Talkin' to myself and feelin' old

Sometimes I'd like to quit

Nothing ever seems to fit

Hangin' around

Nothing to do but frown

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.

WIP

Work-in-progress

That’s what these photos are of, works in progress:

A portrait of Maggie, who belongs to the pastor of the Anglican Church here in Rosseau.

A pastel drawing of Guhonda, a silverback gorilla in Rwanda:

A tiny panoramic pastel of the dogs playing on the beach in Maine:

I’m sharing these works in progress because it’s time to declare myself as a work in progress as well. Like these pieces of art, I'm on my way to becoming something, but there's still a fair bit of work to be done. I’m on the way to achieving what I want to do and be as an artist, and the time has come to get serious about it.

I’ve had the fallback of a ‘real’ job as a translator, and I will continue to do so, but the summer months bring with them a real dearth of work (most of my clientele is winter sports related), and that’s unnerving for someone who is both self-employed and a workaholic.

So this summer, the main ‘job’ will be art. Not just making it, but also making it work. Of the five business days in the week, one will be devoted to learning (reading, doing tutorials, watching videos) and one will be devoted to the business aspect (setting up and reinforcing web presences, social media, other marketing activities; not my bailiwick and definitely outside of my comfort zone, but any progress in this aspect will be better than the status quo, which is nil).

I’ve recently seen some of the work that I did 12 to 18 months ago, and noted the difference between what I am creating now and what I created back then. Progress has been made. At the same time, I follow many artist blogs, webpages and publications, and I still feel like a very humble beginner, small fry compared to the big fish. However, armed with the certainty that I am growing, learning and constantly bettering myself with each new effort, and also with the attitude and will to achieve excellence, even if it takes years, I’m ready to take up the challenge.

I left teaching a few years ago, and it was a very difficult decision: the pay was regular, the job security was watertight, and the prestige was significant. But I have never been one to remain on the beaten path, and I don’t regret the choice I made. Now, as the translation work ebbs a bit due to forces beyond my control (most of my work is media-related, and the media have seen a sea-change over the last decade, with ever-stormy oceans yet to navigate), it’s time to think about the future and turn another passion into something marketable.

Thank you for reading and for being here with me on this journey.