​In addition to giving me a place to create full time, we opened the mosaic studio to give others - our neighbors and out-of-towners as well - the opportunity to pursue their creativity in a casual, positive atmosphere. Friends are made in the studio. A community is being forged with those who frequent the studio, and it's wonderful to see first-timers welcomed into that community with open arms. I love the give and take that happens with the open-studio concept. People are very complementary of one another and their endeavors. There is freedom to exchange ideas and give advice to one another, and if someone is struggling with a certain area, it's a joy to see others in the studio jump in with their opinions and thoughts.

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When I was a kid, the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" was always answered the same way: "An artist!" But honestly, I didn't believe it was an attainable goal for many, many years.

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When I told my last boss that I was quitting a perfectly good corporate job to move to Astoria and pursue art full time, he replied, "No you're not!" At my insistence that I actually was, he said something that shook me: "We all dream of doing that, but no one really ever does it, Kai."

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That was the final push I needed. It confirmed what my fiance, Eric had been telling me for months: a mosaic studio in Astoria was the next logical step for my art career journey. So we packed up and headed to the Coast.

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So you see, Creations really is a place where dreams come true. They do for me every day, and I know they can for others here as well.

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