Meet Elizabeth Gorcey

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Gorcey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My resilience came from growing up 85 pounds overweight. During my childhood, my peers were relentless with their teasing and name calling towards my body. I grew up in a family that was called “the fat family”- we were all overweight. I remember being very aware of how my body was different but I didn’t really know what to do; we all tried diets (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig etc.) but nothing really worked. As a kid all I wanted to do was be an actress in a play, but was too embarrassed because I knew I was overweight and felt ashamed of that. My first “role” in a high school play was the part of a big white cloud. The white sheet in which I used for my costume accentuated my weight and further as the powder (that they put in my hair) flew off of me when I ran off stage.

I graduated high school a year early, and got into this summer stock in Michigan. My first night there I was told to sing a song- I had nothing prepared so I sang “Climb Every Mountain.” I completely bombed it, and for the rest of the summer program I didn’t act or sing at all. I was the prop girl. But summer stock was one of the only ways to get a SAG and Equity card so I stuck out that summer instead of quitting. While it was one of the worst summers, it changed my life for the best. I left summer stock and went back home to New Jersey. Going back home, I proceeded to change my lifestyle entirely. I didn’t go on a diet or start a crazy regimen, but instead I adopted a healthy new way of eating. During this time I did a lot of reflective writing to figure out when I was actually hungry or when I was just eating out of some internal frustration or sadness that I had no control over. I ended up losing about 90 pounds during the year by exercising, practicing awareness with food, and self-love. This period of my life is one that was pivotal- because of this self-realization I gained such resilience, strength, and confidence. I was able to apply this to everything in my life. I ended up going back to summer stock the following summer and got my SAG card. Then, my very first day in Los Angeles I got an agent, and my first audition I landed a PBS TV series.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I love to create. Whenever I am presented an opportunity to make something freely, I am fulfilled and happy.
There is so much ageism in our world. Everyone is constantly preaching what you should be doing and at what time: what age you should be married, have a baby, retire, stop going to clubs, start a career, etc. By breaking these societal standards of “what I should be doing” I have found contentment. We create our own meaning in our lives. Once you stop being curious and growing – that’s when you get old. Through my art, I have started a new chapter of my life that excites me. Creating and sharing my work is my passion, and I get no greater satisfaction than when someone resonates with a piece of mine. Currently, my paintings will be shown in an upcoming group show at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, “THE USA EXHIBITION” with a Solo Show of Jackson Pollocks ,”POLLOCK-EXPLORED”, as well as at the Oceanside Museum in a exhibition, More Disruption: Representational Art in Flux.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1) Determination
2) Willing to be the fool- anther words willing to fail- I have learned the most from my failures.
3) Authenticity in what i do
4) Curiosity of life ( sorry added a 4th one}

I would say do not let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do. If something brings you joy then do it. Don’t worry about the logical things, like can I make money doing it. I promise if you are joyful in what you are doing money will follow.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I say you go all in on your strengths, but at the same time invest efforts on improving areas you aren’t strong in. I know I’m supposed to say one or the other but I feel its both. One of my strengths is producing. I can get a project started and finished; I am skilled at organizing and facilitating a project to be successful. With creative endeavors, I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer; if I focus and put my mind to something, I can create it. Learning that “limitations” are what we set for ourselves has been integral to this mentality. In art and the professional world, I have very specific creative visions. Getting these visions to become reality almost always involves management, paperwork, computer knowledge, organization, determination, and communication. This “project” could be a children’s book series, a film, organizing an art exhibition, or putting together a real estate deal. All involve the above skills. I am NOT good at paperwork or computers or organization- but I have learned to do these things because I know I have to in order to make my creative vision a reality. So while I utilize my strengths, I am also often learning along the way other skills that I’m not as comfortable with.

An example of this is my children’s book series ‘Liv on Life’. I was inspired by my daughter, Liv. Liv at a young age was beyond her years. At 3, she would blurt out things that had so much wisdom they could have been coming from a 80 year old. I had never written a book or done anything related in the publishing field, so I figured I would hire someone to do the writing. After meeting with several people I realized they weren’t really understanding my vision; I challenged/stretched myself beyond my comfort zone and wrote these books alongside my daughter and ending up creating something that I am truly proud of.

As a painter, I love painting but I am not as comfortable with drawing. I continue to paint which is more of a strength but I also continue to push myself to learn to draw better. It’s very uncomfortable, but sometimes the idea in my head requires drawn elements.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.egorcey.com www.livonlife.com www.elizabethgorcey.com
• Instagram: @elizabeth_gorcey_art @LivOnLifeLOL
• Facebook: elizabeth gorcey
• Linkedin: Elizabeth gorcey
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LivOnLife
• Youtube: http://bit.ly/1lJXYMQ
• Other: Amazon http://amzn.to/1O7dfVP

Image Credits

no credits