Taking time to integrate change
Finishing my MFA and embarking on a new chapter of my life and artistic practiceThe following text was originally published as part my newsletter “Field Notes on Flourishing” which was on Substack from 2022-2023. Embedded images and links have been removed.
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This week marked the end of a significant chapter in my life: I finished my MFA!
After two years of work (and one intense week of installation) the doors opened to the exhibition where I showed my degree project A Home is a Portal. It was up for one week and filled to the brim with an intense mix of emotions.
Showing something that had been so personal and private for so long was surreal at first, but it was incredible, too. I cried with and hugged strangers after they told me that my story felt like their story. I received positive feedback that filled my heart and am so grateful to everyone who took the time to come and see it!
I also received some feedback that reminded me of the importance of these types of stories. Stories told from the margins. Stories told in fragments typical of diasporic people and children of immigrants. Stories that some are still quick to label unclear or confusing, particularly those whose lives have not been touched by generational trauma or migration. I’ve been reminded of the importance of telling these stories regardless—and in a way that feels authentic and true to our lived experiences.
I’ve been invited to bring this installation to an art gallery this July and hope to have more exhibitions in the coming months.
As I move forward from this chapter, I carry with me so many new learnings and approaches to my artistic practice. These last years have been filled with so much experimentation—working with sequential storytelling, printmaking, bookbinding, designing and building out installations—and I can’t wait to integrate all that I’ve learned into the next steps in my professional and artistic life.
I am excited about the future, but even so, I know that transitions take time. I intend to give myself the space to sit with the feelings of uncertainty and newness.
Right now, I am taking time to reflect, to get quiet, to process, to spend time in nature and with family and friends so this month’s newsletter is shorter than usual.
Thank you for being on this journey with me. And stay tuned — I’m so excited to continue sharing this next chapter with you all.
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