Now that I made it back to the United States from my residency in Wales, I wanted to reflect on my time there. Being back home is great and strange at the same time. I am still jet lagged because only 3 days ago I was in England boarding my plane, but I am hoping to get back on schedule soon. It is so great to be with my husband and 4 boys, but I am also missing Wales and trying to adjust to my life. This residency was an unbelievable experience and opportunity to get me out of my normal environment and into a place full of inspiration and creative freedom. I can't wait for my next residency! Until then...
10 Things I will miss about Wales:
- The incredible nature at my fingertips in any direction
- The slow pace of life in the Corris community
- The simple life with no distractions
- Being able to work on art for extended periods of time on my own schedule
- Being in community with other artists
- Talking to people who are from different countries and learning about the world
- The time and space to think clearly and deeply
- Having a studio attached to my bedroom where I can't escape my paintings
- The scones with clotted cream and jam and also the welsh cakes
- Working on my art when inspiration comes instead of when it can fit it in my schedule
20 Realizations I had in Wales:
- It is confirmed that I want to be a full time working artist
- I will never know what it feels like to be bored because I always have my art
- I was getting a little lazy in my mothering and homemaking because I was more mentally consumed with reaching my artistic goals
- Being authentic in my art is more important to me than making money
- I love my husband and children more than anything in the world
- I love nature more than I thought I did
- There are other artists in the world who think like I do and I need to be around other artists more
- I have been too consumed with social media and the internet and I need to scale back
- It takes very little to just take care of myself without others in my life to take care of
- About 90% of my time at home is used to care for others
- It is so healthy and refreshing to take time to feel like an individual and an artist outside of being a mother and wife
- I love travel and adventure but I don't like figuring out public transportation or carrying heavy rucksacks
- There are things I still have in my brain from growing up in England that are brought to mind through experiences in Great Britain
- I actually do like to cook, but I was just burned out from having to cook so much at home
- I am very introverted when I am consumed with my art, but enjoy interactions with people outside of it
- I am definitely a wanderlust and want to see as much of the world as possible and make connections with people across the globe
- I need very little to be happy
- I want experiences more than material things
- I want to keep doing residencies to use as spring boards for my art and time for refreshment and refocus
- I am want to keep growing in my art and I'm excited to see where the road takes me next!