Dara Shetty Writer and Journalist from Innsbruck, Austria
Dara has a degree in English and Teaching. She is living in Vienna at the moment. Besides doing an internship in communications with the EU, she is currently working on her first novel. A coming of age story about grief, friendship and loneliness. Dara loves dogs, rainy days, coziness (ideally all at the same time) and photography.
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What brought you to art/work?
I’m not sure I can really say. Writing just crept in at some point and stayed. All the books I devoured as a kid and teenager probably played a big part in it. It always fascinated me how writers could create entire worlds with just words — I wanted to be able to do that, too! That never changed. For example, after I red Benedict Wells’ THE END OF LONELINESS, I really wanted to find the same power over words within myself and wanted to be able to move my readers in the same way. Coming to the art was not difficult for me, sticking with it though requires a lot of patience. But I can’t think of a better feeling than having — after hours of (re-)writing — a text that matches the vision you had in your head.
How did you get the opportunity to participate in Cornelia’s Artists in Residence program?
That I was able to participate in the Artists in Residence Program was a result of a chain of coincidences. I wanted to interview someone for a magazine on the subject of ‘free spirit’. Cornelia was the first person I thought of because I loved her books as a child. At the end of the interview she invited me to Fraggina. I was really excited and also a bit nervous.
How did you like your time at Fraggina? Did you find inspiration there?
It was an experience I will never forget. I didn’t just collect ideas for stories but also found a great community of artists. The place has an incredible calm, which settles over you right away. The writing was immediately much easier and the words came all on their own. I think, given the creative atmosphere at Fraggina and being surrounded by Tuscan nature, you can’t help but feel inspired.
What did you take home from there?
That’s a long list! First of all, many many memories — of the place, the nature, the experiences, the writing ... I also met so many great people, who are not just great artists but have become real friends. I also bought a bookmark in Volterra which shows a classic Tuscan Cyprus tree. Now, when I read at home, I always have Tuscany with all its memories with me.
"Fragginas stille Wächter"
"Heimweh"
"Nebelgrauen"
