I was thrilled to be accepted as a Writer & Artist-In-Residence for the month of October at the Arteles Creative Center in Hämeenkyrö, Finland. A non-profit and one of the largest international artist residency centers in Northern Europe, Arteles and also organizes cultural events and activities.
Offering themed residencies to 12-14 creatives each month, Arteles invited me to be a part of Fall Into Focus, for writers, researchers and creatives.

There were fourteen other residents, split between the blue and yellow turn of the century wooden houses at Arteles, from Brazil, Austria, Belgium, Scotland, Australia, Iran and Pakistan, as well as several others from various parts of the USA. It was a lot of fun to see what everyone was working on. We had a painter, a drummer, a rock-climbing motivational writer, a documentary film-maker, a ceramicist-painter, an earth-collector-performance artist among the group, and every other day we got to enjoy a traditional wood burning sauna.

October meant walks in the Finnish forests, collecting chanterelles and other edible mushrooms, and berries such as sea buckthorn, lingonberry and currants.

I also had an opportunity to spend time in Rovaniemi in Lapland, in the Arctic Circle. It was a trip that sparked a lot of creativity, and during my time there I finished my second YA Suspense novel, and began work on a third. I was also able to work on character sketches for a planned graphic children’s novel.

If you are looking for a place to find peace and quiet to create, I can’t say enough great things about the Arteles Creative Center in Hämeenkyrö, Finland, as well as Finland in general. Often overlooked by the more well-known Nordic neighbors, Finland is a treat not to be missed.

Be Well,

Jenn