Help to renovate an artist's house and tend a wild garden, Burgundy, France

Infos

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  Description

  I'm Gisela, a German artist and curator, specialising in painting, graphic art, shadow play and art education. I love organising creative gatherings. After a series of strange and meaningful coincidences, I settled in the Morvan Regional Park, Burgundy, France, with two other artists 10 years ago. Here, with many helpers, in a former sawmill that was abandoned for 20 years, we founded a small art centre on a wild terrain. The artist's house facilitates encounters between creative people from different cultures and of different ages. It is also an encounter with wilderness, with plants, animals, and most of all with yourself.
  
  My offer is simple. If you help in the garden or on the building, I will give you an art class. You do not need special skills, but to stay here with us, you do need to clean up after yourself, and help with the dishes. You are invited to apply if you are inquisitive, ask your own independent questions about the world, and make up your own mind. We are artists. There is more to life than the evening news. We welcome visitors of all religions. You are allowed to be different. You must also be comfortable with people living with autism, are perhaps neurodivergent, or just don't think like you. If you love that, welcome. I do too.
  
  If you want to apply, please put in some effort to think about why, and be specific. A copy and paste request will get a copy and paste response.
  
  You must also know that we limit our use of digital telecommunications technology here. We live on the edge of the forest. There is no Wifi and the mobile signal is weak. We have chosen to keep it like this because it creates time for the work that matters to us. It allows us to be more present and have meaningful conversations face to face.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Compagnie pour pers. âgée

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Ferme

  

  Événements/vie sociale

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Culture

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Langues

  

  Écriture

  

  Arts du spectacle

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Musique

  

  Jardinage

  

  Livres

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Art et design

  

  Architecture

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Randonnée

  

  Nature

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Camping
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  We came here to learn to be with the wilderness. You can discover things here that you would not normally, when you become quiet. You can choose whether you like to be on your own or want company. You might be sent off to practice your French while you buy bread, croissants or pain au chocolat at the excellent local bakery. If you know how to cook, chop wood or make a fire, you're a bonus! Often, friends and neighbours stop by with some goat's cheese, onions or lemons. We might end up speaking English, German, Dutch, Spanish, and of course French. Take walks alone in the local village and forest. Ask questions and learn about art and artists. You will also be on top of an ancient Roman Gallic archeological site. We'll offer to take you along when we visit events like local cultural festivals, or evenings at the local Bibracte museum, or Cultural Centre. We might go shopping in the small city of Autun. For a rural area, there is an enormous amount going on.

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  Aide

  Calling all gardeners, carpenters, builders, cooks and cleaners of all ages, with a creative flair. Artists, architects and ecologists are also welcome. Our place is slowly transforming from a building site into a habitable house with artist studios, a community room, and (probably) the most unusual shower in the world.
  
  We are slowly learning how to leave the garden wild, while caring for it at the same time. There is now a vegetable patch, with three sunflowers. We have a very small team: one active resident artist, and a lot of helpful visitors. Together we have made this place what it is today, despite the odds. It gets too much for one person to manage sometimes, and that is where we need your help.
  
  - Cutting grass and brambles. Wood cutting and trimming. This year, all the wood lying around on the site will be turned into firewood or used to enrich the soil.
  - Carpentry. We have a number of cabins in various stages of completion, a deck that needs to be built, and renovations in the main house are ongoing. If this is your job, apprenticeship, or you have a lot of experience and professional training, you are very welcome.
  - Cleaning. Believe it or not, the dust and wildlife can get into an old house and its a constant effort to keep clean. You could be a great help just doing that.
  
  This is a non-profit project. Workawayers will not be helping with paying guests or in spaces used by paying guests.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Espagnol: Intermédiaire
  Turc: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  I am a German Native Speaker, always open to improving my French and English, which I both use daily.
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  Hébergement

  In the summer you can choose to sleep in a garden cabin or under the stars. You will also have the choice of two peaceful rooms in a ramshackle house covered in mosaics looking out onto the forest. The rooms are painted with colourful crazy childlike illustrations. We are completing another guest room in the house opposite our library, but it might not be finished when you come to visit. There is enough bedding, there is nothing you need to bring except clothes and toiletries. Please note it can get very cold in winter, and at night.
  
  The toilet and bathroom are in the main house, and electricity is limited. You can use your phone as a torch or light a candle. There is no Wifi, and mobile reception is limited, but you're not coming out into nature just to spend all your time online, are you?
  
  We all share a kitchen and communal space, and take turns cooking. You can share our meals and we will do our best to accommodate you. Vegans and diabetics will have to be disciplined, we do eat things like ice cream and bacon, so you might need to do additional shopping. A supermarket, bakery and two restaurants are within 10 minutes walk.

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  Autres infos...

  Please arrange your own transport well in advance, we recommend using Trainline or Blablacar. Our closest village is St Léger sous Beuvray. There are train stations in Étang sur Arroux and Autun. You will have to cover your own travel costs, but we will fetch you from the station and drop you off.
  
  This is partially a building site. That is why we need your help. If you hate camping, chaos, and unfinished projects, this is not a good fit for you. If that sounds like adventure, building some muscle, and connecting with creative thinkers, send us a message! We look forward to hearing from you.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  There is a suitable parking spot in the road below us.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  We border on a road with occasional traffic. Your pet must please be housetrained, well behaved and on a leash when outdoors. We don't want it running off into the forest and getting eaten by a wild animal.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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