Lucas

It all started when...

I went on a Vacation with an Artist because I was looking for an alternative to the standard vacation. As an artist myself, I wanted to take an international trip that—on top of being totally new and exciting—was also creatively fulfilling. It seems to me that VAWAA is one of the few travel agencies right now that combines all of those things into a single experience. When I first came across the organization a year ago, I knew that, when I was ready to take my very first trip outside of the United States, it would almost certainly be with VAWAA. And it was! To put it simply, I was hoping to have a completely unique experience and to return home with some equally unique work to add to my portfolio.

I got all of that and more. I think I'll look back on this experience as a watershed moment where I started to take myself more seriously as an artist. It helped me get back into the habit of art-making, in general, at a time in my life where I was putting a lot of my energy and focus on my day job at a non-profit arts organization. My time in Norway resulted in new work in a very concrete way, yes, but will also be the genesis of a variety of other creative projects in other mediums, indirectly (that is, as inspiration). It's also a way for me to stand out when applying for artist grants, graduate school, and/or positions at other arts organizations down the road. But most importantly, I created some wonderful, lifetime memories in another country and made some new, working artist friends—who I'm already planning to visit again soon!