MADE Creatives in Residence

MADE was my first artist residency experience. I wasn't sure what to expect. After submitting my application, I had a phone conversation with Yesica. I reviewed the residency contract and prepared a list of questions for her. She answered the questions and I was confident that I had a good idea of what was expected from residents as well as from MADE. Yesica made the arrangements for the classes I selected. There was a glitch in one class selection but Yesica quickly found an alternative that turned out to be the print making class I wanted. She came to the classes periodically to make sure everything was going ok. The residency is located in a neighborhood. I appreciated the experience of living with Mexican people. The roosters did crow but I had my earplugs! My apartment was clean and linen was changed mid-month. I read this in the application so it wasn't a surprise. MADE is not a hotel or AirB&B.. I had to do some cleaning, purchase/cook my own food, make up my bed etc. I came to MADE for an opportunity to enhance my artistic education but also to learn about another culture. Weekly the residents gather to have dinner and talk about our experiences and ourselves. We were a diverse group of 5. We were from all over the United States. The ages ranged from 30s to 70+. We also attended several festivals and excursions in and around San Miguel. This trip was life changing for me. Artistically, I exploded. I found the art vibe to be very strong. I was turning out collages with an intensity I didn't know I possessed as well as completing a book. Yesica created an atmosphere that gave us an opportunity to get to know each other as well as delve deeper into our own artistic endeavors. I would definitely go back to MADE again.