The biggest risk I've taken thus far - which I am the middle of - is giving up all side jobs, all compromises in order to focus on my art business full time. It's an enormous financial risk I am taking (did I mention I am a single mom of two young daughters?!) and as of right now all my income is being generated by my art endeavors.
By giving up my side graphic design projects I can now focus all my time on my art business and I am undertaking a whole new re-invention and re-creation on who I am as an artist. I am learning new ways of generating income out of my art and I am exploring whole new avenues of possibilities that were not even in my sight before. Every day I am learning something new. I am quite amazed of the possibilities that are being revealed as I continue to investigate. One I am very excited about is the new financial sponsorship and crowd funding opportunity that C4 Atlanta provides with the ArtsForce program. I am also exploring other avenues, such as approaching local business for commission work as oppose to individual clients. I am looking for a mentor and I am considering facilitating a mentorship program in which successful experienced artists are paired with emerging mentees. In am exploring the possibility of group projects, paring up with other artists to create art projects of a larger scale. I am working at expanding my network and my connection, raising the levels of engagement with a community of art consumers.
I feel I am at the brink of expansion, and thou it can be quite scary as it is all new to me, it is also very exciting, and I am basking in the possibilities of living my life as an entrepreneur, and not just a freelancer. From what I discovered so far - finding out what I am good at, what I am passionate about and practice that - this is just the bottom layer of bricks I'm laying. What's of even more important is going forward and keep discovering and choosing what is meaningful in my passion, over what I just love to do.
I would say that the biggest risk for me is giving up the certainty of who I know myself to be for the possibility of who I am becoming in the doing of it.
OMG I love all of your ideas! First, congrats on your journey. Quitting all the side projects can be nerve racking, but you have a handle on it. I too would love a mentor and/or to mentor others. And the group projects idea too. Perhaps long distance (I'm in CA).
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your journey to your new self. :)
Let's connect, are you on Facebook? My page is www.facebook.com/ArtByDianaToma
DeleteLove your enthusiasm. You sound like you completed the Ignite course at C4. Is that possible?
ReplyDeleteHi Maggie, I believe I did Ignite about 2 years ago, more or less. How about yourself?
Deletewow, Diana, powerful post love your ending sentence, i.e. biggest risk giving up who you think you for you are becoming, could be ! & I am a single Mom, my son now 35yrs, but well remember that journey and so I acknowledge you big time for your risk taking, as a Mom, Artist, Life Adventurer.
ReplyDeletethank you so much, we sometimes underestimate the power of moral support - your words really hit home with me, thank you for your acknowledgment!
DeleteLove this - and love your ideas. I'd love to find a mentor/mentee program - step outside my comfort zone of the same artists i've been around for year. I took think that last sentence is extremely powerful
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