When i imagined my life as an artist/freelance illustrator, it was more looking like working in cafe, meeting people for lunch and going to the climbing gym in the afternoon... enjoying the freedom of not going to a 9-5 job and working at my own rhythm. These two months in full lockdown in the UK couldn't be further than this vision!
So it has been some quiet time with a lot of moments for creativity.
As you can see in that very honest picture of my room/home studio. My space have been rearranged with different corners: the yoga space, the meditation and reading cushion, the desk space, the pinning ideas wall, the painting area...
My days are mostly spend rotating between these areas, with some walks breaks and meal time. It is still a slow pace, filled with a lot of moments of reflection on where I am heading to. I have been contacting people but also doing a lot of painting and I have enjoyed this creative time a lot.
I am discovering the joys of the self employed angst.
It was probably one of my biggest fear going into this, knowing that there is no more safety net, not more regular income, company perks and protection.
This is something I need to manage on a daily basis, remind myself to be patient, allow myself to take some time to be creative and have faith that things will grow at their right pace. "Slow growth is still growth": I am often coming back to this sentence I came across a few months ago.
And when I get too agitated, take a walk and tell myself that stepping out of the hustling, busy non stop working world is also what I wanted, instead of running in all directions like a headless chicken. Authenticity and alignment is really an every moment job and I am feeling only at the start of that learning curve!
By taking more time to think about what I create, I understand more deeply the reason behind my art and what I am trying to express through it.
By writing artists statements and about my artwork, and reflecting on my previous body of work, I am starting to find threads and get to the bottom of what really moves me as an human being and as an artist. Beyond the love for nature, climbing and the mountains, I see they are the medium through which I can fully experience my emotions and find a deep connection with myself. Exploring these spaces, whether it is by hiking, climbing, surfing, traveling, or simply observing other people stories through these spaces, is my way to make sense of myself and the world. Art, words and stories are the way I share these feelings and these experiences to the world and invite people to step into these spaces.
I am sure that through more experimentation and reflexion more in depth and better explanation will be articulated.
You can read the blog post "sunset for a new soul/ Eternal change I" for the story behind this painting!
Finally, let's celebrate a few big ticks on the to do list!
The website have seen a full rehaul and redesign and a shop addition, I have done a few paintings, launched some apparel design with Climb culture and a yoga mat with BigRaven Yoga, created a new colouring book "the Waves and the clouds", and got in touch with a few people and organisations, which I hope will come to fruition.
It will be a year of trying news things and new directions and see where I want to head next, so here is to be open to new opportunities.
With the spring approaching, i am looking forward to more time painting in the garden, and a little more energy to come into a good rhythm whilst keeping the balance between the quiet and busy times!
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