“Spy” for Psychedelic – Daniela Nusitz, aka Kornera about her art making

Kornera - detail

Daniela Isabela Nusitz (aka Kornera), a half Hungarian and half Gran Canarian artist is one of the oldest friends of Camino Art Hostel. She knows our story from the beginning and had been visited events for many years. We were happy to invite her to exhibit her psychedelic art doodles on the “Find love” exhibition in November, 2018.  We asked her about creating art, and about the arty scene of Gran Canaria.

 

Camino: When did you start to create? What do you create? What is the form of your art?

Daniela: I started to draw fantasy worlds and things that were far from reality already in the early years of elementary school. I like to use many different techniques, colour pencils, ink, black pens, acrylic paint. And often I use many of them at once, combined.

Camino: What is the process of your psychedelic doodling? Do you have an idea before you start? Or it just goes with the flow and the spontaneous imagination?

Daniela: Generally, when I am not doing an ordered job I just let spontaneous thoughts and inspirations find me, which might arrive while travelling on the bus, or sitting on a boring mathematics class so I just start to draw. Or I try to create the forms from an interesting dream. These days I make more art inspired by anatomic or natural shapes and forms, and I add my fantasy world while drawing. Usually, I don’t plan, I just follow my inspiration and the flow of creating.

Camino: How can you fit art making in your daily life?

Daniela: Sometimes it happens that I got so occupied with the daily job that I can’t even touch the brushes for half a year. I wish I had time all the time to make art, I could have so many art pieces! But still, I have a sketchbook with me all the time, so when I have a moment, or I have finished with my daily tasks I can draw any time even at my work, or on the bus. I used to work in a tattoo salon when I had much more time for art, and I could spend more time with graphic design and drawing.

Camino: What do you think about the art scene, art making, arty inspiration on Gran Canaria? What is your experience? How do you see the art scene on the island?

Daniela: I live in the south, a little bit isolated from cultural happenings. Most of the time I have to work. Here in the south, there is not really an audience for art, especially not for psychedelic art. It seems that they are more realistic and are more interested in traditional local art.

Camino: You know Camino Art Hostel for a longer time, how do you feel about this place?

Daniela: I know the hostel from the beginning when it was still located in Hoya de Pineda. There are several programs and cultural events in the hostel time to time, and if I have time, I love to participate, I especially like live concerts and exhibitions. I know Bea and her son Benji for a longer time, so I really like to visit the hostel, and there is always a chance to get to know new people and artists.

To see Daniela’s artwork please visit her facebook page: Kornera

What we do

After running Camino Art Hostel for a few years now, we realized that we don’t need to save the whole world. It is enough to make a little change at once, and the best way is education and showing a good example.

Here is what we do to make a better world.

Selective Garbage

We separate plastic, metal, paper and glass garbage. If we pay a good attention on the selection we have very small amount of regular waste left. Starting from 15th January 2019, we have a special program: we are not collecting the trash from the guests. They need to take care of their own garbage and take it away when they check out. The purpose of this program is to raise awareness of the trash situation in general.

We don’t use garbage bags. We prefer to carry the garbage to the large containers in a separate bag that we clean time to time. The bins are also cleaned often.

Compost

We separate raw leftover or not usable food to make our own compost in the garden.

Shopping/NON-shopping

We offer bags/re-usable plastic bags for our guests to do their shopping. We keep these bags to use them again and again. We try not to buy trash: avoid those items in the store that end up in the containers just after you arrive home from shopping.

Recycling

We recycle almost everything we find thrown out by the garbage containers: old furniture, wood, glass bottles, boxes, palettes, etc. We use these materials to make seating or fun areas on the land, or turn them into an art piece.

Natural soap

We use chemical free soap for laundry. Since we use the washing machine a lot, it is important to avoid chemicals and artificial materials.

Cleaning liquid

We use vinegar, sodium bicarbonate and lemon to clean the kitchen and the bathrooms. The lemon usually comes from our own land.

Beach Cleaning

Time to time we organize beach cleaning on the island. It is not only cleaning up, it is also having fun together and playing, swimming and enjoying.

Drinking water

We use the traditional water filter made of lime stone. This is a very practical and natural way of cleaning the water. Please fill up your water bottle from our filtered water deposit. If you don’t have a water bottle please ask for one!

VOLUNTEERS WANTED IN SAN MATEO

We have been working with volunteers for more than two years now. We have our own special way to do it, and the main thing is cooperation, communication and happiness. How do i mean? We always make a plan for tasks and working hours together. We talk about it. We talk about the tasks even during the process. And we are all doing our best, if all of us are happy meanwhile the whole thing. We are an art hostel, so you can express yourself and learn a lot at the same time. We are also an off the road hostel, which means that our guests are mainly the cool guys who you actually want to meet during your travel experience. We are off the road because we are not on the beach, and we are not in the city. So you will have plenty of time to enjoy yourself in the nature. Hanging up laundry while watching the mountains, listening to the birds.

If you like all these, please be our volunteer!

we are based in San Mateo, in the heart of Gran Canaria, only 12 kms from the highest peak, called Pico de Las Nieves.

So, go on for the details:

1.Why this whole volunteering thing is good for you?

Because you can have a special experience living right in the nature, far from the cities. Because you can develop new skills and practice the ones you already have. Because you can learn about hostel industry. Because you will meet very cool people and you well have amazing conversations. Because you can have your morning coffee with an incredible view behind the tables :). Because you can enjoy yourself, learn new things and help out at the same time.

2. Where is the hostel located?

We are located in Vega de San Mateo, about 1,5km from the center of this little, lovely town. The hostel is by the road GC-15, and facing to the magical Valley of Mireles. We have a small garden and a bigger land with caves and old eucalipt trees.

For proper description about how to get here please read this site:

How can I get to Camino Art Hostel, San Mateo?

3. Where does the volunteers sleep?

At the moment we don’t have a separated room for the volunteers, so they will stay in a dorm bed in an 8 bed dorm. The bathroom is also shared with the other guests. You will have lockers to have your personal things in a safe place.

4. How does the schedule look like?

We are expecting you to stay with us for at least four weeks.

We agree together about timing. We can do shifts: morning (8am-3pm) and afternoon (3pm-10pm) shifts. Or we can just arrange days of being busy at the hostel, and days when you can be totally free. Sometimes guests arrive later but doesn’t happen often, also sometimes they want to have breakfast around 8am, so you need to start bit earlier. Cleaning is in the morning, starting from 9am, it takes maybe 3-4 hours to clean all the rooms and the garden area, do the laundry, etc…

Volunteers always have at least two days off (often more) so there is a chance to go and see other parts of the island. We do the schedule together for the following weeks, so all of our working hour requests can be planned together.

5. What kind of tasks are need to be done by the volunteers?

– cleaning

– checking in and out, payments part as well

– be around the guests, talk to them and find out their needs

– organize activities and in general be involved in the daily life of the hostel

– gardening (basic or advanced :))

– doing laundry

– cooking, or make breakfast (basic or advanced :))

– fixing (basic or advanced :))

– being creative (basic or advanced :))

– look after our pets (they are lovely so you will do this anyway 🙂 )

6. How many hours the volunteers work in a week?

More or less 25-35 hours a week (4-5 shifts a week)

7. How many volunteers will be in the hostel at one time?

1-3 volunteers at a time.

8. What do you get in return for your help?

Free accomodation, basic food (pasta, rice, onions, potato, coffee, tea, lentils, etc.. occasionally fruits, or other things..), amazing experience, opportunity for selfdevelopment, singing birds all day long 🙂

If you want to be a volunteer at our hostel, please write an e-mail to caminoarthostel(at)gmail(dot)com!

AN INSPIRED PHOTOGRAPHER FROM RUSSIA

ALIONA YAROVICH, PORTRAIT AND FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER VISITED CAMINO ART HOSTEL NOT LONG AFTER IT OPENED. SINCE THAN SHE IS CONSTANTLY PLANNING TO RETURN AND MAKE DIFFERENT PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS AT THE HOSTEL. IT SEEMS, THE PLACE INSPIRED HER PRETTY MUCH! LET’S SEE WHAT SHE IS TELLING ABOUT OUR LITTLE EMPIRE:

“Camino Art Hostel is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I’ve ever been to. Knowing Beata, the owner, I can tell that this place is made with heart and soul and I think that everyone who is tired of busy life and things of that kind can take a break and go to this place. This place really brings you at peace and makes you feel in tune with yourself. This place inspired me to make my photography project ‘Dime’ about people all over the world and their stories that are worth sharing. I hope I can come back there one day and continue my project.”

Aliona Photography

Aliona Yarovich started to take pictures 5 years ago. She did different kinds of photos (events, weddings, children, individual portraits, fashion) and right now she is focused on portrait and family photography. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Russia and travel quite often.
Aliona Photography
Please visit Aliona’s site on https://www.facebook.com/alionayarovich/ and take a look at her work.