I Struggle

I am an artist, a struggling artist. When someone says they are a ‘struggling artist’, most people automatically imagine this messy dressed person with messy/crazy hair living in this somewhat huge industrial loft with only a mattress for sleeping and an easel for painting, who survive mainly on peanut butter sandwiches, ramen noodles, and coffee. I don’t always dress messy, just when I am working on the land or something that might get me dirty and I do not want to ruin my good clothes. I occasionally have crazy hair, but have learned how to use a curling iron or ponytail holder. I do not live in a wonderful old loft (even though I would like to have one in downtown New Orleans); I live in a cute small cottage with a secret garden. I have furniture that may be old and ratty due to the fact that my dog and cat have destroyed them…but still, I have more than a mattress and an easel. I eat WAY more than just peanut butter sandwiches and coffee, and I hate ramen noodles! So if you are thinking of my struggle in that sense of the term, switch channels and think differently. I am a struggling artist, just not that kind. I struggle with myself, but not in a ‘poor pity me’ kind of way or an ‘I have something profound to say and you must listen’ kind of way either. I struggle with actually making myself accomplish my goals, with actually getting up and creating all of these wonderful things that I see in my head. I am a procrastinator! There, I said it… now maybe it will go away.

I have many goals I want to accomplish this year. One is to blog at least 3 times a week.  I want to become a good Etsy shopkeeper and make lots of sales on that website.  I want to keep my 10x10 rented space in June Bug’s Checkered Cupboard Antique/Gift shop full and thriving and making money! I want to start my own children’s lines with these cool ideas I have. I want to make a killing selling my creations at festivals, art shows, and farmers markets. I want my goodies to be sold in other retail shops locally and eventually nationally… I want my dreams to come true.

Unfortunately, the struggling artist cock blocks all those fantastic dreams. But, I am slowly learning to slap him in the face and push him down out of my way.  So far this year, I have redesigned my logo and blog page and posted one good blog… and here is my second.  I have started creating my tin art more and I actually attended my first farmers market (Mandeville Trailhead Community Market in Mandeville, Louisiana) this past Saturday. I am re-attending that market this coming up Saturday.  Today I plan to go to June Bug’s shop and re-arrange my 'corner' and get busy keeping it cute and stocked full of items to sell. I am painting repurposed furniture that will help fill that 'corner' along with my paintings, garden stakes, wall hangings, sewn goodies, jewelry and more! I have yet to post anything for sell on my Etsy page, but I am going to start taking photos of some items this week….hopefully.

So, now that you kind of get where I am at, you will understand my ramblings a bit better…I think.

Here are some photos of the farmers market my Mom and I attended this past weekend…

Mandeville Trailhead Community Market

Hand cut, hand painted, tin garden stakes

Hand built/painted tin art for outside and my Mom's silk floral wreaths

Glass totem poles for the garden