The Art of Living

Katerina “Katy” Arrington (Class of 2009) is living the Millennial’s dream life. A burgeoning career shaped by her artistic talents and lifelong passion: check. Running her own business as a creative entrepreneur: check. A digital nomad based in Bali: double-check. 

Still, the Dragon community she once called home from Grade 7 to graduation is never far from her mind. So when the opportunity presented itself for her to play a role in one of JIS’s most eagerly anticipated events, Katy didn’t hesitate to head back to school.

But first, let’s rewind a few years to find out how Katy found herself back in Indonesia as an art entrepreneur, operating her own digital studio on the Island of the Gods, after studying in Seattle and working for such recognizable names as Microsoft and Disney. 

Determination had a lot to do with it, as well as an unwavering goal of standing out as a creative talent in a popular and highly lucrative industry. “Since graduation, I specifically wanted to work for the video game industry; that was my goal. I interned at Disney in their games division. I had an amazing experience doing that and met a lot of cool people,” Katy tells us. “Then I decided to move back [from Los Angeles] to Seattle and got a job as a contract artist for Microsoft [...] at Microsoft Campus, which was really beautiful.”

The stepping stones were lining up for Katy’s pinnacle career goal, and one brief scroll through her official online art studio, Katyarringtonart.com, perfectly illustrates (pun intended) how and why. The puzzle pieces were falling perfectly into place — but one thing was missing.

“I always had the dream to be independent. I love the gaming industry and I loved all of my experiences. I never had a bad experience at work or a studio, but I wanted a little bit more freedom,” she explains.

With an enviable cache of gusto and bravery most people would take years to accrue, Katy made the firm decision to travel around Europe while picking up freelance work here and there as an artist. She did this for the next six years, armed with her experience working at some of the world’s biggest tech companies, envious talent in digital design, a bottomless well of creativity, and a laptop.

At the same time, Katy began exploring ways to bring to life original works of art using both digital and physical mediums, all while also fostering a relationship with collectors. She quickly settled into a delicate yet rewarding balance of tackling freelance projects and running her own business.

“After traveling for a little while, I found myself back in Indonesia, and it just stuck with me. I mean, it’s home, right?”

Specifically, she found herself in sunny, laid-back Bali, the top destination for digital nomads thanks to its almost magical offering of stunning scenery, deep-rooted culture, year-round beautiful weather, and the genuine warmth of its people. It may not have been “in the picture”, but it didn't take long for the island’s inimitable charm to have an effect on her creative work.

“I’ve been a digital artist for a very long time, but since living in Bali, I’ve met so many artists who are not. A lot of people are working with their hands; they’re working with rope, they’re working with canvas, they’re working with large physical pieces,” Katy says. “Bali is filled with murals; whenever you’re driving around, you just see these gorgeous, giant paintings on the side of buildings. And it started to inspire me to work physically more and potentially see my work in large, physical spaces.”

It was also at one of Bali’s many art events that she met and struck up a serendipitous conversation with exhibiting artist Max Haveron, who knew JIS Creative Arts Head, David White. And wouldn’t you know it, Max was set to lead a workshop at the IASAS Art & Film event JIS would be hosting in November 2023. Would Katy be interested in assisting him? Is that a rhetorical question?

Before she could say “Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools”, Katy was back at JIS, at a Cilandak campus that had visibly undergone changes since she was last there but was still comfortingly familiar. This time, she would be on the other side of the classroom microcosm, imparting her knowledge and skills to a new generation of burgeoning artists.

“I remember when I was in their position and was wanting, very much, to make a career out of my art — my art was so important to me,” Katy says. “I felt very privileged and honored to give them advice, tell them [about] my experience, that these things are possible: you absolutely can be an artist.

“It’s actually one of the best times to be an artist — there are so many tools. It’s really easier now to make a career out of art than it ever has been.”

If you would like to get more involved with JIS by sharing your experiences and expertise with our students, we would love to hear from you: alumni@jisedu.or.id