What a wonderfully surprising and rewarding experience!
As a recent MFA graduate and early career artist, I found Hub Feenix to be welcoming and inspiring. The Hub offers so much for the creative mind to work, play and rest.

During my two month stay, I felt like I was able to have a taste of the Finnish culture, engaging with the local art community in Helsinki and Fiskar. I also centered myself in the quiet of nature that is so readily accessible from home base.

As a multidisciplinary artist, I was excited to find a great deal of freedom provided by the facilities, especially the wood shop! Their vision for the future maker’s space and studios is inspiring and something I will be keeping a close eye on moving forward.

I am wildly grateful for my time at the Hub and especially to the warm, welcoming and energizing members who work hard to make this place a reality.

Hi there, My name is Dymphie Kies and I am living in The Netherlands. As a visual artist and a systemic coach I guide people to understand their life stories and the underlaying emotions which gave direction. Light influences people and life by its colors, its intensity, its warmth. In Finland I found an overwhelming nature with pure blue sky, pure light and real silence. Two years ago I got the opportunity to continue working this theme as an AiR at HUB Feenix in Meltola. Thanks to the international open minded environment and the diversity of artists was working here a very refreshing and stimulating period for me. Nevertheless I have the feeling that the theme “Light in Finland” is not completed yet, it needs a further, perhaps deeper investigation which is my objective for the coming weeks. If you are interested in the results of the earlier AiR periods then have a look at the blogs on my website www.dymphiekies.nl
Warm greetings!!

On the evening of July 1st, I stepped off a bus in a practically desolate train station with pine trees in one direction and a few modern looking supermarkets across the tracks. I tried to imagine where the town could be hidden as my eyes and legs dragged me and my two suitcases full of art materials to the familiar " Lidl", a supermarket I would later, on regular occasions venture to on an old blue bike with a pedal brake not unlike the ones I used to ride as a child, compliments of Hub Feenix.

What was to come would then onwards be a discovery. I had stuffed paper and paints and pastels of every nature, pencils and carving tools, charcoal and winter clothes (and strangely), a pair of high-heeled shoes in my over-weight baggage.

I had no plan, only that I wanted to dedicate as much time as I could possibly dedicate to artistic creation. I thought I would go on little excursions and explore a section of this incredible country I had never even imagined visiting but my determination to create as much as possible prevented that from happening fully.

The month went fast. The weather changed from cold and rainy and layers of clothes under the blankets at night to long warm sunny days where the beautiful, enormous lake tempted me and drew me into its fresh waters every day. I swam with watchful swans and jumping frogs, and out far away from the large green lilly pads skirting the banks . Every evening revealed ever-changing wide skies as I lay on my back and paddled. Pine and birch tree hugged the lake and hid families of deer and huge quick running hares. lush tones of green and brown everywhere. Was this paradise?