West Coast artist Jennifer Anderson recently spent a week immersed in the archives here at RTPI and had this to say about her experience.

“Spending the week as an Artist in Residence at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute has been a truly unique experience — unlike any other residency I’ve done. What sets this one apart is the opportunity to be completely immersed in Peterson’s legacy. It’s not just about having time and space to create — it’s about being surrounded by original works, personal notes, and archives that offer a window into both his process and his purpose.

The depth of the collection is overwhelming in the best way. There’s a kind of quiet energy in the building — like every drawer or display case is waiting to teach you something. And it does. And not just the finished work, but the drawings, the notes, the small details that paint a picture of Peterson not only as a groundbreaking artist and naturalist, but as a human being deeply committed to connecting people with the natural world.

This all gave me a clearer picture of him as an artist, a scientist, and a communicator. It also made me think more deeply about my own path.

This residency gave me space not only to make art, but to reflect. I found myself returning to the questions that matter most: Why do I create? Who am I speaking to? And what impact do I hope to have? Peterson’s legacy reminded me that art has the power to connect. And when people connect — to an image, to a story, to a species — they begin to care. And once they care, they’re more likely to take action. That’s the kind of ripple effect I want to be part of.

This week, I focused on the California Condor and the American Kestrel — two birds that, in very different ways, represent the fragility and resilience of the natural world. They became my way into this larger reflection, and they helped guide the work I created here.

So, thank you — not only for supporting this residency, but for preserving and sharing the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson. I am so very grateful to have been invited here to work — It’s a powerful place to immerse in art, to make art — and to remember why it matters.”

Jennifer will be working on a body of work for an upcoming 2026 exhibition at RTPI.