We are thrilled to introduce our roster of “E2C” distinguished artists-in-residence selected by a jury of peers and community leaders. Thanks to the indispensable patronage of their homeowner hosts, each will contribute to a diverse array of cultural programs and educational outreach during month-long retreats devoted to developing bold and innovative projects
in literary, music and visual arts.

2025 Artists: Session I

Viet Dinh

Born in Vietnam and raised in Aurora, Colorado, Viet Dinh’s first novel After Disasters was one of five finalists for the PEN/Faulkner Award.  Nominated for the Pushcart Prize and recipient of a National Endowment of the Arts Literary Fellowship, Dinh’s short stories appear in leading literary journals including Ploughshares, The Alaska Quarterly Review and The Best American Short Stories. His short story “Substitutes” was awarded the O. Henry Prize, one of our country’s most prestigious honors for literary short fiction. A tenured professor at the University of Delaware, Dinh plans to develop his second novel about a post WWI German immigrant family forced to confront difficult change.

In a special writers’ program also featuring author Annie Ward Richards, Dinh will share strategies for seamlessly integrating research and knowledge into a story. Richards will guide writers through the publication industry’s complex structure with advice on how to manage its relationship with social media.

The program, hosted by The REP Theatre on January 15th at 6:00pm – 7:30pm, is open to writers of all genres and levels at no charge. Dinh and Richards will also contribute readings from their award-winning works of fiction on January 19th at 4:00 – 5:30pm at Anne Hunter Gallery.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Deanna Lee

As a descendant of parents who emigrated from China and Taiwan, Brooklyn artist Deanna Lee is influenced by the art history of China, Japan and Tibet. She holds art degrees from Oberlin College and the Art Institute of Chicago. A student of classical music for many years, Lee’s rhythmic paintings are distinguished by bold calligraphic lines and refined use of color that suggest aquatic forms in their earthen environment. Bridging abstractionism with landscape painting, Lee’s artworks have been featured in international exhibitions and in contemporary art galleries and site-specific public works throughout New York. Lee will devote her residency to creating new works inspired by the natural beauty of our coastal dune lake environment along 30A.

Lee’s residency will be celebrated in a reception for Escape to Create January participants at Anne Hunter Gallery on January 26th at 4:00pm- 6:00pm.

Anne Ward Richards

Annie Ward Richards is an internationally published novelist, travel writer and screenwriter. Her debut novel, The Making of June, was written which teaching at the University of Sofia, Bavaria as a Fulbright Scholar. Beautiful Bad and The Lying Club are critically praised as “unputdownable” thrillers with sophisticated plots of revenge and romance, murder and shocking secrets. A 2004 E2C fellow, Richards returns to Seaside from San Miguel Allende to advance her fourth novel, The Conservatory.

Richards will read selections from her novels at Anne Hunter Gallery on January 19th at 4:00pm – 5:30pm in an authors’ reading also featuring writer Viet Dinh. Books will be available for purchase and signing. 

Richards’ will also contribute a presentation for writers on navigating the impacts of social media in the publishing industry.  Hosted by The REP Theatre on January 15th at 6:00pm – 7:30pm and also featuring a writing segment by author Viet Dinh, this special program is open to writers of all levels with no admission.