Comments on: How living abroad facilitates the creative life

By: Richard Gary Samuel

Richard Gary Samuel — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Brilliant, Sarah! Great article. Ever since spending some time abroad last fall (arguably my most creative four months ever), I am thrilled to be going back “on the road” this January, back to Dublin for a year, and then who knows? Being out of one’s element, and forging a way in the unknown, can lead to such thought-provoking and creative work. Thanks for honing in on this. (PS, yeah Pittsburgh!!)

By: I Went to Huanchaco

I Went to Huanchaco — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:30:35 +0000

[...] Daniel shows us that although you are alone you don’t have to be lonely. There are the million things of life swimming around you constantly, the breeze through the trees, a dog playing in the sand, lovers snapping photos of each other at sunset. I guess it is all a matter of perspective, if you see opportunity, it is there. Take a cue from Daniel and look for ways that you are connected and find creative ways to express yourself. [...]

By: Nassau

Nassau — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:49:00 +0000

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!

By: Elle

Elle — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:03:04 +0000

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!!!

By: The Creative Life Abroad | Expat Arts

The Creative Life Abroad | Expat Arts — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:12:03 +0000

[...] 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 [...]

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:42:19 +0000

Great post Sarah. Living abroad does keep me sharp….Time to move someplace exciting again!

By: Oasis Luxury Rentals : Can the words Expat and Artist be interchangeable?

Oasis Luxury Rentals : Can the words Expat and Artist be interchangeable? — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:06:30 +0000

[...] Expat Artists: How Living Abroad Facilitates The Creative Life [...]

By: TimR

TimR — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:18:31 +0000

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.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:21:08 +0000

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.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:56:40 +0000

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!