"This week has made me aware of how much we have grown in our daily lives with modern technology, internet and social media. How we have become accustomed to a multitude of stimuli and choices and how our concentration span is getting shorter and shorter. Without all these influences you will be forced to adapt to your environment, to adopt a different pace, to look and really see, to listen and really hear and to feel and really experience. This week at Joya: AiR gave me the opportunity to slow down, to distance myself from my work and to reflect on that while experimenting with the input of a natural environment and getting new insights.

Simon and Donna, thank you for this opportunity, this lovely quiet place in the centre of the Sierra María Los Vélez, the fantastic food and your hospitality. I will definitely return. Thanks also to all the other artists I met this week, with whom I had great conversations and above all a lot of fun".

Marjolein Witte

www.marjoleinwitte.com

"I came to Joya for the chance to film out in the rural landscape, something I don’t have easy access to at home. I got what I came for, as well as so much more. To be able to take one step out the front door and be in the midst of breathtaking mountains valleys and skies is a wonderful feeling. Time at Joya feels very different, it completely slowed down for me, meaning I could feel like I had had a productive day in terms of making work, while also spending hours and hours walking in the mountains, reading, spending time with the other residents, and lapping up delicious food (and wine!).

While at Joya I was able to spend so much time alone which was one of the major positives for me, however the time spent with the other artists, volunteers, interns and especially Simon and Donna was a warm and unexpected experience. Everyone was lovely, encouraging and supportive. I really enjoyed the artist talks in the evening, it was very interesting to hear about everyone’s practice, and there was such a wide range. 

Donna and Simon are incredibly warm and welcoming. Their kindness and charm make you feel right at home. The house itself is beautiful, and it is incredible to see the day to day activities of an off-grid environmentally sustainable home".

Liadain Evans

still image from video work in progress at Joya: AiR by Liadain Evans.