Life of an Artist, From Japan to New York
Over three weeks ago, I moved to New York. Finally being able to type those words on a page feels odd, especially since I had envisioned moving here four years ago. It almost doesn’t feel real. But I now find myself living in a quaint house in Brooklyn, living the life of a (nearly) starving artist.
When I first came to the Big Apple, I was on cloud nine and taken by each and every thing that came my way—no matter how grimy the streets were or how much trash was laden on the road.
I loved every single moment: Being lost in the subway, unsure if the train I hopped on would take me to where I needed to go… surrounding myself with creative kinetic energy and walking for hours on end. From the first time I visited as a tourist, I felt that I needed to spend more time in this city. However, I learned New York on vacation versus living here full-time are two separate experiences.
My first week of moving wasn’t as graceful as I had hoped. Luckily, my living quarters and other important details were all set. Things were going fairly smoothly, but after I got scammed on Craigslist within the first few days of moving, I lost a lot of motivation to work on art. Painting took a back seat for a couple of weeks until I could recenter.
Slowly but surely, the dust settled and I could feel myself breaking into my new environment. There are specific indications of a place becoming a home: Knowing which direction the station is when you leave your apartment.. getting a keychain instead of keeping it limp at the bottom of your bag...recognizing the poetic names of the streets on my daily walk (Ash.. Starr..Lorimer..Anislie..Debevoise..Locust.)
In the midst of all this life, I am wondering how I want to use these new-found influences and what direction I want to take my work in. For the past couple of years, I have felt nothing short of being at my whits end, wondering how to translate my own experiences abstractly and stay afloat financially at the same time. Creative work isn’t a linear road in the slightest, and at times can be terrifying.
But the truth is, nothing equals the life of an artist. Being able to have the chance to document and explore all of these different facets of the self, is a journey like no other. You come face to face with yourself each day, asking continuously what beauty you can contribute to the world. The depths of the purpose, possibilities, and challenges can be daunting to jump into, but it is the best life I can give myself. And throughout the process, I am continuously reminded of the joy to exist at all.
I will be creating a new series based off of my first month here in Brooklyn. To be the first to see the pieces, sign up here.