Meet: Naomi Campagne
NAOMI CAMPAGNE is an actress, writer, director, director of photography (DP), and film editor. (naomi.campagne@gmail.com)
Catholic Artist Connection (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from?
Naomi Campagne (NC): I moved from Northwest Florida to attend the Tisch School of the Arts Undergraduate Drama Program at New York University four years ago (just graduated this past May!).
CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?
NC: I’m learning more and more how to become a Catholic artist. Meaning, if my life is centered on Christ—how I live, what I do, how I speak, etc.—and I begin my work by first offering everything up to Him, trusting in Him, and allowing Him to guide me, then I will find myself a Catholic artist. As I’m sure I will be doing for the rest of my life, I’m learning how to take these beautiful passions God has placed in my heart and offer everything I do with them as a prayer to Jesus. Knowing that my intention is to bring greater glory to God, I am a Catholic Artist.
CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?
NC: Having only graduated in May, I’m still exploring the different communities offered by groups like CatholicNYC and the Frassati Fellowship of NYC. I’ve gone to many different, singular events posted through those groups, such as Theology on Tap, Catholic Underground, Young Adult Masses/Socials, hiking, etc.
However, the rock of my spiritual life has stemmed from the Catholic Center at NYU. Even after graduating, I still attend Daily Mass (5:15pm Monday-Friday), Adoration/Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (4pm-5pm Mon-Fri), and Confession (4pm-5pm Mon-Fri)—anyone is able to attend 😊 The Center has been blessed with incredible Chaplains: Fr. John Baptist Hoang, O.P. (current) and the previous, Fr. Sebastian White, O.P. (who just recently transitioned to St. Vincent Ferrer’s and will be an editor for the Magnificat). The Center also hosts a variety of lectures open to the public, including lectures from the Thomistic Institute. The Young Professionals Group (GradLaw) is also held at the Center.
The Catholic Center is associated with St. Joseph’s in Greenwich Village, which is where I’ve become a parishioner—even though I live in Brooklyn. For me, it was easy to get swept up in the many different, beautiful Catholic Churches that offer Masses all around and at a variety of times, but I’d recommend finding a parish where you actually feel community. That’s one of the parts of coming from a small town I miss the most: seeing families and actually knowing their names.
CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?
NC: Though NYC has some crazy neat features, I am not enamored by it…at all. To keep myself here (NYC has loads of artistic opportunities), I seek out the beauty that leads me to God: Catholic churches and nature. With one of my good, good friends, I’ve begun to go on mini pilgrimages around Manhattan to visit/attend Mass at different Churches. I also try to get out of the City to hike and find peace in proper silence as much as possible. These activities inspire me, keep me focused and remind me of why I am pursuing the arts in the first place.
CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?
NC: I was fortunate enough to have had four years with other phenomenal Catholics, which includes other artists, at the Catholic Center. Investing in those friendships has led to a community of people I absolutely love. Good, good relationships take time. Go to events, don’t be afraid to meet new people, and invest in those friends. And by friends I don’t necessarily mean “Catholic Artists” friends, I just mean people you can find love in and give love to. Those friends have inspired and encouraged me more than any Excel spreadsheet of connections. Though, I must say that when you do happen to find practicing Catholics who are artists, praise God and introduce yourself!
CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? And if you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person? If you go on retreats, where do you like to go?
NC: Silence and nature. When I can’t take a Metro-North train or get to Prospect Park to be silent in nature, I brew some coffee/tea, light a candle, find some oddly comfortable position in a chair or in my bedroom and read, journal, and/or pray.
Other than that, the more habitual practices are Daily Mass, Morning/Evening prayer (via the Magnificat or phone app iBreviary), and the Rosary.
Spiritual direction is great, but a wee bit tricky. At least for me it was. I just find it best to have a spiritual director who genuinely has the time to talk with you and whose homilies/disposition/teaching/leading etc. you really enjoy. That means time. I prayed and prayed for a spiritual director, talked to a few different people (priests and women religious) who I had a solid relationship with and then it was decided naturally from there.
CAC: What is your daily artistic practice?
NC: As of now, I’m focused on keeping up with the training I received at school. I studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (part of Tisch’s curriculum), so I go over speech/voice work, movement work, technique, dance, script analysis, etc. by myself. I just have to keep disciplined. Doing a few things everyday directed towards my career is a necessity. It can be too easy to let weeks slip by without investing in one’s craft.
CAC: But seriously, how do you make a living in NYC?
NC: So, you’ll have to take this answer with a hefty serving of salt because I have just begun the journey of making a living while pursuing the arts. What I have found is that I benefited from finding a side job/survival job that feeds me–literally and artistically. From your temperament, try and find a job(s) that you genuinely enjoy and won’t completely drain you of joy. Maybe you really do love fashion and don’t mind working in a clothing store, or food service and don’t mind to waitress. For me, I really wanted to be doing something that allowed me to be creative and give others what I’ve learned in the form of teaching. I am on the pursuit of doing just so…check-in with me in about a year and we’ll see how that’s going.
CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?
NC: The Drama Book Shop 250 W 40th St.
Irving Farm Coffee Roasters ***71 Irving Place
CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?
NC: 1) Make time for prayer—the pace of NYC can easily make days go by in a blur, but make sure to have time in prayer with Jesus to center yourself.
2) Keep your eyes on what really matters (ahem, Jesus and getting to Heaven). The idea of success can drive us mad, but He wants you to know you’re loved not based on “success” but the fact that you’re His son or daughter—rest in that.
3) Be open to wherever you’re being led/called to, even if it’s not what you planned.
