Alice
“I’ve met many women from different walks of life that I was inspired by. I was inspired by their strength, creativity, passion, grit, and determination to keep going. Many women hold their WOW factor. And whenever I encounter this, I feel very much empowered and nourished within.”
Alice is driven by her curiosity and creativity. She is an empath with a remarkable drive and a strong work ethic. Alice was always passionate about pursuing a career in art, but personal and societal adversities initially stood in her way. For a while she worked tirelessly in the fashion industry. But she had little to no time for herself, and though she acknowledges the important skills she developed during this time, it wasn’t sustainable and took a serious toll on her health. Alice needed to be alone in the studio - this is where she would thrive. So this is where she is now, working as an artist who is most inspired when confronted with a challenge or consumed her own thoughts. Meet Alice. this is her story.
P: Please introduce yourself!
A: Hi! I’m Alice Morishita a Tokyo-born Japanese-Taiwanese artist based in Berlin, Germany. I’m 38 years old, and creating something is a passion of mine. It always has been and always will be. I spend a lot of time in the studio painting and getting lost in my thoughts and ideas. I grew up in an international school in Tokyo and also spent lots of time in the U.S. Throughout my 20s and early 30s, I moved around a lot. A couple of years in Milan, then back to Tokyo, and then spend several years in Paris. I then moved to Berlin in 2015 and had been settled here since then. I feel that the multicultural base has shaped me to be who I am today.
P: Describe or define yourself in your own words.
A: I’m very curious, independent, self-driven, and quite sensitive. I tend to feel a lot, definitely an empath. I love plants and have had a strong love for antiques and vintage since I was young. I love to challenge myself and I love the fact that these challenges take you to become a developed version of yourself.
P: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
A: I like to learn new things, and this curiosity-driven part of me keeps me very much entertained. I don’t really get bored. There’s always something new to learn about!
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that has defined you or made you stronger?
A: When I was 28, I decided to change my path to becoming an artist. Art has always been something I loved to do since I was young. But becoming an artist was hard to capture as a profession. I didn’t know how that all worked. Living off of your painting? Hmmm. And in my last year of high school, my dad fell sick. University was not a choice for me anymore. So I worked a couple of jobs but still wanted to study art and design.
So I saved up money to study in Milan, Italy for a couple of years. There I took fashion courses and later returned to Tokyo to start working as a fashion designer. My fashion designer days were intense! I was working nonstop, with barely any holidays. I wanted to express what I wanted to express, but it had to work in the market as well. So during that time, I took in everything and gave it everything. I cannot work like that ever again, but I learned a lot about myself. As I worked in the fashion industry, I realized that there is this part of me that is yearning to paint again. And I felt that the way the fashion industry was progressing was not exactly what I believed in. But more I tried to ignore all this, I felt detached from myself. And gradually I couldn’t work anymore. I fell sick. Up until that point I was on lots of medication to just keep working but I guess my body really shut down. And I took a bit of a break and decided to pursue my all-time passion which was art. I quit my job and flew to Paris to restart myself with one suitcase in hand. That is when I was 28. Since then, I’ve been molding my life around art. It’s been 10years and there were ups and downs, but definitely happy with my journey! I feel very fortunate to be able to connect with people through art! This experience made me reassess the way I was navigating through life. It allowed me to be in touch with myself more.
P: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
A: Don’t give everything to something you don’t believe in. Work hard for what you DO believe in and own it. Life is the extent of your imagination, so keep at it!
P: What does being a woman mean to you?
A: As a woman, I feel that there is this sense of complexity we live with. At the same time, we have this multitude of emotions that we hold in our hands as we walk through life. I feel like the combination of this complexity and these emotions allow a woman to have compassion and vulnerability.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to them if they were here now?
A: I actually don’t have one person. I’ve met many women from different walks of life that I was inspired by. I was inspired by their strength, creativity, passion, grit, and determination to keep going. Many women hold their WOW factor. And whenever I encounter this, I feel very much empowered and nourished within.