After two unforgettable months in Japan, I’ve finally taken a moment to reflect back on everything that took place on this rollercoaster of a journey. In this blog post I’ll share some of my highlights, including:
Speaking at Colive Fukuoka, one of the largest digital nomad events in Asia
Hosting creative workshops at Synapse Festival on Nokonoshima island
Exploring the rich history and craftsmanship of Kanazawa during an Artist Residency
Visiting Noto and meeting resilient locals rebuilding after a devastating earthquake
Connecting with inspiring creatives and organisations, leading to some unexpected collaborative projects...
Colive Fukuoka: Lessons, Creativity, and Community
October began with a bang at Colive Fukuoka 2024, one of the largest digital nomad events in Asia. I was honoured to have been invited as a guest speaker, and my talk, “8 Lessons from 8 Years on the Road”, was a great opportunity for me to share the highs, lows, and unexpected lessons of life as a travelling artist and digital nomad. The audience’s warmth and curiosity reminded me of why I love connecting with like-minded people, and how sharing stories can build new friendships, and even spark new ideas. Fukuoka itself quickly became one of my favourite cities in Japan. Between exploring its temples, indulging in the local street food (hello, Hakata ramen!), and meeting so many inspiring people, it felt like the perfect place to kick off this adventure.
As part of Colive Fukuoka, I also hosted two Creative Workshops at Synapse Festival on Nokonoshima island, which was pure magic. Japan never really makes me think of beaches and island vibes, so after hopping on a boat from Fukuoka, I was surprised to end up in a picturesque, lush island setting surrounded by palm trees—a spot that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Thailand or Bali.
I ran two workshops at the festival: one focused on drawing, where participants were encouraged to explore their creativity regardless of their perceived artistic talent, and another where we created collage vision boards using cutouts from Japanese magazines. Both sessions were so much fun and gave me lots of ideas for future events! I’m definitely looking forward to running more workshops like these, so watch this space...
Kanazawa: Art, Resilience, and Collaboration
November took me to beautiful Kanazawa, where I embarked on an artist residency and a unique programme supported by the Japanese government and Yugyo Inc., hosted at the wonderful design hotel, Linnas Kanazawa. Known for its rich history of art and craftsmanship, Kanazawa offered the perfect backdrop for researching and sketching ideas for a big illustration project I’ll be launching next year 🤫
Visiting during autumn made the experience even more magical. People often associate Japan with cherry blossoms, but the fiery hues of autumn are just as breathtaking and added an unforgettable beauty to my time there.
During the residency, I connected with local galleries, artisans, and creative organisations, and loved learning about all the local artistic practices. Kanazawa is particularly renowned for its gold leaf painting, producing the majority of Japan's gold leaf. I joined a gold leaf workshop, where I learned the intricate process, which was far more difficult than I thought it would be! but the end result was very rewarding. As an artist who spends a lot of time working digitally, it was so nice to be working on something hands-on and tactile, and gave me ideas of how I could potentially merge digital and analogue techniques in the future...
Noto
The most impactful part of my journey was visiting Noto, a region devastated by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in January. Nearly 11 months later, the damage is still shocking, with homes and buildings left completely collapsed. By a strange twist of fate, the night before visiting Noto, we experienced a 6.1 earthquake ourselves — the strongest since January. It was a surreal coincidence that gave me a small glimpse of the fear and power of these events. The next day, running on little sleep, we visited Noto and met the inspiring locals at Okno to Bridge, an organisation that connects victims, supporters, and people involved in the reconstruction of Noto; they are doing all that they can to rebuild their community with resilience, positivity, and hope for the future.
Looking ahead
As I reflect on this incredible journey, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the people I met, the stories I heard, and the inspiration I found in Japan. This trip has been a reminder of the power of art, community, and connection.
While the journey has come to an end, the creative projects it sparked are just beginning. 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year, with new illustrations, collaborations, and even an exhibition already in the pipeline! I'm working on a project very close to my heart that I hope will bring the spirit of this trip to life. Stay tuned…
Love,
Molly x
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