Is It Time to Grow?

Over the last year or more there have been a lot of challenges in my life. I've taken on the responsibility of being a caregiver for my mom which has been chock full of challenges and changes. Right now, mom is doing well physically and mentally she has her good days and bad days. Along with caring for mom I'm also caring for 3 dogs and 2 cats. One dog is in his senior years as are the cats. They too have presented their challenges. For the most part I've adapted okay, but there are more days than not that I shed a few tears every morning wondering what the day will bring.

Now that I'm home full-time, I needed to find my way in the world and what makes me happy.

I've always dreamt of having my own art business and for years I tried to make a go at it with photography and fluid art paintings. But I kept coming up cold. And eventually these two art forms have become uninspiring for me. Which was frustrating and sad. I remember one day I was watching some fluid art YouTube videos trying to get that spark when I came upon a mixed media artist video and all of sudden sparks were flying everywhere, I was feeling inspired and ready to take on a new art challenge or was I? It looked like so much fun! I watched many of her videos (her being Froyle Art). Her personality was so bubbly and happy, and her art is amazing. She also mentioned another mixed media artist and I went to her website where she offers a free 5-day collage course (Cat Rains and her course is Collage Kickstart). After a weekend of watching her videos and watching collage kickstart, I was ready to hit the art store get some supplies and start creating.

I made so many collage papers, I mean so many, but what fun I had! Then I made some mini collages, and they were just as fun and so meditative too. I was in such a zone or flow that the world around me had disappeared for a while.

I kept playing around learning how to make my own papers and mini collages. I also looked around for other mixed media artist on Youtube to explore this new mixed media art that had me so intrigued. I came across Shawn Petite whose art I fell in love with. But I didn't think I could do it since my drawing skills are very minimal. But after watching many, many of her videos I quickly learned that this is something I can do.

As I made my dive into mixed media art, I was learning so much about myself and my abilities as an artist.

So, I tried a of little this and a of little that getting a feel of if I wanted to pursue mixed media or if it was a passing phase.

I went back and forth on what I wanted my art business to be... and it was difficult to decide, I mean I know photography and I do it well as well as fluid art and people knew my work. Was I ready to close those chapters of my art to move on to another and basically start over?

It was a tough decision, but I kept going back to mixed media. The more I discovered the more I was falling in love with the art. So, for now photography and fluid art are temporarily closed and I'm putting all my energy into mixed media.

I have 3 big projects/workshops that I will be working on that will help me take my mixed media to the level of moving it forward and determining if it will be my future art business or will it be photography or fluid art or all of the above. Come May of 2023 I will be reviewing to see where I am. In the meantime, I'm all about mixed media!

I have lots of ideas for a business model and what I want that to look like, but first I need to find my artistic voice that will make me the happiest.

At some point over the next few years, I want to have a full-time art business that I love and can be self-sustaining me financially.

It's a long road, but one I want to challenge, because I will never know unless I try.

I will be posting on Instagram and Facebook daily so you can see what I have created and follow along on my art journey. I will also be blogging once a week talking about what challenges I may have had if any that week.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm having great fun doodling too. I've been doodling off and on for the past year, but recently almost daily as I travel on my art journey path.

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Until next time have a great week and be safe.