A House Unbuilt Announces 2025–26 Micro Residency Artists: Michael Venske and Olivia Morawiecki

Stillwater, MN — November 7, 2025

A House Unbuilt is pleased to announce the two artists participating in its new Micro Residency Program at the Art & Water Space in downtown Stillwater. The residency supports artists exploring connections between body, environment, and community through local, process-driven projects that invite public participation and reflection.

The program provides each artist with studio access, a stipend, and an opportunity to lead a public engagement or event that extends their practice into dialogue with the local community and landscape of the St. Croix River Valley.

Michael Venske — Sound Residency

Saint Paul–based multi-disciplinary artist, celebrant, and audio storyteller Michael Venske will create a participatory soundwork inviting visitors to help build a “sonic tapestry” of life in Stillwater. Through shared recordings and interviews, Venske will gather the voices, memories, and sounds that tie residents to the St. Croix River. A public listening event and facilitated discussion with the artist will be announced in 2026.

“This opportunity gives community members the space to share and be heard. The answer is in you: come share! Listening warms you twice.” — Michael Venske

Venske is host and producer of Your Funeral Music on WFNU Frogtown Community Radio and a longtime Twin Cities creator/performer whose work blends memory, music, and place. His projects preserve community voices through personalized recordings and oral histories, grounded in empathy and service.

Olivia Morawiecki — Wrap Me in a Blanket

Artist Olivia Morawiecki will use her residency to realize Wrap Me in a Blanket, a community-based installation exploring grief, loss, and resilience during the winter season. Created in a time of widespread sorrow and uncertainty, the work acknowledges that the holidays can be especially difficult for those who carry grief - whether for a loved one, a relationship, a sense of belonging, or a former way of life.

With approval from the Stillwater City Council, Morawiecki will install the work on a single deciduous tree in Lowell Park—its base wrapped in ethically sourced wool, branches adorned with soft chimes tuned to healing frequencies, and gentle light illuminating the piece each night. Visitors will be invited to “dedicate a chime” in honor of a grief—spoken or unspoken—creating a living soundwork of remembrance and renewal. 

Morawiecki’s recent installations have been presented in conjunction with The Compassion Museum at the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center and will be featured at the Rochester Art Center in collaboration with Mayo Clinic in 2027.

About A House Unbuilt

Founded and directed by artist Victoria Bradford Styrbicki, A House Unbuilt is an interdisciplinary arts organization working across dance, visual art, and environmental advocacy. Through projects and residencies along the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, AHU fosters creative dialogue between people and place. The Micro Residency Program offers artists the space, time, and community connection to experiment, reflect, and share their process in Stillwater’s vibrant riverfront environment.

For more information, visit ahouseunbuilt.com/micro-residency or contact info@ahouseunbuilt.com.