ACADEMY

BACKSTAGE
DR. SOPHIA LEE

July 27, 2025

The Art of Creativity: When My Luggage Was Lost

As a female university professor in her thirties, I'm always on

the go to attend academic conferences and showcase my latest
artwork. On one such trip to the Contemporary Art Congress
held at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I faced a
daunting challenge. My luggage, which included some of my
artwork meant for the exhibition, was lost in transit during the
first flight.

Welcome to my personal blog,

where I share stories, insights,
and reflections on my
experiences as a university
professor and artist. Through
my writing, I offer an authentic
and candid portrayal of the ups
and downs of academic life,
and the challenges of pursuing
a career in the arts. I basically
share personal anecdotes. My
hope is to inspire fellow
academics and artists to
embrace their creativity, and to
remind them that anything is
possible with a little ingenuity
and perseverance.
Despite the frustration and disappointment, I didn't let the
setback defeat me. Instead, I channeled my creativity to find a
solution. I visited local art supply stores to find replacement
materials and worked tirelessly to recreate my lost pieces. The
experience tested my artistic skills and pushed me out of my
comfort zone, but it also opened up new possibilities and
techniques that I hadn't considered before.
In the end, my exhibit was a success, and the feedback I
received was even better than I had expected. The loss of my
original pieces turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it
forced me to explore new avenues and pushed me to be more
creative than ever before.