Hi all!
First of all, as usual, thank you for sticking with me through thick and thin, the good, bad, and the ugly. as for what time it is right now, I'm not entirely sure if it's good, bad, ugly, or possibly all three.
I'm sure you noticed that I wrote about some new series and new merch being available in the gallery and in the shop. If you were excited about these updates, and promptly went to go look for them, I am so very sorry for your inevitable disappointment and confusion for not finding them there. You see, the good thing is, my stained glass inspired flower series is completed. The bad thing is that the pictures could be better, and the inspiration to make a floral themed painting again has left me, possibly for some time. I love my flowers, so this does make me a little sad. Perhaps flowers will return in some other way. The ugly thing is that lovely little pervasive issue I always have lurking in the background: ADHD.
For those of you who are not familiar with ADHD symptoms, forgetfulness is one of them. I am a very scatter brained person, and my hyperfocus does not always cover all the bases. It takes a lot of energy to cover my bases, and lately, those bases have been focused elsewhere: mostly in my job search and my financial planning. so sometimes, my art and my documentation/content creation is the thing that inevitably falls through the cracks. And a lot has been falling through the cracks lately. Because I had so much on my plate, I forgot to schedule the launches on the shop and the photos on the gallery, so though the scheduled posts came out when they were supposed to, the subsequent content mentioned on those posts did not. Don't worry, those things will be up here by Friday, but it will take some time as I am still scrambling about, trying to fit everything into my schedule. What has me so busy? I'll tell you: the perpetual job search.
This month I'm scrambling. The job search has become dire as I will be out of work for at least two to three months starting at the end of May. No money coming in means no money for rent, food, or electricity- all necessities I am afraid. So my energy in remembering details has been focused in that area: budgeting out the funds I have, the funds I will have by the end of the month, and sorting out possible gigs and side hustles that can scrape me by until I find stable employment again. I've even been encouraged to apply to a teaching position again as a high school photography teacher, and I am desperate enough to consider applying. As I am already in the API's good graces, the possibility of being hired is pretty high up there, and as I am familiar with the overall hiring process, I am more than well prepared for the interview already. That being said, I still want to give myself a shot at something other than teaching since the fine art teachers I know in the charter system have already warned me that just because I start my career in the fine arts department, does not mean they will keep me there. They will move me if they want to or if they need to: something I am not at all up for. I don't want to teach photography one year, love it, and then get moved to history under the pretense of "school needs".
So here I am, working my ass off so I don't have to make that choice, and I don't have to get stuck in a system that doesn't allow for me to make my art. Because I like making my art. I like it a lot. So I am making plans. Of course I will continue to search for jobs well into the summer and before, but to make it to the end of the summer I've come up with some extra stuff to do for myself so I don't starve. Just in case.
The first of my plans is to host another summer art sale. This art sale will be virtual, and it will be mostly the stuff in my shop plus some extra stuff I've been working on. All the items in my shop plus anything that makes it in there before the end of May will be sold, and all canvases will be at a discount. You can also buy things outside of my shop by making direct inquiries.
Second is focusing on commissions. I have gained two commissions this past spring, and I will be putting out feelers and pushes on social media for securing more commissions of varying degrees. This push will not take place until the summer, and is currently a last resort. I'd like to be able to focus more on the commissions I already have than trying to seek out more. The plan is to document those commissions via social media so that other can se my work and possibly want a version of it for themselves.
Third on the list is that I will be hosting some virtual art therapy sessions. We'll be making simple pictures with easy to find and inexpensive supplies, and the techniques used will be specifically made to help you turn off your brain. I will be posting those events in my shop, and all details including times and pricing will be loaded in time for summer. Consider attending one of these virtual sessions, and invite your friends. We will be doing some really cool stuff.
Fourth is summer markets. I will be selling some of my wares out in public in the summer heat meeting some of your beautiful faces and thank you in person. Because shipping is not an issue, anything bought in the market will be cheaper. and more immediate. The goal is that anything I sell in the shop I will have available at the markets. If you know of any markets that are accepting vendor applications, please let me know. I am in central Texas, and I am willing to travel. So drop your favorite cities and towns in the comments.
And fifth, because I love doing things by fives, is to just keep swimming. I will keep moving, I will keep adapting, and one day soon I'll be out of the woods. I will be okay, and I am going to make it, even if it's a little rough along the way for a bit. And through all the struggling and complaining and all the crying that will inevitably happen, I will find moments of joy, and I will find things to be excited about, and I will still find a way to live life to the fullest. So I'll stay hopeful, and I'll keep going.
Thank you to all of you for sticking with me this far. Even with all the ups and downs. It means so much to me that you are still here cheering me on. Till next time, I hope your day is hopeful.