Since I wrote last, many things in my life have changed… as they should when one is actively working toward creating their best life. The first big change is that I quit my pizza delivery job because the overwhelming negativity of some of my coworkers had made the job unbearable. Once I found the clarity that I have a choice of how to spend my days and that I was not trapped in the job, I made the easy decision to walk away. While there were definitely a few people there who encouraged me at every step in the building, the infinite potential of being surrounded by people who challenge me to think even bigger is truly mind-blowing and it’s worth it to me to take the time to seek out these people on a global scale. I’m still physically and mentally able and willing to work hourly jobs but since the goal is to work smarter, not harder… getting a new job that would serve only to keep me treading water in Seattle seems like a foolish move. Now that I know what I want to do, it physically and mentally hurts to do anything else.
Mural by D*Face in London
The second big change is that instead of finding another job that will distract me from my art journey, I’m taking another shot at being a full time artist. So here we are at yet another deadline I’ve created for myself with the help of the universe. My current lease in Capitol Hill, Seattle is up at the end of the year and it feels like the perfect time to make a big change. The only thing I want to do for the next few years is to travel the globe making art and photographing the art of others and I know it is possible. Now that I’ve experienced the joy of taking one’s art on tour (music and otherwise) and sharing your art and light with the world, I’m completely addicted and I believe that it is the way I can best be of service to this planet. As I write this, I still have yet to earn any art money but I’m actively taking steps toward changing that every day.... My webstore is linked here if you’d like to see how that’s going.
A recently made #MFDALÍ diorama.
While I’m definitely aware that the opportunities I create and manifest for myself may end up looking very different than what I’ve imagined, I envision my 2020 living out of a suitcase making art every day in a beautiful place, following the trail of opportunities I’ve manifested. I realize this is only possible if I continue to work toward my goals daily and to press the eject button from my comfort zone. People have already been paid to do most of the things I hope to do (artist residencies, full time working artist, published Street Art Photographer, creator of graphic novel series +, creating and marketing a character, get paid to travel with my art, more stuff I haven’t thought of yet and/or are so big I won’t mention them yet) so I know everything is possible if I work hard every day, try new things, and continue to think bigger.
TheRingOfDOOM and an #MFDALÍ collage on Dalí’s grave in Museu Dalí in Figueres, Spain.
The third big change is that about a week after I quit this job, I assessed my finances and discovered that I could make the Europe trip happen that I’d attempted a little over a year before. Of course I should have stayed home and worked at creating reliable streams of income but I must follow my internal compass and reach for true happiness at every opportunity. A last minute ticket was purchased and I went to Figueres and Cadaques in Spain to photograph my #MFDALÍ art in the Dali museums. MF mission accomplished… working on developing this whirlwind experience into more digestable social media content as I write this. I also was able to take TheRingOfDOOM to Bristol for his long-awaited transformation. Instead of merely drinking the water of Bristol, both my fictional character and I were soaked through with Bristol rain multiple times during our stay. Neither of us will ever be the same and the trip was truly the transformation I was seeking. I spent the last chunk of my trip in the Shoreditch area of London which is most definitely one of my favorite places on the planet… so far.
Stik mural as seen in Shoreditch, London
My current system for maximizing the potential of every day is to have a stopwatch running every time I’m doing something that would be considered work if I was doing it for another. It makes a ton of sense to me to spend at least one month working 8 hours a day/40 hours a week (plus way more) at creating a sustainable art career for myself before giving up and getting another job (I do realize there are more options here). I’m on my third day of tracking my art hours and it’s going great so far. I’m wholeheartedly convinced that the ROI of investing this time in myself is infinite and that every minute I spend working on my art is worth it… even if it has yet to pay off financially, I know it will. If I work half as hard for myself as I do for others, my endeavors will have no choice but to succeed. I’m grateful that I’ve gifted myself the opportunity to reach for this goal.
My latest MFDALÍ collage.
As usual, I have A LOT more to say about all these things but it’s time to take action instead of overthinking and continuing to strategize. I’m currently actively working on creating a collaged set for a stop motion music video, a new sellable 12”x12” space collage, making timelapse videos of my art process, adding old art to my webstore to open doors to art money, creating new daily habits to maximize health, productivity, and happiness, plus creating a whole buffet of new content highlighting me and my art journey. Looking forward to seeing what I make happen next…
SONG OF THE DAY
Heart “Straight On” 1978 (the year I was born) Never underestimate the infinite power of a 41 year old woman who is actively wrangling her personal demons and turning them into art.