Starting from the end
Essay Series: Introductions 8/8
There have been a number of ups and downs since arriving in the UK... even without covid making it an even more daunting decision. Living 27 years in Japan and suddenly moving for the first time to a country to which I have no connection, I discovered, can result in a lot of mental whiplash.
Even though I was so nervous, starting from square one also seemed refreshing. I had the desire to get a better idea of what I wanted to put out into the world, and I thought that this change could allow me to do that. However, leaving all my paint supplies, space, clientele behind led to a very special kind of frustration. One that I tried to cure with a lot of food bars, caffeine, and frozen mangos over these past four months.
Despite the uncertainty, the beautiful city that I moved to gave me something that I didn’t expect. It pushed me to sit still and create a routine. Even though each day has been a lot of the same, I discovered immense pleasure in the small elements of each day.
So with my unfailing collective tendencies, I decided to create a series based on those anecdotes and document those moments through my art. These small and unassuming culture shocks give me not only lessons for life but are what I live for.
My new series is entitled, “On My Way Home”.
It may seem ironic because I left my home, but sometimes you need to leave to find where you belong.
Even though this is the end of my first 8-part series, Introductions, it is also the start of something new. A whole new loop.. and whole new wonderful experiences await not only myself but all of us in this coming year. That’s what I’ve learned from leaving Japan four months ago: The end is the start of a new beginning.
In finishing, I hope you all had a beautiful holiday season and New Year. Before the start of 2021, share five new things that you’ve experienced this year with me and I’ll share mine with you:
My first time…
Voting in a US election
Being in a serious relationship
Living in a new country
Self-publishing a book
Learning to separate my whites from my darks
“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to
come, whispering ‘it will be happier...”