“Let us not be bound by ideas of how we must be. Let us not be told to be or do anything that feels wrong. Let us define for ourselves what the right timing and the right places are… Let us be and make only what is true to who we are."
- Tech Artist Minji Sohn

Moving geographically changes a lot of things. In my recent relocation to the Blue Ridge Mountains, specifically the college town of Charlottesville, Virginia, my artist identity is getting a workout. I have been living in Virginia for close to a year now, and things are feeling more ‘normal,’ interspersed with many moments of disorientation. The voice inside my head asks, ‘Who am I now?’

Not to say that I am not nourished by the natural environment here, the quirky creative touches that surround this university town, and the warmth of the people here because I truly am. But there is no comparison to the creative influence that I experienced for decades in the coastal city of San Francisco, which has been historically one of the most innovative and art-filled cities on the planet.

My artist self is still very much linked to San Francisco as I have the privilege of working remotely. Yet I am no longer rooted in the city, so more stretching is required. I made this move with a lot of clear intention to have more time and quiet to reflect while reconnecting to my East Coast roots. My artist identity was first formed as a teenager growing up in Cleveland, Ohio when I first found a love for photography.

What has shaped my Creative Identity:

• My upbringing and my family’s appreciation for arts & crafts
• The music of the 1980s
• Famous photographers and filmmakers that I followed as a young artist, i.e., Cindy Sherman, Wim Wenders, Spike Lee
• My recovery from alcoholism
• Expressive arts and movement therapy
• Moving through grief
• My creative friends and colleagues
• The diverse landscape of San Francisco

As I embark on more changes here—we are moving from our current location into a new home this July—I’m so curious to see how my surroundings will inspire my art and life going forward.

I want to offer you these questions as an inquiry to reflect on your art life:

• What has shaped your creative identity?
• What is influencing your art practices at present?
• What feels most true to you in relation to your creative identity—i.e., what are your values, inspirations, and inner gifts?

If you want to be more creative and don’t know where to start, consider joining me for my fall course or reach out to me directly and we can brainstorm together.