the ground beneath us mentorship program

August 2026 to November 2026

The Ground Beneath Us Mentorship Program is a four-month studio mentorship for artists building a serious practice outside the structure of school. It is for recent BFA/MFA graduates, self-taught artists, teaching artists, and artists in transition who need rigorous feedback, intellectual companionship, structure, and practical guidance around grants, residencies, proposals, and sustaining a studio life.

Who this is for: recent BFA/MFA grads, self-directed artists, artists returning to practice, artists not ready for grad school, teaching artists, public artists, artists working across image/text/object/story.

What you will leave with: clearer sense of purpose in the studio, stronger language around the work, a tailored reading/artist list, feedback on proposals or applications, a 3–6 month studio plan, and cohort connections.

What makes this different: Daniel’s practice moves across murals, ceramics, comics, public art, books, and mythic/historical storytelling; Ground Beneath Us is explicitly about image, story, place, embodied learning. He has twenty-five years of experience teaching at the university level as well as a vigorous exhibition, research, writing and curatorial practice.

Application process: send 5–10 images, short artist statement (1 page), 3 questions about your goals.

Scholarships: “We are seeking donors to sponsor emerging artists. Email if you need scholarship support.”

An informational session will be held on July 13, 2026 10 AM PST email dduford@groundbeneathus.org for a link.