Mas els Igols - Artist Residency

Mas els Igols is an artist oasis created for independent artists that want to dedicate their time to produce art in a highly focused creative environment. The residency is situated in the vineyards of wine area 'Pènedes' some 60 km from Barcelona city centre.

We collaborate with a gallery downtown Barcelona and the local village council to give you the opportunity to exhibit your work in one of our group shows.

 

Artist hotel

Our residents live and work in a 250 year old wine estate in rooms refurbished and decorated with items from the personal art & objects collection of the owners and share a kitchen and large outdoor spaces with max. 9 other artists. All our rooms meet Spanish hotel standards.

The mansion is a strong community-building artist (re)Treat where you can produce work in full focus and enjoy the company of other artists from all over the world.

Mission: ¡Home for artists!

Our artistic family dedicates time and love to create a safe, homely and optimized creative environment for artists. Openness is holy; to all ideas, to all species of artists from all over the world, about who we are and the way we work, in our connections with the local community, the regional art scene and all people in our house! In social activities in the house and in exhibitions in Barcelona we establish and maintain our growing worldwide creative network.

 

 

A brief history

In 2007 visual artist Iris Tonies and writer/entrepreneur Arnout Krediet sailed their live-a-board ship around Europe to dock in Barcelona. They immediately started an artistic co-working and exhibition community for international artists downtown, Estudio Nómada.

In 2014 Iris and Arnout added a new project to the nomadic family for professional artists in their community. They restored a gigantic (1000 m2) wine farm situated in the paradisaical Cava area Penedes to become an artists residency for professional artists.

Live in an art Oasis

Mas els Igols is situated in the Pènedes, famous for producing the Spanish bubbling wine Cava. It is known as the oasis of Catalunya, green, lush and subject to the amazing Mediterranean climate (mild winters and warm summers) with the sea relatively close (20 km as the bird flies). Our valley is just behind the first hills running alongside the blue waters and white sandy beaches of the Costa Daurada. A fresh thermal wind cools down 'els Igols' on the warmer days.

The estate was formerly used as a winery and is surrounded by vineyards that are now taken care of by Pere Rafecas Jr. and Sr.

 

 

Things to do & places to visit

When you need a break from your art or wish to soak up some inspiration there are two small waterfalls coming out of a large forested area that flow on walking distance behind the house. All the ground water makes els Igols an isolated green oasis perfect for walking and cycling. The area is known for it's wine & cava production and as 'the food barn of Barcelona'.

Near the house you can visit wineries, a bird zoo, waterfall & picknick areas. A bit further you find Montserrat, nice beaches & Barcelona city with all it's culture and more. Ski slopes are only a 1 1/2 hour car ride away.

Iris Tonies - visual artist - ceramist - cook - art teacher

“I don’t tell a story about the way it happened but by the way I remembered it”

Creating art for me is a form of ritual and might be the impulse behind or the culmination of landmark moments in my life. It is not only an expression of the glorious moments but of the deepest and darkest times too. Using basic, earthy materials I strive to create magic and beauty, like a character in a fairy tale spinning gold out of grass, or the alchemist turning lead into gold. My personal experiences are woven into my work and inform the creative process from start to finish, but they are ultimately universal expressions of love, joy or grief, of emotions that speak to us all.

 

 

Arnout Krediet - captain - writer - teacher - wine lover

“Writers are addicted to people.”

With a goal-driven & sharp analytical mind and a high sensibility for people and their motivations & fascinations I help to find and take responsibility for your creative source. The past 17 years I dedicated my time as a writer/journalist and as an art educator. With the help of my (insanely) wide interest, I grew to be a strong translator of concepts and ideas into the common tongue. In my contagiously enthusiast style of interviewing and interpreting information I stick to asking simple questions without filling in or taking over direction. The result is an unbiased opening your mind to all possible ideas and a growing insight in their source of origin. The leading objective is to train to understand your fascinations from within in order to be independent and more confident in life. Don’t fear your dreams, risk them.

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