6 Tips For The Crafty + Creative Expat To Stay Inspired, Motivated + Creatively Fulfilled!

Although it's been a while since I travelled outside of Australia, I am most definitely a gypsy at heart. Barely a day passes where I am not dreaming of hitting the road and exploring the world, taking my crafty blog and business with me! 

Of course, it's easier said than done, and so I am super excited to bring you a guest post today from crafty Aussie expat Emily Orpin, who currently lives in Korea, about how to stay creative, motivated and inspired while facing the challenges of being away from home. Enjoy!

About five and a bit years ago the husband and I left our lovely apartment in Sydney and moved to Hong Kong. And two and a bit years after that we moved to Seoul. We moved for my husband's work and it really has been the most wonderful of adventures.

However - I’ve seen first hand that living abroad, far from family and friends and your established community, isn’t for everyone. And it can be especially tough on the ‘trailing spouse’, the one whose just following the other. For us, it can mean more than setting aside a potential career back home, more than a loss of income. It can mean a loss of purpose, a loss of your place in the world.

Now I’m sure all you crafty types are thinking ‘Oh! Being forced to quit my day job? And having extra ‘spare’ time? Yes please!’. The answer seems simple – more free time means more creative time, right? Well, not necessarily. The dislocation and isolation that can come with living abroad may be great drivers of creativity but they could also lead to depression, stagnation or a lack of motivation. It can be a tumultuous time, which could be both good and bad for creativity. And then there are the practical considerations – constant moves, limited workspace, problems with access to raw materials, language barriers, visa constraints…

So, here are my top tips for keeping those creative juices flowing and growing while you’re living abroad:

1. Go for a walk. 
Rain, hail or shine, just go for a stroll. A walk is such a great way to get to know a new place, it’s fabulous for clearing your head and, for me anyway, I always come away from a wander with a head full of ideas. You just don’t know what awaits around that street corner.

2. Find a portable way to stay creative. 
Back home you might have been a quilter extraordinaire with an entire room devoted to your fabric stash, or maybe you had a garage that doubled as your printmaking studio. That’s probably not going to happen in your new home. You might be downsizing, living out of a suitcase or just in limbo. You need a light and easy channel for your creativity. Perhaps a sketchbook and one really good pencil, a great lightweight camera (or a really good phone!), or a crochet hook – something that doesn’t take up too much room or require loads of storage space.

3. When in Rome… 
What do people make in your new home? What’s the history behind it? Can you have a go at it? In Korea I am surrounded by seriously stunning handicraft. From beautiful ceramics and hanji (handmade paper), to intricate embroidery and maedup (Korean knotting) there is a wealth of beautiful things to admire and be inspired by, and a bunch of new skills to learn.

4. Get involved, on and off line.
Off line this might mean joining in with the local ‘stitch and bitch’ meet up (or starting your own), visiting craft markets or taking a class. On line it might mean supporting your favourite blogs (or writing your own), or finding a community to join - a forum, a bunch of Twitter friends, or sites like Flickr, Behance and Pinterest – basically somewhere, anywhere that inspiring and creative folks gather. The internet has been a lifeline for me, both in staying in touch with family and friends (and making new friends too!) and in being a constant source of inspiration and motivation.

5. Set yourself a challenge, or join in on someone else’s. 
If you’re a bit of a control freak like me having a project with set aims, goals and deadlines can be very helpful and strangely reassuring. Last year I created a monthly project on my blog, Collecting Colour, and I really thrived on having something to work on each month. I get a similar feeling when I join in with Fat Mum Slim’s Photo a Day. It’s something that challenges you to be creative, even when you’re not necessarily feeling that way.

6. Make stuff anyway. 
So, your visa means you can’t work. Which means you have to go easy on your online shop and probably shouldn’t sign up for the local markets. Sometimes having a consumer can be a great motivator to keep creating and letting go of your handmade business might put a dint in your motivation. Consider getting involved in online craft swaps and group projects instead, or give friends and family handmade gifts until they tell you to stop. Or just make something for the love of it.

Basically, just keep learning and keep exploring. Living overseas can be the most inspiring, freeing, all-round-amazing thing. Yes, there are down days. Days when I feel isolated, frustrated or just exhausted, but I always try to remember what a wonderful thing this opportunity is. And if all else fails, I grab my camera, go for a stroll and immerse myself in the adventure of it all!

Thanks so much for sharing this Emily - of course, you have instilled a burning desire to move to the other side of the world in me, but let's face it, that desire is never that far from my mind! 

I've really enjoyed following Emily's experiences overseas on her blog and I always find it inspiring from an art/craft perspective as well as just the insight into another culture and way of life. You too can be inspired by Emily's journeys over on her blog Good Things. 

Are you planning any amazing journeys this year?

I'd love to know where you are going! And are you taking your art/craft on the road?? Let me know in the comments!

As for me, I have a few journeys within Australia planned for this year and I am saving my pennies for a trip to the States next year.... and I will be drawing and blogging all the way! Maybe I'll see you on the road.....

Travel well my friends,
Jen x

*All photos in this article by Emily Orpin.