I made a playlist called “Arrive, a PNW playlist” several months prior to moving from Jersey City/NYC to the west coast. I had not actually decided where I was moving to, but the Pacific Northwest had been on my mind for years, especially since a 2021 visit to Alaska via Seattle with family. All I knew was that the time was overdue to leave NYC; the trees & mountains called to me, even in dreams. My dreams (literal, not just metaphors) have often foretold aspects of the future, and I couldn’t ignore a recurring one in which I’d be blissfully driving a moving truck full of belongings through a glimmering technicolor national park.. only to wake up with a profound longing to return.
For those who follow my instagram, I did not withhold the fact that rising rents (both housing & art studio) deeply impacted me post-pandemic. As someone who’s worked independently for years, these fluctuations have a big impact on my ability to create - to spare the time & resources it takes to be an Artist. Thankfully, the universe had a brilliant plan, a silver lining just waiting… At the edges of my consciousness, I could feel the bigger bolder next steps I needed to take. I gave notice to vacate my art studio by Dec. 31, 2023 - and spent New Year’s packing things into storage. After a visit to see friends on the west coast in late January, I relocated to Seattle WA in March 2024.
People ask me why I chose this place -- the short answer is "my happiness."
Much the same way that a good painting requires taking some big risks, I believe so does a good life. The west coast has been a breath of life after 7 years in the city. I've found that one of the keys to living a good artistic life is to keep yourself happy - as best you can. Art is never produced in a vacuum; it's a byproduct of the way you spend your days and nights, the kind of thinking you do, who & what you surround yourself by. My visual field is constantly studying this new landscape to better understand trees, clouds, color tones of water... I feel that my inspiration & understanding grow, almost daily.
"Seattle Mountain Flowers" by J.Heloise, 2024
"I Must Think Mountain Thoughts" by J.Heloise, 2024
"Of the Kingdom" by J.Heloise, 2024
"And Friendship (Geometric)" by J.Heloise, 2024