From Computer Engineering to Slow Life Artist

An interview with an inspiring person I met in New Zealand

I met Lagata when I was living in New Zealand. We met at a pay-what-you-want restaurant and she invited me to join her at the community art studio for a project she was working on. Lagata had reached out to one of those app bike rental companies and gotten them to donate bike helmets. She organized for the helmets to be painted by artists and then passed on to an organization that donated bikes to people that need them. 

A few months later, I asked Lagata if she could help me with data entry for a project and I would pay her. I assumed that since she didn’t work full-time she would be happy to have some income. After a few weeks, she told me that she wanted to cut down on her hours because the work “doesn’t make me happy”. That’s when I knew I needed to hear more about her outlook on life. 

Self-portrait by Lagata

Katy: First of all, can you introduce yourself, tell us how you spend your time, and how this lifestyle came about for you? 

Lagata: I'm Lagata. I'm 39 years old, and I have been an IT person since 2009. For a long time, I would get a lot of anxiety and stress and frustration while working as an IT. Even though I like it, it takes a toll on my mental health. In 2021, I was working in IT here in Wellington and I developed this stress. I went on medication to manage the anxiety, and then I just simply decided to quit and focus on my health instead.

And my goal was to actually get better, and then come back to either that job or another IT job. But, while I was in therapy, I started doing art therapy and found out that that was actually something that I needed in my life and that I wanted to explore further.

So I started to go to art studios such as Vincents and then Pablo's. And suddenly, I figured out that it was really easy to do whatever I wanted, Like, the helmet project, for example, it was just an idea. Whatever idea I got, they just backed me up and then I just do it, and done! And not many people do that. So I thought that I should take advantage of that.

In August of 2023, Lagata organized artist volunteers to paint bike helmets that were donated to EkeRua - an organization that fixes up bikes and distributes them to people who need them. 

What I really need is to be healthy, and that makes me happy. And to contribute to society in a way that I find that is more important, such as volunteering in Everybody Eats or The Free Store or with these projects like the mural. 

That fills my heart a lot more than when I'm working for a company as an IT. Doesn't matter what the IT project is. Even though the project could be, like, really interesting and for a good cause, the toll that takes on my mental health, it might not be worth it for me, at least for me. Some other people can manage it a lot better, and I have learned to accept that I'm just not one of those people. I only use my IT skills for very little things, as long as it's not going to interfere with my mental health improvement. 

The more I learn about art or things that the community needs. It's not necessary that I actually have a full time job. I can just contribute as much as I want. And sometimes I get income out of it. Sometimes I don't get money out of it, but I do get connections and I do get help. For example, my neighbor has asked me to work with him in the food truck a couple of times, and he gives me a lot of food, and good food, and then I keep it in my fridge and I eat for, like, 2 weeks. They wanted to get rid of, like, a TV because they got another one, and now I have this giant, 55 inch TV in my living room.

I have people that will back me up, that I can count on, or that I will have support from. And that's a lot more valuable than having a full-time job. I don't see myself working in an IT environment from, like, 9 to 4 and then to volunteer for, like, 3 hours at the Everybody Eats restaurant, for example. I don't think I could have that energy. And if I have to choose 1 or the other, I will prefer doing volunteer work. 

Portraits of fellow studio members

Katy: Do you feel judged or pressured by society to work a full time job? And how do you feel when people ask you what you do for work?

Lagata: Yes, I do feel pressured by society, especially when people don't get it - that money is not the purpose of living. A lot of people ask me, “how are you gonna get a car or a house? Like, how do you save up for the big things? And I'm like, but this is the big thing for me.

Like, I picture myself living exactly the way that I am right now, like, having, like, 90, and I'm happy with that thought. I don't need a big house. I don't need those things. I feel like that's the carrot that they put in front of everyone, that they have to follow through, and they never get it. You know? 

But, it's not easy for most people to understand this mindset. And it's not easy for me to tolerate that kind of person. So, usually, I just avoid having these conversations because it's like, they don't want to understand.

‘Year of the Rabbit’ pieces made for Vincent’s annual Newtown festival fundraiser

So the way that I avoid this, I tell them that I'm studying, which is true. I am studying art and I am studying psychology. Like, things that are what I do, but I do it in a practical way. I study how to improve my life and to make it sustainable over time… like, forever.

And they also find a bit of comfort when I say, well, I can do a piece of art and I can sell it if I want to.

My goal is just to find a sustainable way of living that will not, like, make my mental health bad again. And, actually, to keep improving it. Which is quite abstract. It's not like a career. They don't teach this. It's something that you experience and you just live through it. Not many people do it.

Katy: So, as you say, most people don't understand it. But if we imagine that they could, how do you think the world would be different if everyone had this ability to work less? 

Lagata: I don't know. I think the way I think because I'm me through my experience in life. But it's because I have issues with money. I mean, I can manage it. I have it, and it's fine. But I come from a background of people that money is everything to them. So that's why I'm like, I don't wanna be like these people, and I wanna show myself that I don't need to be like these people. And that's how this has started.

And this started when I was very, very young. Like, maybe 16 years old. I don't know that anyone is just born with this idea. I think it comes from trauma. So in a world, if we didn't have trauma, I don't know if they would still choose that…

But if they did, and if it came from a healthy root, let's say... I think it's possible, especially now with artificial intelligence, to delegate things to machines that we have to do under a lot of stress. And we can do the things that are important that machines cannot do. Like, raise kids in a healthy way, take care of the planet, make healthy decisions. And that's what I kinda hope for, that technology will advance in a way.

Now, different discussions are coming up. I have heard kids that are, like, 10 years old saying it's more important for them to eat a fruit than an ice cream. Or like, don't don't litter. Like, they are constantly worried about the whole climate change situation more than we do, more than I am.

So that gives me hope because if they're already thinking about that, and it's important for them, that's going to go on until they're adults and they can actually make decisions. And I hope that those decisions are to save the planet and to, like, not give money that much importance, and to give their life importance and their health and mental health. It will be wonderful. I don't think it's impossible.