Women nevada city retreat3/22/2023 Jacqueline Woodson and James Baldwin were the two names that stood out to me. Sometimes all I did was stare at the plaques with names of great artists who had been in the studio before me-renowned composers, award-winning authors. I would listen for the sound of wheels crunching pebbles on the graveled path leading to my cottage, and if I was writing I learned that it was better to simply stop and enjoy a meal. I knew the hours when lunch would be delivered to my doorstep. So being around the trees lifted my spirit. I grew up in Jamaica-an island of land, wood, and water. During the day my thoughts and ideas brewed under the blanket of quiet in my studio, which was completely surrounded by trees. Meanwhile my creative juices flowed, recharged by my long walks through the woods and conversations with artists who later became friends. That summer, I established my own relationship with the place and people-something that occurred over time during the evening dinners around a communal table full of food, drink, and live chatter. However, what MacDowell offered me was a seemingly vast capsule of time and a rare opportunity to interact with artists from various disciplines outside of writing. “Prior to my summer at MacDowell, I had never been to a residency before, no doubt in part because I always maintained that one can get their work done anywhere with the right amount of dedication and discipline.
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