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Luke Yocum, 30, is a relatively recent addition to Williamsport.
An abstract expressionist painter, Yocum moved here from New York City in 2010 and maintains a studio in the Pajama Factory. He describes himself as one of the "factory dwellers" and says there is no place he would rather live than here in Williamsport.
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Luke Yocum
Yocum has sold work and headlined gallery shows across the globe, including Barcelona, Spain and the Gold Coast, Australia.
"Because my work sells internationally, I could really live wherever I wanted. But I enjoy my time here. Even when I go abroad, it's always nice to come back to Williamsport," he said.
Yocum describes the factory, with its unique architecture and charm, as being one of the things that primarily attracted him to the area.
"I came down here and right off the bat fell in love with the building itself," Yocum said.
A State College native, Yocum spent several years as a carpenter before beginning his artistic career. He was able to relate to the honesty and integrity of the local community.
"People here are unpretentious, unjaded. It seems like everyone here has a very clear moral compass," he said.
Yocum also appreciates the small town securities and lack of crime in the area.
"It's nice to be able to go out and actually meet your neighbors. I lived in New York for seven years and never met any of my neighbors," he said.
"But here, people are friendly, you make friends easily," he added.
That lack of pretension carries over into the local arts community as well, he has found.
"The artists here are putting themselves into their work in a very honest way, rather than being wrapped up in this facade like New York artists often are," he said. "Here, artists are coming right out and showing people who they are. That was very inspiring to me."
