When Anu Kumar arrived in Philadelphia from Redondo Beach, California, no one knew one of her bags was filled with trash.
Kumar spent time cleaning debris from her local beaches as she navigated a major change. After retiring from a career in corporate finance and program management in 2023, she decided she wanted to dive into a career in the arts. She spent time getting to know Redondo Beach’s small arts community and working in operations at Indivisible Arts, a non-profit that provides creative programming for underserved communities.
Still, she craved something more immersive—something that would help her tap into her inner artist. A friend recommended that she attend a residency for a “transformative” experience, so Kumar started her search.
During a business trip, Kumar’s husband walked by Moore College of Art & Design and sent Kumar a picture of the campus. After doing some research on Moore, she came across the Summer Artist / Educator Residency (SAER), the College’s week-long studio-based residency built for art educators of all genders. She told her husband she would register and accompany him on his next trip to Philadelphia.
“He kept telling me, ‘You’re going to love Philly. There’s such a huge art culture.’ I knew that it was a very friendly town for art,” she said.
Traveling from California to Pennsylvania with her art materials was no easy feat, but Kumar worked with Meg Wolensky, Moore’s Managing Director of Continuing Education, to ensure she would have access to all tools she needed.
One thing she couldn’t get in Philadelphia? The trash she packed from Redondo Beach.
“I gave myself homework because I wanted to make the most of the week. What did I want to get out of [SAER]?” she asked herself. “I keep collecting trash from the beach, and I wanted to call attention to our local government about it. I thought, maybe I can create art out of it. This is my voice.”
One of two works Kumar made at SAER using trash she collected in California.
While she turned her trash into new creative work, she also shared ideas with and learned from art educators, teaching artists, and SAER facilitators Gina Altadonna, Santiago Galeas and Candy González.
“They’re very approachable. I like that they came to our studios and just sat and talked with us. I appreciate that they have very different perspectives, which is what I want. That’s what I know about art: It’s not just one thing,” she said.
Outside of the studio, Kumar took time to explore Philadelphia’s art scene through tours of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation. She was particularly inspired by Dr. Albert Barnes’ passion for art education.
“His vision to provide access to art education not only enriched individuals but also aimed to elevate society as a whole. This ethos resonates throughout Philadelphia, where initiatives like these have a tangible impact on communities,” she said.
Once she found her footing at SAER, Kumar compared her experience to being on “cloud nine.” Not only would she return to Moore for another residency in the future, but she also wants to bring a similar program to her community in California.
“I belong to a gallery, and even though I told myself I wasn’t going to check my email for the week so I could be present, I ended up sending them an overview of what I’m doing. They’re all interested,” she said. “I would love to do a presentation for them about this residency. It’s a fabulous program that’s so immersive.”
Want to learn more about Adult Continuing Education offerings at Moore? Click here for more information or contat us at ce@moore.edu or 215.965.4030.
Artwork by Anu Kumar. Photos by Gabi Stevenson.
