By Carolyn Edlund
What’s Your Dream Destination as an Artist?
Joshua Lance
Joshua Lance is a lucky young man. He started painting landscapes in New Mexico, but got an opportunity to travel to South Korea to teach English, and also continue his artwork. Josh has been there for ten months, and his job commitment has ended, so he needs to move on, to another international destination.
But where?
Although it’s been stressful to deal with a new culture, Josh says that he’s learned “how my environment shapes me.” Working on his painting in Korea has enabled him to do one group show there, his first in a foreign country.
“Bromeliads” by Joshua Lance
Now he wants to continue his world travels, and reached out recently to ask for a recommendation of great places to travel to continue his art career.
“Daisy” by Joshua Lance
Josh wrote
I want to use National Geographic’s spirit and travel to different parts of the world, whether they’re popular or not. I’ll go where it feels right or where I’m needed. I not only want to make a living painting my heart out, I want to help others with their own self-expression too.
“Jinhae Canal” by Joshua Lance
Japan is a possibility. Maybe Taiwan. Or Italy, Argentina, or . . . It’s a big decision.
Josh is looking for suggestions. Do you have one?
Where in the world would YOU travel to make art?
If you had no obligations,
If you had enough money to live for six months,
If you could travel anywhere that would inspire you,
Where would you go?
What would you do?
What would you create?
What an exciting life and beautiful art.
Jaime, Do you have a dream destination?
So, I’ve been reading all the responses while I think deeply about answering that Carolyn and I think I have to agree with you and Ann… Bali sounds like a magical place.
I remember reading it about it in the book “Eat Pray Love” and it did sound pretty fantastic!
If I could go anywhere for 6 months I would put Italy at the top of the list! Such wonderful history, culture and art! The renaissance started there! You are so cool to be living the dream, Joshua!
I have a suggestion for Joshua – How about coming to India?
I have a school filled with underprivileged children who would LOVE some help with arty self-expression – http://www.sukrupa.org/
Wow those are some great responses! Catherine, Italy would be truly amazing. Would love to visit there one day. Jenny, I haven’t considered India and i am familiar with some great art, food and Bollywood. I will check out your site!
If I could have no obligations and some money, I would definitely go to London. Not only a place I feel I belong to, but to be in such old place with so much history… so inspiring. And then, assuming I would have the conditions to be there for a longer time, I would travel Europe and test the “enviroment influence” on my art in all those amazing countries.
In fact, there are so many places in the world… each one has a different style, history and culture to expand our creative minds beyond the limits. What a dreamy life, huh? 🙂
I think Alaska would be a great place to visit in the summer. Italy and Australia also top my list! I’ll never get to see any of those in real life, but since we’re dreaming… 🙂
Dream on and enjoy it! Who knows . . . maybe one day . . .
They all are great places. Dont lose sight of your dreams.
Go to Bali. It has the most gentle people. The land is gorgeous and the culture is very different. Hear a Gamblin band, see the dances, view a parade, eat great food.
Or, the Amalfi Coast of Italy with Sorrento as base. Paint in Pompei, climb Mt. Vesuvias, paint the Greek ruins in Paestem, the gorgeous fisherman villages.
Great you have freedom to make this decision.
Ann, I’m ready to pack – your suggestions sound marvelous!
Here’s my update…I have a teaching interview in Taipei next week. I have my plane ticket and ready to see how things go. I plan to make a series if paintings while there.
As a teenager living in Germany, I had dreams of visiting Italy but never made it there; still a goal of mine. More recently the dream has been to paint in Monet’s gardens in Giverny, but I understand they are now more restrictive in the time allowed for artist to paint on the spot. That being said, the good Old USA has some fantastic scenery of its own and a strong desire of mine is to visit as many National Parks as possible to paint the beauty found there. Josh, I wish you the best !
Carol, I believe what you may need is a “Grand Tour” of the world to experience wonderful places to paint. What a marvelous dream!
I’d love to go to japan! Being a fibre artist I could not only find tons of inspirations but also improve on many techniques like sashiko embroidery. And I draw in manga style, so I might be overwhelmed by the oppurtunities to improve my skill there. But I think most inspiring might be the beautiful landscape, the architecture and the japanese design. I would take photos until my camera crushes. But I doubt that I’ll make it for six months, but a long holiday wouls also be nice and I work on that, including my japanes language skills. One day…
Hi Carol R. Thank you for sharing your dream. I’ve been around the USA and there’s so much to see, especially out west, some of the best landscapes to paint and visit in my humble opinion.