Barefoot Arts
Cameron
Murals – Paintings – Portraits – Drawings - Power Points
Acrylic – Oil – Watercolor – Charcoal – Colored Pencil
Acrylic – Oil – Watercolor – Charcoal – Colored Pencil
This is a modified version of the business cards I have just made up to start trying to rebuild my business that crashed on me about 6 years ago. The jobs and the economy dried up, and then parallelling that problem, the arthritis in my right hip grew worse until I was unable to work, period, and barely walk. At least one commission ended, I strongly suspect, because the employer realized I was gay. (not anything I could "prove" and if I could it would be meaningless in this area of the world.) I lost a house and a car. A little over a year and a half ago, I had my hip replaced and the surgery was highly successful. I have managed a small return to painting murals. I can't say that the economy has improved; however, interest in my work appears to be growing. And my beloved Dreamweaver is encouraging and supporting - and helped the non-geek here get the business card template to work! (I did design it.)
So, stepping back out, with business cards, working on a brochure and will eventually be creating a website.
Exciting and maybe a little scary. I am back in college now heading for a new career, nor am I going to stop pursuing that dream. On the flip side of the coin, if the economy had held on, if I had not had the arthritis, if. if. if - I would have been perfectly happy to remain a professional artist and mural painter and would never have returned to school. I am never so happy as when I am painting! School is not a bad thing, as I love where my life is going. I think going back for a degree in art therapy and eventually a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy was one of the smartest things I ever did! (I occasionally scare myself to death by mentioning the word Doctorate...we'll see.)
But I have never stopped being an artist and creating art. Am an artist whether I get paid for it or not! I will get my degree...I will be a therapist - a career I am most passionate and excited about.
But I think I will also always identify first and foremost as an artist...
I think sleep would be good, but forgoing that...
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see more of your work. Your religious work down the right side of your blog is amazing. Detail and feeling.
I don't think that once you are an artist that you ever stop bing an artist...only the medium changes. You work with paints in your mind, but you also draw and paint with words, creating vistas upon which you lay your world out for others to see...The bright colors and dark tones. The churascuro of language at thimes, and then indulging in a shock of color to remind us of something.
And why not a doctorate? Smiles. On benefit to the world would be that you'd be qualified by WPATH to sign off on final papers...and you'd have a viewpoint that few have the opportunity to enjoy (yeah, that's twisting the story a bit). Good luck.
Be well and safe,
Alissia
um...typos much?
ReplyDeleteand there's something wrong when the captcha is longer than the post.
ReplyDeleteI'll send you some off the blog. I have 3 mural installations around this city, and works scatted all over - one piece is in San Fransisco in my best friends collection. I have 3 murals that have been painted out and no longer exist - nothing is permanant, unless you are Michelangelo! The most recent one to go was painted over a few weeks ago - a 168 square foot mural in a church gymn. It lasted close to about 10 years before they made the decision to cover it, when redoing the gymn. Makes me sad, but that's life. Once I sign it, it's not mine any more, in many ways. It's always my work, but I don't have control over its eventual fate. The murals on the blog are from one church - an installation that took 6 years to finish, although there were interuptions in it's progress during those six years. I have also illustrated 3 childrens books. I sound like a busy artist - in fact there are many long scary gaps between commisions. It's why they call us starving artists.
ReplyDeleteThat's really great I'm glad you were able to get this up and going for your self again. Lots of love
ReplyDeleteHrm...should be heading out but can't resist (put the mouse down and slowly move away from the keyboard).
ReplyDeleteWould be quite glad to see more of your work. As an artist is anything permanent? Do perfomance artists and sand sculptors have it right in creating some designed to be taken down? Nothing lasts forver. (Wow...sleep deprivation..Queen's "Who wants to live forever" just played in my head). Everything changes, everything dies.
We build skyscrapers in the west as monuments to longevity...an illusion as 9/11 proved. In the east? Japan routinely tears down buildings after afew years to build something new...better. Of course those around at that moment are the one's who decide what is better.
Artist feast or famine syndrome. After getting my BA in technical theater, I works for conventions centers, movie and TV studios, bands...but it was always, and I knew always be feast or famine. I had some weeks where I brought home $1500 (1984), and other times where I didn't get any paying work for weeks. Yeah, fun. And not the best way to start a family.
Best to you on this venture. You're putting yourself out there...what more can one do?
Be well and safe,
Alissia
Beloved Cameron,
ReplyDeleteYou will create art where ever you are, be it in a studio or a therapy room. Indeed, what more sacred of a space than a human soul who trusts you for an hour a week? And your gift for words is only matched by your gift with a brush.
I haven't given up on the dream of an extra building behind our home, with storage space for canvas upstairs and a studio/therapy room downstairs. I often think of the joy it would give to clients to see your work in progress, paralleling their own growth from week to week.
You have been called, and I love watching you answer.
I love you, with all that I am or ever will be,
DreamWeaver
*sigh* - in a good way.
ReplyDeleteDreamweaver,
You are to Cameron as Megan is to me. Each of us with out the other would never be as complete.
I think getting your doctorate is an excellent idea.
ReplyDeleteDittos getting back up on the business horse.
By the way..you do have a perfectly good graphic designer at your service madame. Start up stuff is free.