Ruralco

After two weeks in my first co-living house, I can now quietly look back.

My main question entering the house (besides, what's it like?) was how it compared to my previous experiences in Art Residencies. Would this more commercial setting be very different?

The people drawn to staying in a house in the middle of nowhere inevitably have lots in common. Whether to work on their art or do more corporate work, they all have an open mind, are willing to quietly let others into their lives, and share a deep love and respect for nature.

What surprised me the most was how playful all my housemates were, both at the art residencies as well as at Ruralco. From the way they created quirky cakes from leftover dough, made clay creations from the soil around the house, reshaped elements of plants and flowers into meaningful art pieces, to the way they recycled toilet rolls and carton egg boxes into elegant Christmas decorations.

Playing games by the fire, spending hours in the kitchen cooking and baking, nature walks, reading books, and engaging in conversations about lifestyle, friendship, and cultural heritage were all part of the package of a rural setting, and they were a perfect background to my writing projects and Story Lounge work.

Whether you dive into a meeting to determine if you will be accepted into an art program for your next art residency or to get your investor to pump thousands of dollars into your new start-up, in the end, we are all a bunch of grown-ups sharing our lives for a while like a little family.

I came in wondering about the difference between an art residency and a co-living community.
I learnt that what really matters is what connects people. What makes them tick, together, and what can I learn from them? The question faded out, and I am left here, a little more connected than I was before.

Talia Stone

9 chapters

3 Dec 2023

The final chapter

December 28, 2023

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Ruralco, Culla

After two weeks in my first co-living house, I can now quietly look back.

My main question entering the house (besides, what's it like?) was how it compared to my previous experiences in Art Residencies. Would this more commercial setting be very different?

The people drawn to staying in a house in the middle of nowhere inevitably have lots in common. Whether to work on their art or do more corporate work, they all have an open mind, are willing to quietly let others into their lives, and share a deep love and respect for nature.

What surprised me the most was how playful all my housemates were, both at the art residencies as well as at Ruralco. From the way they created quirky cakes from leftover dough, made clay creations from the soil around the house, reshaped elements of plants and flowers into meaningful art pieces, to the way they recycled toilet rolls and carton egg boxes into elegant Christmas decorations.

Playing games by the fire, spending hours in the kitchen cooking and baking, nature walks, reading books, and engaging in conversations about lifestyle, friendship, and cultural heritage were all part of the package of a rural setting, and they were a perfect background to my writing projects and Story Lounge work.

Whether you dive into a meeting to determine if you will be accepted into an art program for your next art residency or to get your investor to pump thousands of dollars into your new start-up, in the end, we are all a bunch of grown-ups sharing our lives for a while like a little family.

I came in wondering about the difference between an art residency and a co-living community.
I learnt that what really matters is what connects people. What makes them tick, together, and what can I learn from them? The question faded out, and I am left here, a little more connected than I was before.

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