Last weekend was the opening reception for the Fall Showcase that I’m a part of at the Livingston Senior/Community Center, and it was a lovely gathering of local community members who came to enjoy the works of three artists: Andrew Wong, Victoria Weiss and myself.
It was exciting to see everything come together, after all the time spent prepping my work with hooks and wires, creating and sharing flyers, hanging everything up, and—arguably most importantly—curating a spread of refreshments, which is an art in itself! The reception, one of those “this is it!” moments, was an experience that reminded me to remember what this is all about.
The people - I really appreciated seeing people from different parts of my life come out and support me. Many of them were friends of my parents’, and knowing of the apprehension many of their immigrant generation have had regarding less stable paths like the arts, it really meant a lot to see them support me in this stage of my journey. When I do the work that I do, I often think about doing it for those who, for survival or limitations out of their control, could not.
The community space - I grew up going to the community center for after school activities, and thanks to the Arts Council of Livingston petitioning to turn the entrance hallways into a gallery, the art on view reaches people of all ages in the community who pass through the space. Facilitating access to the arts, even in just seeing it in everyday spaces, is about more than encouraging art directly; artworks serve as a portal to a space where creativity and thinking outside the box is not only allowed, but encouraged. Art is an expression of the artist’s inner world, something that allows us to understand people in new ways.
The journey - It was an honor to get to know my fellow artists in the show, Andrew and Victoria, especially since they are both much more experienced in their art careers than I am. Hearing about their journeys reminded me that when it comes to choosing a path in the arts, the decision itself and the meaning it holds to the artist are as much a part of an artist’s practice as the actual work they create. I think about all the experiences that led me to decide to make my creative expression a priority, and how for me, my current endeavors in my art career are a transitory step in my greater journey, and I look forward to where it brings me.
The outfit - On a less serious note, I was so happy about my outfit for the reception!! The shirt is from my recent trip to the motherland and it came together well in an attempt at Eastern-Western fusion :)
As usual, thank you for reading and staying in touch throughout this journey!
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