PSjustwords

Creative growth is something that is vital to existing as an artist. I have been on this journey of passion for as long as I can remember, but it wasn't until a little over four years ago during a college drawing class that I had realized that I needed to spill my thoughts onto paper. So let me take you on a little part of of my personal creative journey, and share with you the moment that ignited my creative spark and has kept me going to this day; my final presentation given to a class of thirty, hands shaking, voice breaking and heart racing. With the backdrop of sleepless nights of meticulous creative passion behind me; ink, paint and words—lots of words, I made myself vulnerable.

We wander these streets wondering if maybe one of these days we’re going to find ourselves amongst the chaos, among the trees, hiding and yearning to be found. Everyday I wander and search for something that can’t be found, something that maybe doesn’t exist. That something is passion, passion for something, someone, ourselves. Passion exists. It is something so beautiful and powerful that most of the time is a feeling so incomprehensible that we believe that we are incapable of possessing it. I am a wanderer…lost in a sea of madness. The world that surrounds me is mediocre at best, exciting yes, interesting maybe, but pointless without being passionate about something. This is where I truly lose myself…I realize that I am not passionate about anything. Reaching deep down into my soul I realize that I do possess a passion, a passion to create and discover parts of myself that I did not know existed. It is amazing to realize that a soul so young can be so complex. These thoughts that only now I have been able to acknowledge have been burning a hole in who I am. I was lost and still am, but the road that I have finally discovered, the one that leads to to the deepest and darkest parts of myself is finally one that I feel brave enough to explore and conquer. On this road I will find pieces of a broken person, pieces of a broken heart and pieces of who I actually am. Picking up the pieces of something that is broken is difficult and putting that something back together requires tedious effort. This is something that I am finally prepared to do. At last I am brave enough to realize who I am and who I want to be. • 3:03 pm  •  11 April 2014

To be great is to be misunderstood. I tremble with the need to unravel the vines that are clinging to my throat and wrap around my brain. The words come out like spilled coffee…no mercy. But virgin ears refuse to acknowledge my madness.• 2:07 am  •  16 April 2014

 
Why is it that throughout our lives we yearn for the most impossible, unrealistic, fucked up, frivolous, dangerous and ridiculous things? This happens because we are all dreamers lost in a sea of madness. This world is cruel and unfair and we have to deal with the consequences of treading the unknown, but the most beautifully powerful thing that we own is curiosity which leads us to discover ourselves alongside the universe that surrounds us. This universe is marvelous, something so immense and terrifying that we choose to throw ourselves into it hoping that one day we will run into the person that we want to be. Our lives are compiled of a finite number of moments that define the legacy we will eventually leave behind. In this compilation of moments there are many that lead us to ponder self destruction. What I have learned is that as we perpetually destroy ourselves we learn to take a step back and realize how broken we are. This brokenness is something that should be embraced because that is exactly what defines the essence of our being. As I sit here and write down my overflowing thoughts my lungs are stained and my heart is recovering, but my head sits firmly on my shoulders…it hasn’t been there for a while. • 3:41 am  •  27 April 2014  

I finished reading my words, I looked up and in that moment I felt something that I had never experienced before, exposed. For the first time my art wasn't just my escape—it became my reality. Since that day I haven't stopped writing, I haven't stopped drawing and I will never stop creating.

My head is still in the clouds, I'm just trying to keep my feet on the ground.

P. S.

Distraction Attraction

Let's back track a bit, who remembers when I edited a Wikipedia entry in Inspired by Distraction? I sure do, and I decided to take a look to see if anyone chose to disagree with my meticulous hours of research on the perks of distraction in terms of creativity and productivity. Looks like the wiki-world agrees with me in the entry about Creativity Techniques because my edits still stand! #winning

P. S. 

Ace Is The Place

While in college or working a demanding job, many New Yorkers don't have the luxury of having a workspace that promotes productivity. Being both a student and a working full time, my schedule pleads for a solace of sorts. Libraries have gotten stale over the years and Starbucks just doesn't cut it anymore. After losing the concentration game time and time again, I began my mission to find a space where my mind could let go of anxiety and my thoughts could finally find clarity again. So where does an inconspicuous silent meeting of the minds occur on a daily basis—The Ace Hotel, its lobby to be exact. The space is decorated with a melange of furniture and people alike, the atmosphere is quintessentially quirky with just enough ambiance to foster a sense of belonging without uttering a whisper to the millennial typing away on their Macbook two chairs to your left. 

The Ace Hotel sits on the corner of Broadway and 29th Street in midtown Manhattan, the building, erected in 1904, still stands as a commanding piece of architecture in what was to become an avenue of hotels. Originally The Breslin Hotel, the 344 room property was one of the most renowned residence hotels in the early 20th century. In 2008 the Ace Hotel Group bought out The Breslin's existing lease and in 2010 the architectural firm Roman & Williams completed what is now a property that layers both the old and new and draws business professionals and creatives alike. The lobby's communal workspace is a mix of the old and the new, with library style tables and velvety red couches, the dimly lit space boasts high ceilings and a jazzy soundtrack, all aspects being held together with the low hum of unobtrusive conversation. Those visiting the Ace in need of some inspiration can immerse themselves in the creative essence of the lobby's atmosphere, which is accented by books and paintings and brought to life through the unique clientele.

The Ace also offers an array of food and beverage choices including, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, The Breslin Bar & Dining Room, John Dory Oyster Bar and No. 7 Sub, all accessible without giving up your seat at the table next to an outlet. You can spend hours at The Ace without missing a beat and if you're productive enough maybe your night will end in a dance party. I'm not kidding, the Ace hosts "Lobby Nights" which feature a different DJ every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. where the lobby itself turns down the lights and turns up the funk. 

As you leave the lobby, look to your left and painted above the front desk there is a phrase that just might keep you coming back for more: Excelsior—ever upwards.

P. S.

Slowly Drifting in NYC

My name is Paulina and I am a creative. Like many others, I came to New York City in the hopes of finding myself and my creative identity, yet over the years I have come to realize that amidst my chaotic soul searching I had ended up losing myself instead. Throughout the five years I have called this city home, I constantly find myself being pushed to figure out what sort of environment fosters my creativity, be that writing or sketching. I invite you to join me on the search for people and places that drive creative inertia.

It's 9 a.m. I'm the first one here. Bedford Street as the city awakens. My table, flanked by the coffee machine and the front window, affords me a sense of privacy, where I withdraw into my own atmosphere...The small café feels chilly. So why are the fans turning? Maybe if I stare at them long enough my mind will turn as well. It's not so easy writing about nothing. -Patti Smith, M Train

Patti Smith and I share two specific things, our conveniently literarily relevant initials P.S. (post script) and our passion for stream-of-consciousness writing. It's a beautiful thing to have the ability to exist in a current moment both mentally and physically, but with our lives moving a million miles a minute it is often difficult to find a space that fosters presence. Smith effortlessly describes her current state of being—simple and honest, yet striking. Even in her admittance of feeling uninspired, she refers to her environment to find a spark of inspiration. This blog is an homage to the daydreamers, the artists, the writers, looking for moments in a city of divine chaos. 

My head is still in the clouds, I'm just trying to keep my feet on the ground. Whenever I feel lost I always remind myself that; right here, right now, I am here and nowhere else. 

Let's make moments.

P. S.