This isn't just a fundraiser to fix up an old house.
We want to build a place where people can stop, slow down — where a person moves forward the most when immersed in an activity with such joy that they don't even notice time passing..:)
That's when one can look, think, and feel anew.
To make this vision a reality, we need help saving a nearly century-old vineyard house and, above all, repairing its roof.
We'll be grateful for any support, and for every single share. If you're up for it, take a look at our video and read the story behind all of this.
Artevia in Limbach has already begun
We don't have the roof fixed yet, and there's still a lot of work ahead. Even so, this summer we already had our first shared drawing and painting sessions in the vineyards. Some things don't have to wait for the building to be finished — they begin the moment people come together. And we're preparing more: creative Saturdays, plein-airs, lectures, expert masterclasses — I believe they'll be just as successful. But a new roof will let us continue all year round, even if the weather doesn't cooperate.:)
I'm convinced that the creative process is one of the ways a modern person can return to themselves. Creative thinking is tied to joy and to humor. It changes the way we think, the way we solve problems. Creativity isn't just about making pretty pictures — it's a way for a person to learn to look at the world, and at themselves. It's literally a way of life.
And that's exactly why this project exists.. Not just as a renovation of a house, or a roof.., even though right now, in this phase, we need that roof so badly.
Who's behind the project, and who makes up Artevia?
Artevia was never just about me. Over 11 years, a community of people has formed here who gave it a life of its own — friends, students, creative partners who stood by it through various periods. Some have been with Artevia since the very beginning. My dear „Plusky.“ It's thanks to them, too, that a new chapter is now being written in Limbach.
Thank you.
My name is Silvie.
For more than 20 years I've been creating and guiding people on their own journeys. Artevia was born more than 11 years ago — a place where my studies in art and psychology met my desire to create a real, creative space for people.
The capital city was a chapter that had to happen; hundreds of stories were born there, along with a beautiful community of people who supported one another and still do. I'm grateful for what we managed to build over the years. At the same time, I feel that it's time for a new chapter. A calmer, deeper one.
Fifteen years ago I probably would have been thinking about how to add more courses:) Today I think more about how to create more space — for freedom, for stillness, for real experiences. As a visual artist and art therapist, I know how much environment matters. When we're in the right place, everything flows so naturally that it's easier to create, and to think creatively. It just flows on its own..
When I first walked into this house, I felt like I was returning to childhood. It reminded me of Starina — the Rusyn village my mother comes from, where I spent several formative years as a child. The village no longer exists; it had to give way to a reservoir. Maybe that's exactly why it's stayed so alive in me. And maybe that's also why I know how powerful a place can be when it welcomes someone in.
I don't have the ambition to change the world — only to create a better place.
..a place people will keep coming back to even 11 years from now, maybe with their own children, like Denisa's..
„Ten years ago I had my first joint exhibition opening at Artevia, and my Ali was still in my belly. Even then I knew this was something special — that my daughter would be my partner in art. Over those 11 years she grew up alongside the studio, and even though I've missed some sessions lately, my bond with Artevia and Silvia stays strong and remains a source of inspiration, for which I'm grateful to Silvia. She's taught me a lot — above all, to look at creative work not just as a picture.. there's always more to it.. the most beautiful thing is when even in a small drawing you can see a piece of someone's soul.“ — Denisa
People know me like this..
Silvia is exceptional, as both an artist and a teacher, in her ability to teach and to sensitively invite people into contact with art. Her courses go beyond ordinary teaching or established methods. Even though they draw on her academic background, she naturally transforms them into a process that's unique and tailor-made for each person, even when it takes place in a group. I think that's exactly where the strength of her studio lies. Creating at Artevia is both a collective process and, at the same time, a very personal journey for each of us. And it's precisely that combination that feels deeply healing. What I admire in Silvia is the ease, warmth, and respect with which she invites people into the world of art. The atmosphere she creates is, for me, a truly sensory experience. You can feel it under your fingers, through all your senses, in your whole body — in openness, acceptance, and goodwill. It's a place where a person doesn't have to prove anything. There aren't many people or places like this. They're rare. All the more reason they deserve our support and recognition, because what they do enriches not just individuals, but the community around them.
— Magda
What will the money raised be used for?
The funds from this campaign will be used transparently and exclusively for the first, most urgent phase: purchasing construction materials and paying for tradespeople's work to stabilize the structure. As soon as the house is safely under a new roof, we'll move on to the next steps — repairing plaster, sorting out heating, installing a stove, etc. — which we'd like to fund on an ongoing basis from our own income as well as future revenue from our activities.
The preliminary budget for this most urgent phase — materials, a structural engineer's assessment, and professional construction work — comes to an expected €15,000, which would help us enormously to get started. We'd like to break the fundraising total down into milestones:
- €5,000 — design plan, structural assessment, and material purchase (timber for the roof structure and covering, steel to reinforce the walls)
- €8,000 — formwork and concrete pouring for tie beams to stop the cracking, carpentry work on the new roof structure, and repair of the chimney stacks
- €12,000 — closing up the roof, laying the roofing material, tinsmith work, gutters, and safe flue/chimney pipes before autumn arrives
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps build the first stage of Artevia's new home. I believe each of us needs a place where we don't have to prove anything — where we're allowed to create, to talk, or just to sit quietly and look out over the vineyards.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end.
If this story spoke to you, and you feel that a place like this matters too, we'd be so glad to have you become part of it.
Maybe one day you'll walk through this gate too:)
Looking forward to meeting you.
Silvie.
