaborations with diverse landscapes and co-creations with communities and municipal agencies. Recent projects have included a Trash Museum in Kyrgyzstan, a community pirate radio show in New Mexico, and a series of plant-based printmaking while in residence at the Queens Botanical Garden.

sTo Len was most recently the Public Artist in Residence at the NY Department of Sanitation (2021-2023) where he activated both a long dormant in-house TV studio and a silkscreen print shop, establishing both as exciting archives that celebrated the history of the agency while reimagining the material in contemporary ways.

Len has done extensive work with waterways including printmaking from surface pollution, underwater field recordings, and turning coastal clean ups into collaborative art events.

sTo Len is currently based in Queens, NY, with over two decades of residence in NY and familial roots in Vietnam and Virginia. Len often incorporates these bonds in his work by connecting issues of their history, environment, and traditions.

Inspired by onsite historical research, community interviews, and park operations, sTo will develop a new iteration of his "Office of In Visibility," an interactive and site-specific installation.

Dani Kwan

Artist in Residence March 15 - June 30

Dani Kwan is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose work revolves around identity, ecology, and communication, focusing on classification systems. Their research-based art practice encompasses the making of studio work, installations, teaching, curating, and community engagement.

Kwan’s work has been shown at galleries and institutions throughout Southern California including TAG Gallery in Los Angeles, the Betteravia Gallery in Santa Maria, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Downtown Oxnard Improvement Association.

Their projects have received support from the Ventura County Arts Council and the University of California. Kwan teaches art and photography at CSU Channel Islands and Ventura Community College.

During their residency, Dani will be working on an installation and participatory project that combines textiles with geologic systems and processes that explore the idea of softness, play, and new ways of understanding and connecting with the Earth.

Nayda Collazo-Llorens

Artist in Residence July 5 - August 15

Nayda Collazo-Llorens was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is an interdisciplinary artist that explores concepts of dislocation and mapping through various media, including drawing, video, installations, and site-specific works.

Nayda earned an MFA from New York University and a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Nayda's work has been exhibited at El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY; Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, CA; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan, PR; Museo Universitario del Chopo in Mexico City; and The Dowse Art Museum in New Zealand; among others.

Patricia Villalobos Echeverria

Artist in Residence July 5 - August 15

Patricia Villalobos Echeverria has a hybrid practice of prints, photos, video, installations, and participatory projects that pivot around issues of migration, navigation, displacement, and transformation. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Salvadoran parents and grew up in Managua, Nicaragua.

Patricia received a Doctor of Arts (DA) degree from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, an MFA from West Virginia University and a BFA from Louisiana State University.

Patricia's work has been exhibited at The Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA; El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain; and Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San José, Costa Rica; among others.

Meet Our Astronomers in Residence 

We're equally as excited to welcome each of the following astronomers.

Stephen Hummel

Artist in Residence February 1 - March 14

Stephen Hummel is the Dark Skies Initiative Coordinator for McDonald Observatory, part of the University of Texas at Austin. Stephen's work has focused on preserving dark skies in the Big Bend region of Texas and Mexico.

Stephen worked to create the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest area in the world certified by DarkSky International. An experienced astronomy and dark sky educator, Stephen has led hundreds of constellation tours and telescope viewing events, as well as trainings for state and national park staff.

Stephen works with industrial facilities, hotels, businesses, and local governments on lighting design to preserve dark skies. In his spare time, Stephen is an award winning astrophotographer with a specialty in rare electrical phenomena above nighttime thunderstorms.

During his time in residence, Stephen will be offering public programs, "Astronomy without a Telescope;" "Preserving Dark Skies;" and "Sprites, Elves, Ghosts, and More: The weird world of upper atmospheric lightning."

Laura-May Abron

Artist in Residence August 24 - October 23

Laura-May Abron is a French-US public astronomer, science communicator and artist from Paris. She studied art at University of London and astrophysics at the Paris Observatory, has created and hosted multiple science shows, and currently works at Griffith Observatory.

Laura-May is involved in research projects related to asteroids. Her science art has been featured by NASA, New Scientist, Spaceweather.com, astronomy publications, and galleries internationally.

In 2023 Laura-May became the first person to paint an active volcanic eruption in situ with hot lava. In her free time, she chases tornadoes, sunspots, auroras, volcanoes and eclipses.

During her residency, Laura-May will be working on a series of monsoon and dark sky paintings, and offering public programs such as, "Moonrise Mysteries: The Grand Canyon Lunar Standstill" "The Sun at Maximum" and "Not Just Stars: Solar Systems!"

Dr. Aomawa Shields

Artist in Residence November 1 - December 15

Dr. Aomawa Shields is an astronomer, astrobiologist, classically trained actor, the Clare Boothe Luce Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and writer.

Dr. Shields was named a 2015 TED Fellow and is the recipient of the National Science Foundation's CAREER award, and NASA Habitable Worlds and Exoplanets Research Program grants, among others.

Dr. Shields is the founder and director of Rising Stargirls, a program dedicated to encouraging girls of all colors and backgrounds to explore and discover the universe using the creative arts. 

Dr. Shields' memoir, Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe, was published by Viking in July 2023. Shields has been showcased on Good Morning America, MSNBC, Talks at Google, and many more.

During her residency, Dr. Shields will be working on her book entitled, "An Overachievers Guide to Joy: Learning to Love a Slower, Softer Life." She will also present public programs such as, "We Are the Moon;" "Life on other Planets: Finding My Place in the Universe;" and "Resting in the Healing Dark."

Support Our Residency Program

The Residency Program is made because of support and grants to Grand Canyon Conservancy. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated!

By supporting the Artist in Residence program, you help connect visitors with artists bringing new perspectives and insights to Grand Canyon and its surrounding communities. Donations help fund future artists, innovators, and visionaries whose work will grow the cultural and historical legacy of Grand Canyon National Park.

By giving to the Astronomer in Residence program, you help support educational outreach about the values of dark night skies, spread awareness about the threats of light pollution, and explore society’s complex relationship with natural darkness. Donations to this program will help fund future astronomers’ work in residency as they celebrate and preserve Grand Canyon's dark skies.

About GCC

Grand Canyon Conservancy is the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park, raising private funds, operating retail shops within the park, and providing premier educational programs about the natural and cultural history of the region. Our donors fund projects including trails and historic building preservation, educational programs for the public, and the protection of wildlife and their natural habitat. We exist to support Grand Canyon National Park in its goal to provide enriching and fulfilling visitor experiences and protecting the park for future generations. 

Conclusion

GCC’s Residency Program offers immersive and educational experiences to visitors throughout the year. 

The Grand Canyon Artist in Residence program invokes the honor of the cultural and aesthetic legacy of the park through innovative and contemporary works. The Grand Canyon Astronomer in Residence program spreads awareness and value around Grand Canyon’s pristine dark skies, connecting industry experts with visitors. 

We are excited to welcome the 2025 residents to Grand Canyon National Park!