Over the last few years, several of our residents have decided to return for a second or even a third residency. We love that artists make us a consistent part of their creative practice and really enjoy seeing familiar faces return with fresh ideas, ready to explore new projects or techniques..
Three returning residents have told us what compelled them to come back, what made their second or third visit different from the first and why you should definitely consider returning.
‘A feeling of home that keeps growing with every visit’
For Özge Fischbaum, a multidisciplinary artist from Turkey, returning to ArteSumapaz meant returning to a place where artists co-create and work together to share ideas and inspire each other. For her, it was the ‘collaborative ethos, the land’s quiet intensity, and the rare devotion to process’ that called her back to the Colombian mountains. Sebastién Clermont, a painter from Canada, has been returning to ArteSumapaz for four consecutive winters finding in ArteSuamapaz a sense of belonging and ‘a feeling of home that keeps growing with every visit.’ This annual, seasonal escape, he told us, has allowed him to ‘deep dive into my [his] practice’ and each stay has become a milestone in his artistic journey. Justin Hicks, an illustrator and painter from the US, has returned because of the ability to navigate between his creative practice and community, feeling that ‘the connection to the land offered bandwidth and space to be present and commit fully to my [his] work.’
What’s different this time
Coming back a second time for Özge meant resuming a conversation with the land and with herself. She returned with a clearer artistic identity and found herself diving deeper into projects rather than starting from scratch. She also found that getting into a rhythm of process and connection was easier, more intuitive, and more immediate compared to her first stay. For Sebastién, the same sense of awe and wonder he had felt the first time was still present, now tinged with a subtle, peaceful familiarity. To him, ArteSumapaz has become a ‘giant playground where you feel held and safe enough to explore your most dangerous ideas’. Justin also tells of a deeper sense of clarity in his work and process. Moreover, he told us that, ‘ArteSumapaz made me [him] believe in the power of creating again’ and has helped him trust in his expression.
A mix of nature, time and community
All three artists have agreed that returning to ArteSumapaz has been positively transformative for them and their process. For Özge, ArteSumapaz has become It a ‘rare sanctuary where community, nature, and creative risk-taking merge into a kind of quiet magic that cannot be replicated anywhere else.’ Sebastién recommends returning to ArteSumpaz because of ‘the potent mix of being in nature, surrounded by other artists, and having an abundance of time to create with no other obligations’. This unique mix of nature, time and community, has helped him create some of his best work. For Justin, ArteSumapaz is ‘truly a space for dreamers’ and a ‘haven to explore new mediums, share meals and songs over a fire, cry a lot, dance until the sun comes up, make shitty drawings and laugh about them together, but most importantly push one another to be authentic in every way free of filters and surface level jargon. Every time I leave this place, there is a wholeness I bring back with me to the outside world.’
Whether you want to dive deeper into your work or return to the mountains with a freshness and familiarity that allows you to experiment and play, we’d love to have you back at ArteSumapaz. If you want to create an artistic retreat that is even more permanent, joining our Intentional Community might be something for you.
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