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For the last 10 years, I've dreamt of building a free-to-use residency space for artists of all disciplines called Casa Comala. In 2020, I bought land for the project in a gated nature preserve in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico. In 2021, I began construction and have since fronted 80% of the project with my own funds.
The building is a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom resident center with an ecological footprint, ample spaces for artmaking and conversation, and surroundings that invite long walks and reflection.
I am around 1 year away from completing construction and starting to receive residents. In this time, I will continue contributing to the project with my own funds, but I am looking for support to ensure the successful completion of construction.
Donations will go directly to the cost of materials and labor associated with construction.
With the help of the GoFundMe donations so far, we have:
- Put a roof on the structure
- Finished many of the windows
- Put down most of the sub-flooring
- Installed an eco-friendly, autonomous waste-treatment plant
In the next 14 months, we strive to:
- Finish the windows
- Complete the flooring
- Complete bathrooms and the kitchen/dining area
- Build desks and beds
- Finish plumbing and electrical work
- Install solar panels
Here are some progress pictures (and you can check out the Instagram page and Casa Comala's website for up-to-the-minute pics).
Here are some images of renderings that show how the finished property will look:
You can explore a full gallery of images of construction and renderings here.
Why give to Casa Comala:
- You'll be helping artists find time and space to make their work without needing to pay for anything but their transportation to the site.
- You'll be helping foster a community of creators.
- You'll help me with a dream I've worked extremely hard to nearly complete.
FAQs
- How is the property held? Casa Comala is a private property. The purpose of purchasing land and constructing this structure on it is to create a free-to-use haven for artists. I may rent the property to visitors in the off-season, but that is in no way the primary function of the property.
- How will Casa Comala receive artists? After the first year of residencies, which have already been granted to artists close to the project, we will open applications. All applications will be read by a board. I, the owner of the property, will not be involved in reading applications.
- What are Casa Comala's surroundings like? Casa Comala sits in a massive nature preserve in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, roughly 2.5 hours from the Guadalajara International Airport. Casa Comala is part of a gated community of ecologically-minded neighbors but is sufficiently removed from other properties to achieve a sense of privacy. Casa Comala is located approximately 30 minutes from the rustic "magic town" (a designation given to special places by the Mexican government) called Tapalpa.
If you have further questions, feel free to reach out to me directly.
Stay up to date at the project's website.
Thank you!