‘Before I arrived at Joya: AiR, I had an idea in my head about how my stay was going to go: isolated from society and my everyday cares, I was going to hunker down, be disciplined, and write a lot of pages.

But soon after I arrived, I came to see this wasn’t going to happen. Not because of the place itself - Joya: AiR is an oasis in the desert, beautiful and spare, and my studio space could not have been more ideal for writing - but because the days had their own rhythm: waking to conversations over breakfast with my fellow residents, going for long walks in the crisp air, sharing beautiful, nourishing meals in the evenings, relaxing by the fire at night with games and a bottle of red and endless laughter, letting the darkness and the silence cradle me as I slept.

I resisted at first, determined to make progress, but when I gave in my writing gained its own rhythm. I’d write in my studio for one or two-hour spurts throughout the day, soaking in the view of breathtaking valleys and mountains when I’d get stuck, taking occasional naps and sharing delightful little moments: a spontaneous studio visit from my fellow artists, a long chat with Donna in the kitchen, Frida’s footsteps shuffling by.

In the end, I got more work done than I expected but not as much as I’d hoped. But that’s ok, because I got something so much better: a warmth to sustain me through cold, lonely days, and laughter I’ll always remember.’

Bernadette Roca

Bernadette is a writer currently based in Barcelona. She holds a BA in English literature from UCLA, an MA in Modern Literature and Culture from University College London (UCL), and a second Master of Information Studies from the University of Toronto.

Joya: AiR / Bernadette Roca / CAN