Reception Meet & Greet for Betsy Cain: Ossabaw Island Meditations, 2010-2024

Betsy Cain: Ossabaw Meditations 2010 – 2024 is a response to legacy. An idea born almost fifteen years ago, Cain’s dedicated time with drawing en plein aire on Ossabaw (both in contrast to and informing her studio practice) has resulted in this series entitled Ossabaw Meditations. Spending countless hours meditating on the horizons and grasslands, sawtooth palms and hammocks on all parts of the island, Cain began this ongoing part of her practice to honor Sandy and the impact that she and the island have had on her life.

“Over the many years that I have been coming to Ossabaw, I have done small drawings sitting out in the maritime forest, on the side of the dirt roads, on causeways and by the ocean, preferably on the edge of transition zones. I was lucky enough to be a guest of Sandy West, spending hours exploring and sitting in that wild place with my dog Jasper, who is good company.

These are the only drawings I have done from life “plein aire”, save figure drawings with a model in the studio. My enjoyment from making these drawings comes from sitting in relationship to the day, the hour, the moments of seeing… and hoping to see clearly enough to capture some of the powerful energies on this island… Surprises abound.

It takes a dedicated effort to shake off the incessant demands of our lives… and just sit and observe and ingest what is seen and heard. All senses are alert and alive when you position yourself in wildness. Sandy understood this power and how it changes you.”
– Betsy Cain, December 2024

The drawings and the funds gathered by sales constitute a legacy as part of a new endeavor, establishing a residency program for artists of all disciplines to spend immersive time on Ossabaw Island. Through Cain, and in response to Sandy West’s mission to keep Ossabaw wild for interdisciplinary, intimate engagement in nature, The Ossabaw Island Artist Residency received its initial donation from Jane Fishman, author and friend of the arts and the islands, as well as fourteen original sponsors. Funds raised by Cain’s drawings, as well as a contribution from artist Helen Hamada, initiate this project which will continue a lineage for artists to dedicate time on the island and to do so with some financial assistance.

All proceeds go to The Ossabaw Island Artist Residency Fund established by ARTS Southeast with Emily Earl and Jon Witzky as directors of this developing residency program. The addition of the Ossabaw Island Artist Residency to ARTS Southeast’s programming is a further expression of the nonprofit’s mission to support artists at all stages of their careers and to make Savannah a destination for art and culture in the Southeast.