Henna Artist in Residence: What I learned at my first Artist Residency

I believe artist residencies and travels abroad are what you make of them. Each program offers different experiences/focuses with their own requirements and accommodations with as little or as much support as you choose. Art residencies/retreats can be a time of respite to reinvigorate an old practice, a research space, a place to investigate a new practice or an immersive experience within a new culture.

Do I recommend doing an artist residency or travel retreat? Without a doubt! Provided you have time, funding/resources and are a resilient, self-motivated creative. (There are residencies for couples and partners too.) Will you come home to the next big identity crisis or issue to tackle? Also, yes. Travels don't fix you or make you an enlightened being, they offer snippets of insights that fade into the abyss as time flies by.

For my first dalliance with Art Residencies, I spent a month in the somewhat remote town of Blanca, Murcia, Spain at Centro Negra to make space to reset, develop, and gain new inspiration for my henna practice. Check out their website, I recommend them as the experience was safe, supportive, creatively liberated and unique. During my travels, I found out what its like to be a forest monk, a creative, and an alien in unfamiliar territory.

Self Discovery. I discovered more about myself than anything else as I silently walked the small town roads along the scenic Ricote valley in rural Spain. I met the stares of discerning locals going about their daily tasks, found muses in artists from every stage of life and background, and pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. The first night I arrived, I was not sure what to expect after hours of travel, but hiking up the side of a cliff to my apartment wasn't it. A steep cobblestone pathway lead me through the thin dimly lit corridor opened up to an epic view of the valley. I chose to stay alone in one of their solo apartments tucked into the side of the cliff, (which is more of a blessing to me than a hindrance but it can certainly be lonely if you are more of an extrovert)! I remember nights alone in the deafening silence (compared to the constant sirens of Miami), polishing off whole bottles of Rioja and cooking fresh meals from local ingredients sourced from the Sunday markets. I recall ignorantly thinking "La calima" was cool, until the red Saharan dust got so thick it turned the sky a shade of doomsday red, stuck to my lungs and turned my boogers red. As I became more comfortable in my surroundings, I made some art friends, explored, and became lighter of spirit and (more physically fit) as my time in rural Spain progressed.

The characters I met were quirky, warm and interesting. A french filmmaker writing some sort of screenplay about the Medusa raft(?) (whom I later posed nude for in an abandoned town we hiked to accompanied by very nice local models), Swedes doing some kind of modern art musical installation with a newborn in tow, a Greek father with his young prodigal son, dancers from Berlin and resourceful Americans. I don't quite know where I fit in the mix. Everyone seemed to roll their own cigarettes, very effortlessly European with one hand and knew their way around. I felt like a quiet American loner wandering the uneven streets sketching, picking up lemons, hiking and searching for something different to add to my henna repertoire.

Henna has the beautiful gift of being socially driven, so it was more to me about the people I met along the way than the art itself. As an introvert, I think henna calls me to push outside of my personal bubble, seeking new sights and muses to connect with, appreciate, and then fade away in time. My experience traveling and doing henna gave me the idea to restart my 'travel henna blog' on here or instagram where I document my travels and sights though sharing my gift and connecting with locals/ travelers along the way.

Local culture. Town after town, I remember observing a peculiar phenomena: Penises! Why are there so many penis graffitis everywhere? Surely the male genitalia as a symbol of claiming or ego gets old after a while? Perhaps not. Don't worry, I didn't get totally sidetracked by local craftsmen and their defacement of property. While I was in Spain I investigated the Moorish influence on Spanish culture, arts and architecture as a source of inspiration for my henna practice. I also used Religious icons and holidays (taken very seriously in some parts) to gain more insights into spirituality. I had the shock of my life seeing little kids get fitted for pointy white hoods, only to realize it was for Semana Santa. I visited many esteemed cultural institutions like the Museo del Prado, Goya Museum, local galleries, the Alhambra, and the Mosque Cathedral in Cordoba. I went to towns struck by witch hunts and stayed in caves that originally housed Roma (Gitanos). I wondered what it was like to be outcast or persecuted in those times.

What stuck out to me was the draining effect of transit and lonely feeling of moving through new sights and cities like a ghost along with the simultaneously empowering feeling of doing it by myself. I made all sorts of eclectic acquaintances along the way staying in hostels, catching rides on Bla bla cars, (LOL yes its a thing) and bussing it for long stretches of time. Traveling on a budget is not glamorous. Upon my departure from Blanca, I arranged for a cab to a remote train station where I proceeded to almost SMP (shit my pants) in the wee hours of the morning on the rustic platform (all facilities were locked) after a bit too much cheap wine the night before. A homeless fellow saw way more than he bargained for that day. After that, it felt like nothing could break me.

Gems of Wisdom. I remember feeling a sense of exhaustion and enlightenment from my travels. If you pay attention, signs will appear. A book presented itself to me "I may be wrong" by by Björn Natthiko Lindeblad, while I was staying in a remote part of Portugal close to a world surf preserve. I hiked for hours that day and found ticks on myself in places unmentionable. I remember franticly showering (outdoor showers are the best) in 50 degree weather on the deck of my tree house admiring the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen over the lush forest while simultaneously cursing its tiny critters. It reminded me to take the good in with the bad. And never let setbacks define your mood or perspective. I felt like a forest monk at times, moving quietly through remote landscapes on a mission, feeling a sense of the sublime power nature has over us all. I think of that book often, the unpretentious wisdom wrapped up in short chapters making it the perfect book at the right time. That book shapes my attitude to this day and is, in part, why people perceive me to be such a calm person. (Now if thats true, is another story!)

Recommended locations! One of the tradeoffs of being a perfectionist on a budget is that I kept pushing myself to keep moving constantly (borne of a sense of urgency to see all that I possibly could in a small window of time on a budget). I'd definitely recommend booking your time in longer blocks if you have the financial ability and time frame to do so! Plan your routes out in advance, keeping in mind local holidays and seasonal shifts for your destinations. My favorite locations in Spain and Portugal included: Blanca, Sintra, Zaragoza, Madrid, Cordoba, Lisbon and Granada. Allot extra time in for stand out destinations (Bucket list items/locations you simply cannot miss.) I remember walking around crying silently at the Alhambra for missing one of my ticket reservations inside the Palace and thinking: I walked (and traveled) all this way just to miss it? But then you breathe, get over yourself, and realize down the road that its all just a blur of beautiful experiences anyway.

Was it worth it? All in all, I think I spent around 5K for an economy flight on cheapoair, accommodations, meals, trips and supplies. I stayed nowhere fancy but splurged on certain experiences which are important. I spent 2 months abroad, wishing it was longer, but road weary by the end. It was worth it. I think these types of life experiences open your eyes to new people, perspectives and add to your sense of self. One of my students whom I taught Art History to last year recently told me: "Mizzzz, You're so mysterious and unpredictable". I laughed and thought about myself in her eyes. Sometimes I feel so mundane going through the routine of life, teaching, running errands and cooking. That student reminded me of who I want to be: mysterious and unpredictable. Traveling adds cultural sensitivities that can't be taught from a textbook and distinction amongst your peers (provided you don't overly insert your experiences in idle conversation). Its helped me become a better teacher. I proved to myself that I could do something different and constantly adapt, a skill useful in any career or life path you follow!

Now I ask myself, whats next?

Patagonia, Italy, Morocco, Japan?? Send me your life altering trip recommendations!

XOXO

The Henna Witch (Mishelle)