Joya: AiR / Lindsey Creel Cherry / USA

‘I arrived at Joya: AiR with the expectation to spend the week away from my daily tasks being productive in the output of my art practice. I knew the setting of Joya would be beautiful but I was completely taken by the picturesque landscape and the true quiet of the location. I spent my short time at Joya exploring, researching, collecting reference photos, and working through more experimental drawings. I highly recommend going for more than a week if you are able.

The outcomes of my dedicated work time at Joya were only a portion of what I’ve brought home with me. Getting a world away from the everyday grind allowed me to detox from the product driven cycles I’ve been swimming in. Spending time over meals, hiking, and chatting by the wood fireplace with other artists in residence is something I didn’t know I needed. I felt cleansed by my time there. The atmosphere Simon and Donna have created is difficult to describe. Joya is a magical place that I hope to visit again soon’.

Lindsey Creel Cherry

Lindsey Creel Cherry is an SFASU Art Professor (drawing) and visual artist currently living in Garrison, Tx. She has an M.F.A. in Studio Arts from Stephen F. Austin State University (2021) and a B.F.A. in fashion from the Savannah College of Art and Design (2009). Creel considers art and design two branches of the same tree and does not discriminate when it comes to art media. She has a background in patternmaking and drafting in the apparel industry, and was featured on Season 14 of Lifetime TV’s “Project Runway.” Creel's drawings are inspired by her connection to working in nature in East Texas.