Finally, I luck out and spy a string of PCs at a café, and before the waiter even reaches me I’ve obtained my flight number and details, awash with relief. I am still guilted into buying a $5 coffee when said waiter points at the computer and insists, “Not free.” Day 2 - After four connections, two surprise airport fees, and two luggage checks whereupon airline agents quizzically investigated leather working tools, skeins of yarn, an old tobacco tin filled with grommets, buttons and rivets, and numerous pairs of knitting needles, I arrive safely in Puerto Montt to the smiling faces of my hosts. Chile feels dream-like, where memories collect like clouds around the mountains, protecting the secrets of the land. History seems to be fused with the soil of the earth and the dew on the trees, and every living thing in between. A welcoming committee is gathered at Meli, a quaint kitchen and garden on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, where we toast glasses of champagne and later, piscolas, while I try in vain to understand these fastspeaking tongues en Espanol. Soon after, tables are rearranged, chairs sidelined, and the salsa dancing lessons begin. It’s only hours since my arrival, and already the learning curve has taken a sharp upward turn. Day 3 - When I wake up, I feel as though I’ve landed squarely in the middle of a cloud. My bed is plush and warm, and the simple whitewashed walls are illuminated by that bright ethereal light, that seeps into everything when the morning sun pushes through thin layers of cloud. The Patagonia Virgin house is situated slightly up a hill overlooking the lake, heated by wood stoves and surrounded with stacks of wood, piled neatly around the open garage. The rolling green hills remind me of the English countryside, with sheep, cows and horses dotting the landscape. Dense leafy trees, plush grass, dandelions and hydrangeas fill in the rest of the scenery, and everything looks ripe. We spend the next day coming up with a schedule for the month of my residency – what trips we are going to take and when; an introductory meet
& greet event; workshops; one-on-one meetings with other artisans in the region; a launch & wrap party. We brainstorm what materials I might like to use, and what contacts we can reach out to in order to help us facilitate these needs. I’m eager to get started, and my sketchbook begins to fill up with potential design ideas. Days 4 - The goal for the first week is to get acquainted with the area, and begin sourcing materials to work with. Our hunt for a good quality yarn has sent me all over the region, but first, we visit Puerto Montt, a large port just south of where I am staying. I stroll along the Artisanal Row looking at knit garments, sourcing potential yarn suppliers. The colours of the yarn I see are vibrant and beautiful, though I prefer to use natural colours in my own work. Later on, we stop by the marina, looking around for discarded parts and rope that I might incorporate into an installation piece, or woven work. Marcela Rios, an artisan in Llhanquihue who sells her work at the shop in the Puerto Montt airport, takes me out to the town of Chamiza to the Chucao Lanas studio, where I get a demonstration of their process for dyeing the yarn, which is sourced from Punta Renas in southern Chile.