BLOGANUARY 2025 DAY 16
Tum-de-tum-dee-tum…hello. Ok excuses for not writing a post yesterday: um, nothing really I can honestly use but if it’s any consolation, I didn’t do yoga either.
I have gotten myself into a bit of a funk over getting more work, and it is one of those things where I constantly wish-wash between feeling I need to curate my overtures specifically (more effort but then again, more likely to get a response) and just getting stuff out there (after all, it’s a numbers game in the end anyway). Both are correct, but depending on how robust I’m feeling, the former approach can make me feel frustrated and slow, and the latter can make me feel over-exposed and ineffective. I’ve got a few big bills to pay both this and next month, and that puts the pressure on – not because I don’t have the money, but even if I budget, the timing is unfortunate falling as it does in the post-Christmas slump when nobody wants to buy anything.
I’m fine with the bread-and-butter retail prospects as I have done enough of those, and have the data to prove that I have found a way to locate potential stockists in a way which ticks the right boxes (for both me and them). That, however, is always going to be background revenue and I both need and want to be doing bespoke projects in addition, and that’s where I definitely haven’t devised a formula.
Hence the circling round and lack of confidence. This affects my creativity so the whole thing becomes a bit of a downward spiral as I then don’t make art, which turns everything inward and starts to stagnate.
Apologies for the late delivery, and then a rather downbeat missive when it does finally arrive! I will endeavour to provide a more uplifting post later today…
Here’s me enjoying a few seconds of extremely unusual harmony between my dog and cat. They have basically taken over where the children left off.
“the former approach can make me feel frustrated and slow, and the latter can make me feel over-exposed and ineffective” – I connected a lot with that. Sometimes the artistic life can feel like a bunch of miserable choices.
Still, at least we can always come back to the joy of process, and the high of a completed project. You’re an incredibly talented artist and I know you’ll figure it out!
I’ve also added a note on my phone: ‘get cat and dog to snuggle with’ because I am incredibly jealous! Even if the moments of harmony are rare, it looks like they are well worth the wait.
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Awww thanks so much! Yes, I try and remember that it’s a question of just doing stuff – anything really – that keeps me going rather than giving up.
And yes, the few minutes a week when the animals decide to cooperate is definitely worth it š
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I’m glad you’re still smiling. Perhaps it is time to hibernate.
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Ha! It’s that time of year I guess!
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