Note: The text below is the transcript of the YouTube video above
“If you don’t have a clear purpose, there’s no point going overseas.”
That’s what my former school teacher told me—nine years ago.
Hi, I am Satomi, I’m a Japanese artist based in London, and on my channel, I explore connections between Eastern and Western creativity through my Japanese eyes.”
In this video, I want to share the moment I decided to begin a new chapter in my life.
After spending two months in the South of France, I created a visual art journal called the Artistic Escape Edition, showcasing the places I visited and where I found inspiration. — You can find it via the link here.
My first stop is an art fair in Monaco.
Nine years ago, I moved from my hometown in Japan to London.
Before I left, at my high school reunion, I told my former English teacher about my dream of living in the UK.
She looked at me and said, “If you don’t have a clear purpose, there’s no point going there.”
I was shocked.
In Japan, stability is often valued over uncertainty, and at that time, moving abroad without a clear plan was almost unheard of.
I didn’t have a concrete goal—just a feeling that something was waiting for me.
But I went anyway, purpose or not.
If I’d taken her words to heart, I might never have ended up where I am now.
Those first few years in London were tough.
I often asked myself, “Am I doing the right thing?”
But over time, I learned something:
Taking action opens doors—even if you can’t see them yet.
For years, I believed that securing UK permanent residency would change my life.
I thought once I had it, everything would shift.
But when that moment finally came, I realised—I needed something more.
I needed a push.
Something to mark the beginning of real change.
So, I booked a booth at the Monaco art fair and quit my full-time job to build momentum for this next chapter.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the fair was the right move for me as an artist.
But I knew I had to try something.
I just needed to take the leap.
The Monaco art fair was tougher than I imagined.
Most galleries and artists had teams supporting them.
But I was doing everything on my own.
Some of the materials I shipped arrived late, and a piece of furniture I needed for my booth was damaged. The turnout at the fair was lower than I expected.
I kept thinking, “What am I even doing here?”
But then, there were the small moments
The words of encouragement.
The people who truly connected with my work.
In Japan, there’s a saying:
“石の上にも三年(Ishi no ue ni mo sannen) .”
If you sit on a cold stone for three years, even the stone will become warm.
Which means, if you persist, even difficult situations will change.
I’m not sure if my teacher was right or wrong nine years ago. But I do know this: the scariest decisions have led me to the most beautiful destinations.
In the next video, I’ll take you to my favourite art spots during my three-week stay in Nice.
If you’re interested in the creative things I’ll be sharing along the way — whether it’s art, collaborations, or something new — you’ll find updates in the links below.
And if you’d like to follow this journey, I’d love it if you subscribed.
