can an artist thrive in kauai, hawaii? (employment, payments, work)
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I was wondering if anyone has any information on the art scene in Kauai. my girlfriend and I are considering moving there from philadelphia. I am dying to go but she is extremely worried about whether she will be able to find work doing what she loves. she recently graduated with her masters in fine arts and would prefer to teach, work at a gallery, or buy/sell. She also wants to have opportunites to show her work at a gallery. I am not sure what kauai has to offer as far as careers/jobs. I will be fine wherever I go as I have not yet figured out my path in life. I'm thinking of going back to school. I know they have schools there! i am really hoping to have some positive feedback so i can reassure her. a place like Kauai is my dream. We are fairly young so we would literally be starting our life there....
I have heard this plan before. I can predict that it will go something like this:
1. I have a dream to be an artist (or insert ocupation here) in Hawaii. I love this one Island that I have visited once, (Or only read about) and know that all my dreams will come true on that island.
2. I will ask others what they think but because I know that I am differant from them I will not listen to what they have to say anyway and will leave for Hawaii.
3. After moving, getting settled in I will check out the place.
4. After 6 months of living on the island I have discovered that many people don't like me. Oh wait I am the minority here. Wow so this is what my darker skin brothers were talking about.
5. I love it here but have don't have a lot of friends.
6. Wow it has been a year and my art still isn't selling.
7. A year and a half has gone by and this rock is looking kind of small.
8. Two years: I would love to move back to a place that has people that at least will talk to me.
9. Two and a half years: I don't care if this is paradise give me a nice place like Philadelphia any day.
10. Three years: It sure is nice to be back in Philadelphia.
Saying all that I want to add, go after your dreams but realize that the majority of people that have the same dream as you of making it in Hawaii are back where they came from within 3 years. Also the prices for the kind of food that you ear is very high. Many things are shipped in. Just be prepaired. You could be the couple that makes it and never turns back. That happens as well. Think about it really hard first before you make that move.
Kauai is beautiful - many because it is so undeveloped. That said, outside of the tourism industry it does not seem (from my vists there) like there are many other choices career-wise to be had there. The few towns on that island don't come close to anything like even a small city (although there may be more opportunities in Honolulu).
What the heck - you're young, I say go for it. Although it may be worth your while to go spend several weeks there first to check it out before deciding on whether or not you want to permanently relocate there.
I have heard this plan before. I can predict that it will go something like this:
1. I have a dream to be an artist (or insert ocupation here) in Hawaii. I love this one Island that I have visited once, (Or only read about) and know that all my dreams will come true on that island.
2. I will ask others what they think but because I know that I am differant from them I will not listen to what they have to say anyway and will leave for Hawaii.
3. After moving, getting settled in I will check out the place.
4. After 6 months of living on the island I have discovered that many people don't like me. Oh wait I am the minority here. Wow so this is what my darker skin brothers were talking about.
5. I love it here but have don't have a lot of friends.
6. Wow it has been a year and my art still isn't selling.
7. A year and a half has gone by and this rock is looking kind of small.
8. Two years: I would love to move back to a place that has people that at least will talk to me.
9. Two and a half years: I don't care if this is paradise give me a nice place like Philadelphia any day.
10. Three years: It sure is nice to be back in Philadelphia.
Insert "The US Virgin Islands" for "Hawaii" and it's exactly the same scenario. The attrition rate of newbies is HUGE!
I have heard this plan before. I can predict that it will go something like this:
1. I have a dream to be an artist (or insert ocupation here) in Hawaii. I love this one Island that I have visited once, (Or only read about) and know that all my dreams will come true on that island.
2. I will ask others what they think but because I know that I am differant from them I will not listen to what they have to say anyway and will leave for Hawaii.
3. After moving, getting settled in I will check out the place.
4. After 6 months of living on the island I have discovered that many people don't like me. Oh wait I am the minority here. Wow so this is what my darker skin brothers were talking about.
5. I love it here but have don't have a lot of friends.
6. Wow it has been a year and my art still isn't selling.
7. A year and a half has gone by and this rock is looking kind of small.
8. Two years: I would love to move back to a place that has people that at least will talk to me.
9. Two and a half years: I don't care if this is paradise give me a nice place like Philadelphia any day.
10. Three years: It sure is nice to be back in Philadelphia.
I have heard this plan before. I can predict that it will go something like this:
1. I have a dream to be an artist (or insert ocupation here) in Hawaii. I love this one Island that I have visited once, (Or only read about) and know that all my dreams will come true on that island.
2. I will ask others what they think but because I know that I am differant from them I will not listen to what they have to say anyway and will leave for Hawaii.
3. After moving, getting settled in I will check out the place.
4. After 6 months of living on the island I have discovered that many people don't like me. Oh wait I am the minority here. Wow so this is what my darker skin brothers were talking about.
5. I love it here but have don't have a lot of friends.
6. Wow it has been a year and my art still isn't selling.
7. A year and a half has gone by and this rock is looking kind of small.
8. Two years: I would love to move back to a place that has people that at least will talk to me.
9. Two and a half years: I don't care if this is paradise give me a nice place like Philadelphia any day.
10. Three years: It sure is nice to be back in Philadelphia.
#1, 2, & 4 deserved triple reps
It's also so funny to hear people coming to Hawaii and looking for work not understand the basic issues with employment on an isolated island where industy is localized. Hawaii has no factory building snowmobile engines in the desert to ship to a manufacture in Montana. We have no company building jet intake valves in Alabama for manufacture in washington. We have no backroom call centrs on the west coast servicing east wall street companies. Industry is pretty much limited to what is needed on the island or supports island businesses. Even the government contracts with mainland companies to process tickets, tax bills, and other payments.
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