This has been a strange year. It hasn’t gone as I’ve expected. Last spring my computer failed and they couldn’t save the data. I could send it off for a ton of money for them to try and retrieve it, but there’s no guarantee. Then, when I checked the backup drive, it had failed too. Same story. I can send it out for a ton of money, but it’s a gamble on whether they can get the data. It’s so strange to have a chunk of your work history disappear. Now I don’t want to be too dramatic, since I have a lot of images on my website, Instagram, on Google Drive and in random emails, but still, I know quite a few images, especially older ones are missing. Plus, the missing files were edited so even if I gathered images they would have to be cleaned up in Photoshop all over again. This also means files for prints. Prints have been an awesome source of side income for me, but I never planned on selling prints initially. I am all about original art.
Yet in a big way, it’s a good excuse for a fresh start. I feel like I have been in the same place for awhile. I feel like I haven’t grown the way I’d like to. I want to work in a variety of mediums, work bigger and get out of my comfort zone. I want to make art that really excites me.
I recently had friends over for an art night and it was awesome. I have been occasionally having friends in my studio to work and I want to make this a more regular thing. When I used to run Sofa Sketch, a monthly art meet up, we had a great time. But working in my studio is the best. We aren’t working in a public place, there’s a variety of supplies to grab and use. I love it. Oh, and I provide great snacks. There’s nothing like having friends to experiment with and talk to about art and other things.
This is a recent succulent painting I made for a client for a housewarming gift. With all the commissions lately, I have been thinking more about my personal work and I have so many ideas right now. From subject/theme to medium, there are a lot of ideas I want to explore.
I haven’t had much of a plan, which I normally do. It feels good to go with the flow lately. All I want to do is get deeper into my work and take it somewhere exciting. So, art night with friends, more experimenting, going to shows and evolving my work. I am going to roll with this freer approach and it seems to be a good track since the work isn’t slowing down.
What’s I’m thinking about lately…
Painting a mural - which I will be doing for Pow! Wow! San Jose in October!
Taking a break from commissions after October or after the new year
Hosting more art nights and more art field trips
Going to art shows
Finishing my proposal for a book
Making a new zine
Returning to different mediums - Sumi ink, acrylic ink, ceramics, textiles and trying oils again since I learned how you can reduce the toxicity of them
Thinking over whether to do limited prints of only most asked for images
Making a BIG painting - been hard to get to since I’ve had so many commissions!
Caring about the work and not the money, which has made me make more of it lately
