start spreading the news...

ok ok. i know. i've been negligent. i'm sorry. i'm trying to get my life in order. a big move is coming. yes, i'm finally going to do it. i'm going to the city. yes THAT city. new york, new york. the city that is so cool it has the same name as a state. it basically IS the state. i mean come on, when you ask someone from anywhere else in new york "where are you from?" they always answer "buffalo" or "albany" or "long island." but if you're from manhattan or another borough you always get the same answer "new york." well, unless you are talking to someone who is proud of living in brooklyn or queens or the bronx... but anyway, you get my point.

i've been spending a lot of time in new york lately. i've been doing the long distance thing, traveling back and forth every other weekend or so. it's been good, being able to not only consistently get out of philly and see my friends who live elsewhere (in addition to spending time with the person i love), but to also acclimate myself to my soon to be new home.

this past weekend i attended a screening of "here and there" at the tribeca film festival. i would highly recommend it, it is a charming love story (kind of) and snapshot into a random group of people's lives. the film also compares cultures and tradition, subtly discusses the importance of family, and intricately examines people's desires and motivations. following the film, the director answered questions about his own artwork and his personal motivations in directing and writing such a film. it was interesting to hear the creative mastermind of the work explain his intentions. perhaps as interesting were people's interactions with the director. he was automatically viewed as an authority on filmmaking, his own film, and anything having to do with the film's subject matter. it's intriguing, i think, that artists are considered the experts on their craft. that point of view has always made me uncomfortable as a designer simply because i don't think i'm an expert - i'm just someone who has tried to express herself creatively and contribute to a greater work.

maybe this whole idea of authority on artistry is part of becoming a better and more established artist. but i would also like to think that it's not possible to master one's craft. artistic creation is about expression, and it is so rare that we wish to express ourselves in the same way over and over again. maybe an artistic expert is one who takes learning seriously and tries to masters smaller skills of expression. either way, i look forward to the future where i'll be able to live in new york and encounter more and more artists (and experts).