Meeting for Teas Residency at Banff Centre
My time here at Banff Centre for the Meeting for Teas residency has been transformative in many facets, in ways I could not have anticipated or expected. Here’s my list (which keeps growing).
Schedule (more or less):
Wake up with a view of the mountains.
Swim or weight train followed by some time in the steam room.
Scrumptious breakfast. Residency participants are given a card that deducts each meal from a food budget total. We also sit at round tables by faculty: Arts (Visual, Music, Literary), Advanced Math, etc.
Meandering with new friends that feel like old friends. Sharing ideas, exchanging questions, trading skills.
Tea. Lots.
Studio time. Seeing things, making things; writing things.
Lunch. With dessert. (Think matcha cheesecake or cassis mousse).
More Tea with friends.
Artist talk or studio time.
Hike or walk into downtown Banff.
Dinner and more laughter.
Concerts (when offered).
My bed is made for me (everyday). It is amazing.
Facetime with family at home.
Sleep and repeat.
How I am already changed:
Increased lung capacity (no joke, we're at 4,500 ft above sea level).
Participants and faculty-- I'm so grateful for new friends. It feels like we've known each other forever.
Capacity for sustained attention has increased.
Sugar cravings down.
More strategies for living with a mean inner critic (we've pooled our experiences and resources).
Trusting the process WAY more.
Introduced to Blackfoot wild teas.
Newsletter written 2 weeks ahead of its due date! (A first for me)
September's newsletter is my fave instalment to date, with LOADS of new writing, a guided exercise, book recos, and more.
During my 5-week artist's residency, I am located on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. I honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney First Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. This region is also home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Métis Nations of Alberta, Region 3.