Christopher Baldwin: EXPERIMENTAL

2021 Artist-in-Residence at Flathead Lake Biological Station

How was your experience as an Open AIR Artist-in-Residence?

My experience at Open AIR was marvelous. It can be so hard to be inventive and break patterns when one is in one's day-to-day life, and Open AIR gave me the time, space, and inspiration to push forward my craft. Even when Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) was evacuated due to fire, Stoney Samsoe and the people at FLBS worked hard to make sure I had the space and time to finish the work I wished to accomplish.

Sketch by Christopher at Flathead Lake

What was your research process during this time?

At FLBS, I met and spoke at length with scientists and interns about their work at the station, which was fascinating. I also brought poetry and books on writing, which helped me try new things. I also journal, and in the end created a four-page comic of my experience, as well as filled a notebook with new writing experiments.

Outline Sketch by Christopher

What are you up to now (post Open AIR)?

Open AIR inspired me to write the outline for an experimental graphic novel this autumn, which I'm now editing and forming into a full story. Also, as usual, I have continued to do my regular web-comics, which are my more commercial work.

Sketches by Christopher at Flathead Lake

How would you describe your work?

Making comics which stretch the form to the poetic, thoughtful, quiet, and meaningful.

Sketches by Christopher at Flathead Lake

Walk us through the choices you make in a single piece?

Does it feel genuine? Do I care about the story/characters/ideas? Even if it's an abstract story, does it still feel like a story I care about? Do the visuals appeal? How do the visuals push or control the pace of the viewer's experience? How do the visual express emotions or the themes?

See more of Christopher’s work at www.baldwinpage.com

Check Out Christopher’s Merch at www.openairmt.org/merch/p/comic-tote