Miki finds ways to renew her creative energy in a variety of ways. “The energy of certain people, spending time in nature, spending time with family,” she lists her favorite ways to reenergize. “Of course, art and artists, any time, really, that I am around other people in their element.”
Miki is in her element when she is helping people. In her role as a Teaching Artist at the Old Globe, she enjoys fostering the creative process of her students. The program closest to Miki’s heart is in line with her artivist roots. The program allows her to work with local prisons, jails and homeless programs, to teach creative arts. It is telling that Miki finds it so important to work with individuals who are displaced and disconnected. “The best part is seeing them go through the creative process, seeing them feel proud of themselves.”
For Miki’s own moment of respite, she returns to her primary art of performance, as seen on our Respite cover. When I am on stage, I feel nothing. Miki tries to better define the feeling because it is clearly not a negative feeling. She gives a recent example. “I was really struggling with some back pain. So much that I almost had to cancel a show.” She decided to power through and go on with the show. “While I am on stage, I don’t even feel it. For a moment, I even thought, my back isn’t bothering me at all…”
Miki is piercing as she describes the feeling, zoning in on the emotion she needs to convey, “Before the show, I’m a combo of nervous and hype. Once I get on stage, everything flows. I feel at home.”