Introducing the Proud Mary Atelier
A Fund to Unlock the Power of Creative Exploration in Craft
Giving artisan artists the time, space and creative freedom to expand their practice and explore new mediums.
Image: Tanana Madagascar artist, Rachel Kramer/CPALI
WHAT IF WE INVESTED IN ARTISANS AS ARTISTS?
The Proud Mary Atelier is a fis residency program giving exceptional artisan artists the resources and time to independently advance their creative practice.
Artists have long benefited from grants and residencies that provide the freedom to experiment, take creative risks, and develop new work without requiring a predetermined result. Artisans rarely have access to the same opportunity. Their livelihoods are often tied to production - making what is already known, ordered, or proven to sell.
The Atelier creates space for something different: not simply making more, but discovering what comes next.
ART BEGINS WITH THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE.
The Proud Mary Atelier provides direct funding for up to three months of independent creative exploration, giving artisan artists the time and resources to develop a body of original work guided by their own artistic vision.
For many artisans, earning a living means keeping their hands—and their craft—in constant production, leaving little room for experimentation or creative growth.
Yet exploration is how creative practices evolve. New techniques emerge. Ideas take unexpected directions. Craft traditions move forward.
How it works
01 Artist Selection
Identify exceptional potential.
We work with our benefactors to select artisan artists whose skill, creative voice, and body of work demonstrate the potential to be recognized and valued as fine art.
02 Creative Practice
Give creativity room to develop.
Artisan artists are funded to experiment, refine their practice, and create a cohesive body of original work - with the potential to translate select pieces into museum-quality prints.
03 Creative ownership
The artist maintains ownership.
Artists retain full rights to the work they create and receive support in understanding and protecting their creative ownership as their work reaches wider audiences.
04 Exhibition & Outreach
Create a platform for the work.
Completed bodies of work are introduced through exhibitions, design and media partnerships, and select retail opportunities. Proud Mary may also translate select works into museum-quality prints, extending their reach while generating ongoing royalties for the artist.
JOIN THE ATELIER
Invest in what artisans can create when given the freedom to explore.
Whether through philanthropic support or creative partnership, every Atelier residency begins with the same investment: giving an artisan artist the time, resources, and freedom to develop an original body of work.
FUND AN ARTIST
Support creative freedom
Individuals, foundations, and philanthropic partners can fund an Atelier residency, supporting an artist as they develop a new body of work. Your investment extends beyond the residency as select work is exhibited, brought to market, and translated into opportunities for ongoing royalties and income.
PARTNER WITH AN ARTIST
Bring artist-led craft into your creative work.
Interior designers, hospitality groups, and brands can sponsor an Atelier artist to develop a body of original work with the potential to inform a space, collection, or creative project. Proud Mary facilitates the partnership while protecting the artist’s creative ownership and ensuring the work remains rooted in their artistic vision.
One Investment. LASTING RETURNS.
Your investment does more than fund a residency. It enables an artisan artist to create a body of original work that can be exhibited, sold, and licensed—generating new opportunities for income and ongoing royalties long after the residency ends.
SUPPORT THE ATELIER
There are many ways to invest in the creative futures of artisan artists.
Fund a residency. Share your expertise as a creative mentor. Commission original work. Provide gallery or retail space to introduce new audiences to the art.
Whether through funding, mentorship, or market access, your participation helps transform creative exploration into lasting economic opportunity for artisan artists.
OUR FISCAL SPONSORThe Proud Mary Atelier is proud to partner with R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund as our fiscal sponsor, enabling philanthropic contributions to support artisan artists in developing original works of art. Through this partnership, donors can make tax-deductible contributions that directly support the creative exploration, artistic development, and economic opportunity at the heart of the Atelier.
R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund is an initiative of Friends of Tilonia, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
