Am I Really an Artist?

What a dream. I mean really? Am I really able to make money as a visual artist? I have always been an artist. For me it all started when I was little maybe around 8. I would sit down at the dining room table with my crayons and colored pencils and copy Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and the Grinch. I slowly realized I could draw what I was looking at and it was reasonably similar. About the time I was in my late teens or early twenties my grandfather told me I saw the world differently because I was an artist. This was the biggest compliment I had ever received and all I wanted to be was an artist I just didn't know how to do it. I graduated college with a degree in Art Therapy and Psychology. I was never a student that stood out among my peers in art class. I might hit something out of the park every now and then but I didn't feel I had one specific talent. As I went out into the world and worked I realized I was pretty good at everything I did. Whether it was counseling people, serving food and drinks or being an executive assistant to a real estate developer. My strength was that I could jump head in to something I didn't know much about and succeed. However, it took me a long time to connect the dots.

In 2005 we moved to our home in Worcester, Vermont and started our little family. During this time I painted on and off and sold paintings here and there. My main focus was our children and raising little ones can take a lot of energy. In this crazy cosmic world I live in, I ended up getting a job at our kid's school starting when our youngest went to Kindergarten. I love working at the school and being on the kids schedule. I was hired as their Food Service Manager and shared that position with two other women. We put our hearts in to that job for the past six years and helped to build a wonderful food service program. During this time I ran into my studio partner Sam Colt, you can find our story in a previous post. That is the moment I started to connect the dots. Whenever I put my heart into something and I work diligently, I succeed. Why couldn't I do this with art? I definitely miss a steady paycheck and a job description. It's not easy learning how to self promote, design a web site and find places to show your work....oh yeah and create ART! I have to learn to think outside of the box and research what other successful artists are doing. Luckily there are plenty of successful artists out there that are willing to share tips and information. It takes hard work and dedication that I know will pay off. I am at the point in my life where I have to stop asking "What am I going to be when I grow up?" I am grown up, what am I? I am many things but for once I really know I am an ARTIST.

I want to thank all of you that have purchased art, come out to shows and sent me words of encouragement. I am so thankful to have all of you join me on this wonderful journey.