Can Silvestre
Can Silvestre
Can Silvestre is a traditional Catalan farmhouse from 1806, nestled deep within the forest of Riudarenes, in the province of Girona, just about an hour north of Barcelona. Surrounded by holm oaks and oak trees, it offers a quiet, off-grid setting where space opens up for focused creative work and a renewed connection to the natural world. The space is used as an artist residency and for gatherings.
Can Silvestre was founded by Ester, who envisioned a space where nature, art and people come together. In conversation with her, it becomes clear that the place emerged from a personal search. She grew up with a deep connection to nature — not as something separate from us, but as something we are inherently part of. After years working in the tech world and traveling extensively across North and South America, one idea persisted: the openness of people, the sharing of space and time. As she describes it, “I was deeply touched by that openness, and I wanted to create something similar. Mi casa es su casa.” From that feeling, Can Silvestre was born. A place where living, creating and gathering gently merge. Where art and nature do not exist separately, but remain in constant dialogue.
The house itself holds a quiet presence. Surrounded by forest and shifting light, the environment is not a backdrop, but the starting point. The residency is not something imposed onto the place, but something that has grown from it. The rhythm of the landscape — its sounds, seasons and sense of isolation — shapes how the days unfold. Artists who stay here come from different disciplines, but what connects them is a certain openness. According to Ester, it is less about what someone creates, and more about how they relate, to the place, to others, and to the process. Presence, attention and sensitivity play an essential role. It is about moving with the environment, rather than existing apart from it. Within Can Silvestre, a natural balance emerges between solitude and connection. Days often begin in silence, with focus and concentration, gradually opening up to walks, rest or conversation. In the evenings, everything comes together again, around a shared meal, a conversation in the garden, or simply being together.
Here, nature is not a backdrop but a collaborator. It shapes the work as much as the artist does. What remains is a quieter way of working, guided less by control, and more by attention, presence and time.
