When I left for college I made the decision to major in art- specifically painting. But my college art education was a wakeup call about what class critiques, teachers, opinions, business and the art world will do to your passion (spoiler alert- it can break your love of making art into a billion little pieces). I stuck with it despite the challenges and then I ventured out into the world with an art education that taught me that in order to be a working artist, I needed to show my art in fancy galleries with big price tags, get an agent and share my work in circles with money/ status. After some art shows under my belt and trying to be something that I was not, I quickly came to the conclusion that I DIDN’T FIT into this world and that was ok!
It was amazing because as soon as I accepted that art wasn’t precious for me- it never felt fancy- it didn’t feel like it should be exclusive for people with money- I didn’t care about status- I loved selling my creations at holiday bazaars instead of fancy galleries and I loved my glue gun, puff paint and and craft projects- this was the day that I WAS SET FREE! Set free to simply be myself- to love art and craft, be weird, unconventional, messy, rule breaking and not fit into one category.
And while building the creative business that you see today took me over 15+ years of lots of trial and error, it was that moment of OWNING WHO I AM that ended up being my secret sauce! I think we all have to travel our own paths (and no shade to the gallery artists out there) but it just feels so good to be yourself. To own all the things that make you unique and different, to let go of pressure and limiting beliefs about who or what you should be.
So if there is someone out there today feeling like you have “do all the things” that everyone else is doing, if you are making art/craft that you want to fit in, if you want get “discovered”, if you are fueled by money or status or if you are hiding all the unconventional things about yourself…here is my advice- don’t do it! It’s just not worth it. You are blessed with gifts, you are unique and you GOTTA lean in to all those wonderful, wild and weird things that make you..YOU!
