Chapter 4 Settling in

Old Habits die hard

In November 2022, I stayed at the art residency Can Serrat in the mountains near Barcelona.
I was curious to find out what would happen if I dedicated an entire month to writing.
But I learnt an unexpected lesson I hadn't counted on.

Living with people who have made art the norm was an unexpected joy to discover.

In a society where making money is the most important goal (look where that has taken us), I was thrilled to be able to take myself serious as an artist and pull my writing out of the 'hobby' realm. It is also what I try to teach my students; play is not just important; it is vital. I am happy to see big companies such as NASA researching creativity and the importance of innovation through shifting perspectives. And who better to shift our views than artists?
See my Barcelona blog here: https://tinyurl.com/d9emr5nw.

Arriving at Joya Air, I am curious to see how this household flows and if me and my pen will land smoothly.
Will I continue to write? And what will I learn this time?

After meeting the seven warm characters working in disciplines such as pottery, fabric design, sculpture and photography, Simon introduced me to my gorgeous studio. After a lazy, lingering day exploring the vast land around the Cortijo, setting up my 'office' and talking to my new co-residents, I sat at my desk the next day. And I wrote.

'Old habits die hard', they say.
I love my writing habit unapologetically and hope it never dies.