Dragons on Grand Avenue

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Above: My latest leather dragon creations.

If you follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram, you know Saturday for a little bit and Sunday all day I was on Grand Avenue for Grand Old Days. Saturday was shorter than planned due to inclement weather, but Sunday was truly a SUN day.

I had a lot of interest, but not too many purchases. Much better than last year and I’m especially pleased with the trade I will be doing with another artist who would like some dragons. I want an “excuse” to make more dragons and he wants them for something specific. I love the work he does and he likes to barter. Deal! I also traded a leather bookmark for a bracelet from our fused glass artisan which is just the prettiest thing I’ve allowed myself to get and not make in forever.

Unfortunately, when I say “our,” it’s a little outdated. Mims Artists Collective has disbanded due to complications. There should still be a show on December 5th, but the studio is closed and all of my inventory came home with me. And, wow, do I have inventory. To see everything out at once was pretty amazing. I’ve seen bits and pieces through Mears, MSUS, and 13GEARS, but never really had a show with everything until yesterday.

The other artists were super impressed in my evolution and production over the past year. I thanked Mims for the opportunity the collective has given me and really left feeling like I’ve “got this.” Considering how I felt through the beginning of this year, it was a welcome change.

At some point this week I will be putting in my official application to 13GEARS, slated for November 5th. Thursday begins the next round of Music in Mears. Time to get out of my studio and back into the world.

I cannot stress enough how up and down this life has been, and it really doesn’t seem to get any easier. I obviously spoke with other artisans this weekend– in and out of the Collective–one of whom had made $38 profit… after five days work for Art-a-Whirl. Another also works in music and recently told an aspiring music major if they can think of doing ANYTHING else, do that, major in that.

I have to create. I’ve always had to create. Everyone who warned me against this route, all of the self-doubt about following it… it’s all true. It’s hard. I couldn’t do it without the “day job” at the flower shop, without the support of my spouse. Art isn’t easy, but I’ve “got this.”

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