I look at the date...December 29 and cannot believe a New Year is around the corner. As I say that, I think about just a few of the events from this past year and it does seem like some time must have past.
I have spent the last couple of days cleaning up information on my computer. Clearing out emails, unsubscribing to email blasts and looking through photos of 2011. It is always surprising to me to see the amount of artwork that came out of my studio over the course of a year. When I am getting ready for a show I only think about what I am creating right now and rarely look back at the previous shows. So, looking at these few hundred photos of work I am taken back by how much of it I forgot about.
I am also taken back by something else- how few pieces of artwork I have in my inventory. It is still so incredibly surreal that people spend their hard earned money on something so frivolous, extravagant and completely unnecessary like my artwork.....especially in this financial climate. Granted, as far as artwork goes, I make sure my price point is affordable...but, let's be honest...they are not free or cheap. I am so humbled and incredibly grateful. It makes me want to work even harder.
I think these last few years I sort of thought it was a bit of a fluke that I was able to get invited to the shows that I have participated in. Not from a low self esteem place......just a place of not being able to accept that my work is of the caliber of the artists that I am in such awe of their imagination and their ability to put it in a form that can be enjoyed by us all.
When I look back at the sheer number of pieces purchased, show invitations, the I love your work emails by strangers and realizing that I actually have collectors, it gives me the confidence to say when someone asks What do you do?? I smile and say....I am an artist.
It makes me so happy all over to think of the support and encouragement that I have received this year. Well, ALL the years of this adventure. From the help loading in and out, my brother in law making my frames, the likes and comments on facebook every 5000 photos I post of my work, friends coming to my shows to encourage me on, hair clients accommodating my show times, the prayers and the financial support. I met so many wonderful people and artists this year and even forged an incredible freindship.
It has taken a lot of work and sacrifice to get here. Most importantly, getting my hair and art business in harmony with one another. At times it seemed foolish to take time away from an already proven successful business to try something new when all the news could report is- Nobody is buying anything! Just when I would succumb to the feeling of being irresponsible....a hair client would shop with color in her hair and head out the door with three paintings and be thrilled to have found them!
For that and the confirmation that there was nothing to lose by following my dreams.....I close this year feeling humbled, rewarded and legit in the art world. I close it with the knowledge that the people who love and support you.......love and support ALL of you. They don't concern themselves with how your decisions to follow dreams affects them. They just want to know how to help. They believe in you so much they support you in every way and are impervious to your creative panic attacks. I giggle thinking about the week before a show when I am wild eyed and on the verge of tears and looking at my pile of loot and thinking....Oh crap! It's no good.....I think I should start over..... Any member of my support system would look at me like I had just lost my mind....smile and help me load it down the two flights of stairs.
I start this New Year feeling encouraged and excited. My head is exploding with ideas and new concepts. I will be participating in some new art events, some old events and teaching monthly workshops and I will be applying to shows in other cities. Thank you all so much for everything and giving me the venue to share with you my world.
Happy New Year!!!!
i love you kellie!
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