"Ever a workaholic, I came to the Hill House to work, but unexpectedly, the experience also served as an inspirational jumpstart." - Wendy Spitzer

The Hill House residency gave me the time to devote myself wholly to creative work, in a beautiful natural setting. Removed from the distractions of everyday living, I found I was especially productive and focused. I probably produced more creatively in the two weeks of the residency than I had the preceding two months. 

The largeness of the space allowed me to set up multiple creative stations: a recording situation upstairs, the piano for composition/improvisation downstairs, art materials set up on another table. My regular living situation is much smaller, so I typically must set up each project and then taken it to make space for the next one.  At the Hill House, I was able to set up these separate stations and leave them for the duration of the residency, effectively tripling my creative productivity.

If you're an introvert looking for solitude and want to get some serious work done, a winter residency without a car is the way to go.

I felt like my removal from the typical stresses of daily living opened up new spaces in my creative brain, new modes of thinking, and allowed me the mental space to seriously question my own work. I had some ideas for future projects while in residency that I doubt I would otherwise have had. Ever a workaholic, I came to the Hill House to work, but unexpectedly, the experience also served as an inspirational jumpstart. Even my nighttime dreams were more curious, more vivid, and more imaginative.

Wendy Spitzer is a composer/performer primarily of instrumental compositions that incorporate elements of experimental, classical and pop music. She was ISLAND's artist in residence in early January. Learn more about Wendy here.