Week 1-2: Many Beginnings

These first two weeks have been about discovering points of connection between existing parts of myself and what I experience in these new surroundings, in order to find routines, destinations, and activities that anchor my exploration. It’s been a challenge for me, as someone who tends to go with the flow and has previously struggled with being more re-active than pro-active.

Immersion feels different now, especially as an artist doing a residency. When I was growing up as a child of immigrants and “immersing” myself in the culture around me (assimilation, basically), immersion was a matter of survival, and it became my identity as a whole; in some ways, I lost myself trying to assimilate. In college, my immersion experiences in India also involved putting my own self aside, thinking “immersion” meant becoming someone different to accommodate my environment.

This time around, there's still the part of immersion where my surroundings come first, but at the same time, in my creative practice, I’m working on putting my own voice first. I chose this art residency experience because I wanted to put my creative voice to the test and strengthen it with the work that I do. These first couple of weeks have been a time of navigating how to balance my appreciation and admiration for the place I’m in, with my commitment to my own creative aspirations.

The amount of stunning views I’ve taken in in the last couple of weeks has been crazy and honestly, sort of overwhelming! I want my art to honor where I am, but how do I choose which of the multitude of experiences to turn into a painting? And beyond that, I want to avoid the type of work I often feel trapped by, which is the kind where I simply render photos into paintings. And—even further beyond that, while keeping up with the concerning news from the U.S. and all over the world, I’ve been contemplating my place in what it means to move toward justice and liberation.

After setting up my new studio (which by the way, has the largest wall space I’ve ever worked with!) I started off with a “warm-up” painting on the small canvas I shipped from home along with some of my paints & supplies. It was of a scene I captured on a walk back to campus from more sightseeing, that perfectly featured the vast Burren at sunset, with iconic sheeps! 🐑

While reflecting on several dichotomies that capture what I’ve been feeling about my experience here so far, one that felt appropriate was Gratitude / Calling. In a Yin-Yang way (if you don’t already know, Yin & Yang as a Taoist concept has really helped me as a framework for balance), gratitude regards what already exists, what I’ve received, what I feel like is not of my own doing, while calling, represents what it is I’m feeling called to do with the blessings I’ve been given—in my work, in my actions, in how I turn what I’m grateful for into something that extends beyond myself.

Here’s a timelapse video of my painting process -

Another artist, David, who has a studio at the college, runs an open mic in Doolin and kindly invited me to perform. He has also taken a few of us residents on a seaweed foraging trip—how cool! Here’s a clip of my cover of Sierra Ferrell’s “In Dreams” from the open mic.

Setting up the studio: