ART TRAVEL - When Things Go Awry
We first heard the smashing of glass in a nearby shop in the medina, when a man emerged with a 16” machete swinging it wildly above his head, slashing the leather bags from their hangers. He was going berserk. We ducked down an alley, hearts thumping, women shrieking, while a wave of men chased down the perpetrator vigilante style. We never found out what happened after that.
A lantern shop in a medina in Morocco. ©Amy Guion Clay
This was just last week in Essaouira, Morocco while my friend and I browsed the lovely souks on a warm sunny day. Normally Essaouira is a safe and mellow town. This was a fluke. But anything (shit) can happen anywhere, any time. We just don’t ever know.
As a long time traveler, I sign up for the unknown. Letting go of the anchor of home means finding comfort in the constantly evolving and changing world around me. Mostly it’s inspiring and exciting change. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, and rarely, but it happens, it’s painful and frightening.
And even when it’s hard, the next turn of the corner can bring something/someone so wonderfully unexpected that makes it all worthwhile.
Case in point: I shouldn’t be where I am now, in Ballygally, Northern Ireland.
The beach at Ballygally, Northern Ireland. ©Amy Guion Clay
Last year, as I carefully planned my year abroad, I chose 2 residencies in Spain for Feb and March, back to back, with a week in Morocco between them. I would then move on to Portugal for April. This was a neat and tidy plan, and it would be an economically sound choice since I wouldn’t spend too much money on air travel.
But back in November, while at a residency in Newfoundland, the 2nd residency in Spain unexpectedly closed for 2020, and I was suddenly left with a big wide gap in my plans. Where would I go for March? Paying for a hotel/Airbnb for a whole month was not an option.
While sharing my dilemma with my fellow artists in Newfoundland, one of them generously offered me his guest cottage by the sea at his home in Northern Ireland, gratis, for the month of March. While it would mean flying from Morocco to Belfast and then on to Portugal, it was a lovely and affordable gift.
The beachfront view in Ballygally, Northern Ireland. ©Amy Guion Clay
Of course what I didn’t know then was that the coronavirus would be swiftly rampaging the world by the time March came around, and that Spain would be one of the first countries to be hit hard and lock down. It could have been disastrous had I been there.
So for now, I am momentarily snug in my cottage by the Irish sea, with a lovely studio and delightful hosts (even though we are practicing our social distancing). Back in November I was distressed when I learned that the 2nd Spanish residency had closed, but somehow life had a better plan in mind.
My bright and warm studio in Ballygally, Northern Ireland, filling up with works in process. ©Amy Guion Clay
One of the greatest challenges is to TRUST when things go awry, because we just don’t know what is coming around the corner. Fear and anxiety will always be with us. But if we can find a deeper grounding in trust, we can dissolve the fear that prevails and stay present to new opportunities that arise.
Going into the unknown, trusting the present moment, listening for guidance - these are the exact same skills we must practice in the creative process. This is why I see travel and art-making as being so closely aligned. They both require strengthening the muscle of TRUST. With practice, we find courage and confidence in letting go of control and allowing an even better possibility to arise.
POSTSCRIPT: This was written before the full thrust of the Coronavirus was being felt around the world. More on that in the more recent post about Pema Chodron’s book called Comfortable With Uncertainty.
If you are interested in doing an artist residency in the future, now is a good time to start applying for artist residencies from Fall 2020 and especially into 2021. Often deadlines are at least a year in advance, so it’s good to prepare well in advance and begin your research now. If you want to know more about artist residencies, check out my online course by clicking the button below. For April only, the course is discounted to just $25.