Redwood National and State Parks Announce Fall 2026 Artists-in-Residence
CRESCENT CITY, Calif. – The National Park Service, in cooperation with California State Parks and Redwood Parks Conservancy, are excited to announce that Diana Heise of Kansas City, Missouri; Bobby Lee of Santa Ana, California; Nick Vasquez of Oakland, California have been selected as Redwood National & State Parks’ Fall 2026 artists-in-residence. During their residencies, the artists will immerse themselves in the landscapes of the parks, creating work inspired by the region’s ancient forests, waterways, geology, and unique ecosystems. Stay tuned for updates on public presentations from the artists during their residencies.
About the Artists Diana Heise is a socially engaged, research-based artist working at the intersections of ecofeminism, performance, and experimental lens-based practices. Her work takes the form of essay films, hand-stitched photo-collages, immersive installations, and artist books. Heise is a recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, a Franklin Furnace Performance Art Fund Grant, and a Presidential Fellowship at the American University in Cairo. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Brooklyn Museum, Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, and the Venice Arsenale, and her films have screened at festivals in the United States and abroad. A dedicated researcher and writer, Heise is a tenured Full Professor of Photography and Filmmaking at the Kansas City Art Institute. She holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts and a BA from Vassar College.
Bobby Lee is a landscape photographer and book artist whose work explores the animacy of the natural world and the sense of geologic time revealed in exposed rock layers and other landforms. His photographic practice is rooted in the sensory experience of being in and interacting with the physical world, while his work in book arts and paper sculpture offers layered and interactive ways of engaging with photography. Lee’s artist books are held in permanent collections at the National Gallery of Art Library, the University of Richmond, and the University of Denver Special Collections.
Nick Vasquez is a poet whose work is shaped by his experience living between Northern California’s redwood and urban forests. He studied Psychology and English at Humboldt State University and later earned a Master’s in Developmental Psychology. His poems have appeared in The Dewdrop, Toyon Literary Magazine, and The Write Launch, and he is a reader at Frontier Poetry. Vasquez is also the founder of Grey Hands Literary Magazine, a writing magazine and mentorship program for foster youth. His interests include hiking, baking, classical guitar, and exploring the natural world.
About the Artist-in-Residence Program Redwood National & State Parks’ Artist-in-Residence program invites artists to explore and interpret the unique landscapes of the parks through their work. By connecting art with the environment, the program aims to inspire deeper public appreciation and stewardship for these treasured lands.
To learn more about the program, visit the National Park Service’s Artist-in-Residence program page.