Over October I was extremely fortunate to undertake an art residency with the artist, Iria do Castelo, based in A Coruna, Northwest Spain.
I’ve been working with paper and paper mâché for a few years and I was looking for a specialist craftsperson who could not only guide me to improve my techniques but also had a strong understanding of integrating sustainability practices into art making.
This was not just a vacation for me but an opportunity to have dedicated time in an art residency and share my art practice with someone who comes with great and deep reflection.
I was very fortunate to find Iria through a group called VAWAA who enabled this residency. Iria has an unique approach to how she delivers an art residency, as it’s a total immersion into the craft and her method. The techniques and skills she generously shared were invaluable and based on over 20 years of her own practice.
But to give you a greater sense, imagine a rustic rural setting in the middle of Autumn. The weather has turned from the infamous Spanish heat to a cooler fresher season. We’re based in Culleredo, near A Coruna and it’s truly a rural Spanish location which Iria proudly introduces me too. The studio, and where I was based, was set in a restored century-old cottage with beautifully maintained aesthetics.
Iria builds in time to breathe in the locality, mushroom picking in a close by farm, visits to local art galleries and an excursion to Santiago de Compostela , the end point of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
When you look closely you can see this is all embedded in her work and her approach to her craft- thoughtful, slow and refined. This is what I came to experience and integrate into my own approach.
I had shared a brief on what I hoped to gain from the residency and within the few days, I had been shown the ‘paper clay recipes’ and ideas on modelling. I was then able to work around my body clock (still in the southern hemisphere!) and energy levels and dedicate my time to creating pieces.
Iria’s studio and cottage is filled with her figurative sculptures, assembled with various materials, textures and elements like human bodies, wild animal anatomy, nature and literature icons. It’s impossible for this not to seep into my pieces and her library provided additional ideas inspired by surreal and magical authors like Lewis Carroll.
It was also our long discussions about our practice, minimising waste and maximising sustainability and how this impacts on our creative choices that I valued. I could step back and recognise how lucky I was to be discussing the nuances of our crafts.
Over the two weeks I practiced the techniques taught by focusing on three pieces, at each stage getting feedback on how to refine the pieces further. I truly believe this masterclass with Iria will profoundly change my art practice. She shared pointers that I wouldn’t be exposed too if I hadn’t taken the leap of faith to undertake this experience.
As I travel back to Australia, I’m writing notes on how I’ll adjust my techniques but mostly I’m excited about the possibilities and the creative directions this experience has set in motion.
Check out
Iria and Castelo Studio at www.castelostudio.com
VAWAA and the wonderful artist community at https://vawaa.com
So why do an art residency? check out this post
