My experience at the residency was beautiful. On the first day, I didn’t  go far out of the house because I was scared of the rattlesnakes, but one my last night, I was standing outside under the night sky watching the meteor shower. Sharing space with warm-hearted artists was a refreshing change that helped me regain the faith in humanity that I had lost working in an immaturely bureaucratic environment the past year. I also had the chance to dive into a new picture book, one I'd been wanting to work on for the past year and a half. In those fleeting 12 days, I felt like a withered houseplant coming back to life with proper water, food, and the sun. I managed to stick to a routine of daily journaling, stretching, working out, and working in my studio – I unfortunately couldn’t keep in Vancouver. I even learned how to ride a bike without holding the handles! I am so grateful that I was able to recharge at the residency and I would love to live in Keremeos or do a long term residency one day.

Sonny Park, Testimonial