by Zoë Pollock
Alexander Chee reveals how artist colonies provide a refuge for writers:
One of the burdens of life among fellow civilians is that when you enter the fugue state required for making art, you can’t really be a normal person. The good news is that at a colony, you’re not expected to—you’re expected to be civil to other colonists, and respectful, but not normal. It’s a huge relief.
How the MacDowell Colony maximizes creative output:
The rules of MacDowell are very specific: You are forbidden to interrupt other artists at work. No approaching other studios without invitation. Your lunch is unobtrusively left at your door in a picnic basket; you can spend the night in your studio if you wish. So if you don’t want to talk to anyone, there’s no need, even when you’re walking the grounds—everyone understands how shattering it can be to have an idea fall apart at the end of a stroll because of someone who is only engaging in a brief compulsory social ritual.
The Dish 