There is no i in art.

Many artists like to fly solo.
They go to a retreat, where they can do literally that; retreat and work on their art in peace.

A residency means being part of a community that shares, interacts, supports and makes each other grow.
Here at Joya, the residents have made me feel welcome and appreciated from the start.
I have seen several come and go since I arrived, but they all share the same friendly and open mind.

We work alone throughout the day mostly, but at any time, you can politely nudge someone into your studio for a second opinion, some insight, or to simply hold up a card while they glue a layer onto their piece. Yesterday, I found myself down a dramatic gorge with Suzanne, a photography professor from the United States. Initially, she just needed me to push the button on her camera -she herself was the model. But as I saw her work come alive through the lens, we ended up with some new postures and ideas, together.

At the end of their stay, each resident holds a presentation explaining how they got here and how they've progressed while at Joya. Who has inspired this person? Instead of just seeing their end result, you get a glance behind the scenes. With every step they've taken, you learn along with them. It opens insightful discussions. Chloe, a fabric designer, spoke about her initial commercial assignments. She was producing for big fashion brands, but missing depth and meaning in her work. We all agreed it is a tricky balance. Working sustainably and using natural materials is another topic I've learned about here.

The diversity of our backgrounds and disciplines adds mountains of knowledge and perspectives to our work. We also have lots of cosy nights watching the sunset, and the stars or sitting by the fire.

I'd love to share more about the projects and workflows of my fellow residents, so more on that in my next blog.