Comments on: Expat Artists: How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/ study abroad programs Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:03:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nassau http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-8286 Nassau Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:49:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-8286 Such a fantastic article! I took almost the same photograph while staying in Beijing. There was a sense of limitlessness and I took risks that I would have blushed bright red at iat home. I asked questions of gallery owners and met with artists in their homes. What a great piece! You really capture how invigorating and visually stunning every day life is when it is a constant study in difference! Such a fantastic article! I took almost the same photograph while staying in Beijing. There was a sense of limitlessness and I took risks that I would have blushed bright red at iat home. I asked questions of gallery owners and met with artists in their homes. What a great piece! You really capture how invigorating and visually stunning every day life is when it is a constant study in difference!

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]]> By: Elle http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-8276 Elle Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:03:04 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-8276 Hi Sarah & All - I enjoyed reading your post & everyone's comments. I was reminded of how transformative a change in environment can be - especially when arriving at a 'milestone' in life. I was wondering if any of you out there have attempted this with children. I suppose it can get a bit 'tricky' -- I have a pre-teen & teen -- great kids who love to explore ( but also would miss their friends & familiar activities!). I have been having a strong desire to make this change, & try it for at least a year or two. I moved from a large, cultural city, to cow country & miss the creative community. The creative communites I've lived in have been gentrified with rents/sales six times higher than what they were. I need to live in a place that will provide new experiences, explorations, is affordable & inspirational. Any ideas? Your insights & input would be greatly appreciated!!! Hi Sarah & All – I enjoyed reading your post & everyone’s comments. I was reminded of how transformative a change in environment can be – especially when arriving at a ‘milestone’ in life. I was wondering if any of you out there have attempted this with children. I suppose it can get a bit ‘tricky’ — I have a pre-teen & teen — great kids who love to explore ( but also would miss their friends & familiar activities!). I have been having a strong desire to make this change, & try it for at least a year or two. I moved from a large, cultural city, to cow country & miss the creative community. The creative communites I’ve lived in have been gentrified with rents/sales six times higher than what they were. I need to live in a place that will provide new experiences, explorations, is affordable & inspirational. Any ideas? Your insights & input would be greatly appreciated!!!

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]]> By: The Creative Life Abroad | Expat Arts http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-7388 The Creative Life Abroad | Expat Arts Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:12:03 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-7388 [...] is, of course, a long tradition of the expatriate artist,” writes Sarah Menkedick for the travel network Matador.“Fitzgerald and Hemingway left a trail of expat glamour along the left bank that still beckons [...] [...] is, of course, a long tradition of the expatriate artist,” writes Sarah Menkedick for the travel network Matador.“Fitzgerald and Hemingway left a trail of expat glamour along the left bank that still beckons [...]

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]]> By: Stephen http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-6541 Stephen Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:42:19 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-6541 Great post Sarah. Living abroad does keep me sharp....Time to move someplace exciting again! Great post Sarah. Living abroad does keep me sharp….Time to move someplace exciting again!

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]]> By: Oasis Luxury Rentals : Can the words Expat and Artist be interchangeable? http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-6263 Oasis Luxury Rentals : Can the words Expat and Artist be interchangeable? Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:06:30 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-6263 [...] Expat Artists: How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life [...] [...] Expat Artists: How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life [...]

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]]> By: TimR http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-6253 TimR Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:18:31 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-6253 A great post that got me thinking. Artists by nature or definition don't really fit into "ordinary" job and social categories, and that can be hard when there's a lot of pressure to just fit in, get a regular job, etc. But in a foreign country, you're automatically and always different no matter what you do, and so being an artist maybe isn't such a big deal. It's easier to incorporate that difference into the general difference of being foreign. A great post that got me thinking. Artists by nature or definition don’t really fit into “ordinary” job and social categories, and that can be hard when there’s a lot of pressure to just fit in, get a regular job, etc. But in a foreign country, you’re automatically and always different no matter what you do, and so being an artist maybe isn’t such a big deal. It’s easier to incorporate that difference into the general difference of being foreign.

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]]> By: Wendy http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-6223 Wendy Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:21:08 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-6223 Sarah, A very thoughtful post. It's nice to be reminded of how the experience of taking in our surroundings sharpens our senses. My time in China constantly felt intense because I was conscious of the act of photographing every detail in my mind. Sarah,

A very thoughtful post. It’s nice to be reminded of how the experience of taking in our surroundings sharpens our senses. My time in China constantly felt intense because I was conscious of the act of photographing every detail in my mind.

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]]> By: Miranda http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-5776 Miranda Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:56:40 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-5776 Thanks for this, Sarah--what a thoughtful and well-constructed reflection! I'm particularly interested in what you write about artists living in countries where they "don't have to obsess as much over striking the balance between earning and creating, and where daily life serves up a chaos of encounters that get the creative brain off and running." I've been an expat in the UK for two years, trying to forge a life as a writer, and here--an expensive country--I'm constantly obsessing over that delicate balance. But I think the thing that keeps me going, even when I've barely made enough to pay my rent, is the "chaos of encounters", the sense of transience, difference, luckiness. I don't think I'd live the same life at home in California; everything would be too easy, I'd feel falsely secure, I'd forget to observe my surroundings in the same way. Anyway, it's nice to be reminded of this! Thanks for this, Sarah–what a thoughtful and well-constructed reflection!

I’m particularly interested in what you write about artists living in countries where they “don’t have to obsess as much over striking the balance between earning and creating, and where daily life serves up a chaos of encounters that get the creative brain off and running.” I’ve been an expat in the UK for two years, trying to forge a life as a writer, and here–an expensive country–I’m constantly obsessing over that delicate balance. But I think the thing that keeps me going, even when I’ve barely made enough to pay my rent, is the “chaos of encounters”, the sense of transience, difference, luckiness. I don’t think I’d live the same life at home in California; everything would be too easy, I’d feel falsely secure, I’d forget to observe my surroundings in the same way.

Anyway, it’s nice to be reminded of this!

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]]> By: Brooke http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-5574 Brooke Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:29:53 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-5574 I completely agree. I think you have to be creative in all aspects of life to survive abroad. The new experiences and freedom from societal norms back at home feed into all kinds of different pursuits. By changing your environment, new possibilities seem to spontaneously open up. I completely agree. I think you have to be creative in all aspects of life to survive abroad. The new experiences and freedom from societal norms back at home feed into all kinds of different pursuits. By changing your environment, new possibilities seem to spontaneously open up.

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]]> By: How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life « Expatwerp http://matadorabroad.com/expat-artists-how-living-abroad-facilitates-the-creative-life/comment-page-1/#comment-5436 How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life « Expatwerp Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:25:26 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=3007#comment-5436 [...] *source : matadorabroad.com [...] [...] *source : matadorabroad.com [...]

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