Imagine:
You wake up to the sound of silence. There are no alarm clocks going off. There is no traffic outside your window. There is only the sound of your own ideas percolating inside your head. Grabbing your coat you take time for a lazy morning walk through the woods to get a Cappuccino made by local Talkeetna residents. Halfway down a dirt path with wild Alaskan woods on both sides your ideas begin to simmer wildly. This is the first time in a year that you've been able to hear yourself think. You'd forgotten how rich your own ideas could be. And to think - all you have to do today is to develop and realize all these wonderful ideas. All you have to do is make your art.
You don't have to just imagine this. You can make it a reality.
The Residence:
Located in the "residential district" of East Talkeetna, the La Familia Artist Residence was built in 1998 and is a two story, 1,000 square foot home. The first floor hosts the kitchen, living room, shared bathroom and laundry. (Yes, there is laundry on-site. No quarters required, but consider bringing detergent.) The second floor is home to three tiny bedrooms. The house is fully furnished and decorated with wild whimsy, in short, a pleasure to live in. All visiting artists are expected to treat the Artist Residence with great care and love so it can provide Artist Residents a refuge for many years to come.
Your Stay:
Artists live in close quarters and share living space and co-op a pantry that is furnished with a variety of basic dry goods. This co-op pantry is only meant to supplement the groceries that each of the Residents is expected to provide for themselves. Residents are also expected to be respectful toward other Residents when sharing the common living area. Please be tidy and considerate when using dry goods.
There will be no telephone, internet or cable at the Artist Residence. However, there is a TV with a DVD player and a video store within walking distance. There is no telephone in the Artist Residence, and cellphone reception in Talkeetna is very hit-and-miss. There are a couple of payphones in town, however, we recommend that Residents expect to have very limited telephone access. Remember, the objective of the La Familia Artist Residence is to find clarity of thought through simplicity, not to surf the internet or television, or chat on the phone.
Your Art:
The Artist Residence does not have studio space and we do not provide supplies or tools for creation. We encourage artists to bring the tools they will need to create since there are no art supply stores within 2 1/2 hours of the Residence.
The house has everything a person will need to be happy in the woods, the only question will be if you know how to use it.
What to Bring:
When packing for your Artist Residency, please remember that you will be at least 90 miles from the nearest bank, movie theater, drug store, or restaurant franchise. In other words, bring what you will need. Here are some things we recommend:
- Insect Repellent - If you will visit between April and September bring several cans of insect repellent. We are not joking. This is first on the list for a reason. Consider bringing Wic Coils as well if you intend to work outdoors.
- Cold Weather Gear - Alaskan weather is fickle and locals know that layering so that you can adjust your clothing according to weather changes is best. Fall starts in August and cold weather can run until June. Please check the seasonal averages on www.weather.com or another website that tracks temperatures and precipitation so you may know what to expect during your Residency. (For searching purposes, the zipcode for Talkeetna is 99676.)
- Warm Weather Gear - It can be in the 70's and 80's in June and July. If you're coming between March and May we also recommend bringing sturdy boots for navigation of the mud that can develop when the snow melts. Again, please check the seasonal averages on www.weather.com or another website that tracks temperatures and precipitation. (For searching purposes, the zipcode for Talkeetna is 99676.)
- Rain Gear - It rains during the summer. A lot.
- Everyday Wear - There are few paved roads in Talkeetna. Your clothes will get dusty and dirty no matter what. Bring casual clothes.
- Swim Suit - If you are visiting in June or July we recommend taking a dip in a local lake.
- Art Supplies - Whatever you need to make your art. There are no art supply stores within 90 miles of the Artist Residency.
- Groceries - Local grocery supplies are limited, so please bring what you will need.
- Toiletries - There are no drug stores in Talkeetna. Bring what you will need.
- Laundry Detergent
- Flashlight - If you are visiting between September and April, please remember that the nights are very long. You will want a flashlight.
- Camera and extra Film or Memory Cards - Talkeetna is beautiful with lots of photo opportunities. There is also no place to buy a camera or film.
- Your Creative Ideas
- A Sense of Humor
