The barn, painted by Hélène Baril, is reserved for working with wood and other materials. It is suitable for building constructions, getting dirty and using machinery. In the wintertime, however, working there can be a chilly experience.

On the large residency yards, there is lots of space to make outdoor works, or simply test out new ideas outside, in the middle of the curvy landscapes. Some inspiring pieces by other artists can be discovered in the woods, including the collaborative treehut project “Lintukoto” by July 2012 residents.

Finnish forests are heaven for anyone who enjoys picking bilberries, raspberries, cranberries, mushrooms, herbs and all the other elements that give Finnish people their health. The tap water is super clean, so there is no need for bottled water. The forests are the home of many wild animals, such as moose, foxes, deers, lynx, squirrels, rabbits, owls and other birds. Even bears or wolves exist, but no one has yet seen them around as they keep away from humans. In general, there is nothing the visitor should be afraid of.

Four seasons rhythm the circle of the year in Finland. Seasons are very different from each other, making each month special. Summer is full of life, movement, green nature and light. Around midsummer, it never gets completely dark, as the sun sets only for a few hours. Autumn comes with misty mornings. It is rich with colors in the beginning, and raw and unfeigned just before the winter. The dark starry sky and UFOs are already out there – even Northern lights, if you get lucky. Winter is monotone: calm, dark, often snowy and very still and silent. Brilliant for gazing at the stars, satellites and the Milky Way. Spring is the time of change and rapidly increasing light. You get to see the nature and the Finnish people come back to life from their cryosleep.