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This is the last blog post for
my 3-country Fulbright. Awarded
one of the Fulbright’s first
Global
Scholar Awards in 2016, I traveled to Germany, Chile and China from 2017 to
2018 and returned from the last leg in Hong Kong less than two weeks ago.
I write this post as a way of giving back to the Fulbright community
and future applicants. Major thanks also to the many people who supported
me during this experience: Owen and Sophia Mundy, Jan and Joel Dietrick, Davidson
College (the Jay Hurt Hub, Mark Sample, Katie St Clair), The Fulbright and
through them, Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg, Peter Kroeger Claussen at
Pontificia Universidad Católica in Valparaíso, National Archives of Chile in
Santiago, Ozge Ersoy and David Smith at the Asia Art Archive, Penn State
University, Drexel University, North Carolina Arts Council, the Pollock-Krasner
Foundation and The MacDowell Colony.
With several major exhibitions approaching (more on
my news page), I’ve shifted
into studio brain, with which writing comes less easily…but if you are still reading,
you are likely thinking of applying to a Fulbright. In the spirit of end-of-year
lists, here’s my end-of-Fulbright points to consider:
- 1) Be honest about your strengths and what will put you
into a productive state of flow. In all three locations, what stuck with me was
the landscapes, each city's infrastructure, the people I met and observed on my walks,
my basic routines like getting groceries. Other highlights include:
o
Germany
§
Biking through the port with Owen
o
Chile
o
Hong Kong
§
Walking up the Morning Trail after long work
days finishing our first mobile game
The Speed of Thinking
§
Meeting Ozge Ersoy and David Smith from the Asia
Art Archive
§
Starting a new game about my 8-year old daughter
navigating this Fulbright
-
2) For me to be productive as a digital artist, I need
to get away from my computer to move around and have a big monitor as an
extension of my laptop. Think about what you need to make your work and arrange
for this in advance.
-
3) Being in the center of a large cultural hub fed my
artwork, but if I ever apply again, I’m curious about what it’s like to be in
a smaller community.
-
4) Important: if you have small children and you cannot
work with them by your side, gravitate to year-long programs and email past
participants before you choose your cities to see what school options are available.
Also ask them if the Fulbright funding will allow you to get housing big enough
to accommodate a family. Sometimes most ideal is university-subsidized housing sponsored by your
host university. Get the answer to all of these questions before you apply.
Overall, my Fulbright experience was a life-changing
experience that has taken my work to the next level, but it was a lot of work. The
upside to this award is the cross-culture comparisons, but the downside is that
you can multiply your administrative tasks by the number of countries involved.
Please take that into consideration and plan wisely.
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More about
my Fulbright Global Scholar Award to Germany, Chile and Hong Kong
More about the
Fulbright Global Scholar Award in general
