Transitioning

Well, its been awhile since the last post and lots of things have started, completed and are still in flux. The career change is a work in progress but just yesterday I actually completed my first paste paper and that is a huge step. I have converted my garage into a makeshift studio until my new studio space is ready. I will get about 300 sq. ft to spread out and make books or whatever else suits my fancy.

Latest on the plate of exciting new things is the Humboldt Arts Festival, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 15 & 16 in Arcata. It will be a live performance and art festival with up and coming new artists from all over Humboldt County, a huge sculpture garden in the parking lot of Ace Hardware and Ironside Gallery - the gallery I have been working on painting, will be the hub of the event. We are looking for vendors and volunteers and it should be a whole new experience for Arcata! Check out www.humboldtartsfestival.com. It is really pretty exciting!!

Be Open to All Things.

Blessings.

Gallery painted & Blog Followers

A private bookkeeping client of mine who is fearless and adventurous and generous recently rented a space in my town of Arcata and told me of his plans to open a gallery/retail space for his metal working design business. Since I manage his finances and the space is closer than his home where I have been doing his work for the past year and a half, I suggested that I could work from there and be more on top of cost of goods, etc when he is doing custom work. He agreed and we proceeded to discuss some of his ideas for the space. A month came and went and in the interim I attended An Artful Journey. Upon return from that journey I made the switch to reduce my hours at other jobs and focus on trying to become a book artisan, making and selling custom journals, books and paper. When I spoke with Chris (above mentioned client) I spoke to him about having a retail space in his gallery. He quickly agreed and also proceeded to tell me he was in escrow on a commercial building that had 3 seperate spaces, one which he would use for his shop and metal fabrication, one for storage and one for "studio" rental. Upon further discussion, I suggested that I could manage the gallery, with some of those hours paying for the rental of the studio space. Again, he quickly agreed and so now I am managing a gallery and have a 400 sq. ft space paid for. In addition, I can work at the studio doing the messy stuff, painting, drilling, spreading out and then do the fine painting assembly work while at the gallery where my books will be for sale!

So, for the past 6 days I have been painting the gallery space and visualizing what it will be like when I have books on the shelf for sale. Ideas are continuing to come to me and people are offering other ideas that are great for niche markets and specialty shops. Love it!!!

This journey has barely begun and I am so excited.

And!! I have blog followers.... ha ha, who woulda thunk it??

Tomorrow I am helping a friend paint a mural... which is another new adventure and learning from it that everything has its skill. Whoa... so much to learn.... and I can't wait.

Big Changes

Well, I am sitting here contemplating giving my notice to my employer so I can go play and make books for a living. It is scary and exciting, brilliant and foolish, and totally a jump off the cliff of actualizing creativity. I have purchased a ton of supplies, confirmed some work that totally supports this vision, manifested the dream I want to live and trying hard not to feel bad for wanting to totally indulge in taking care of myself and my priorities.

The universe is telling me to do this and I must yet it is still difficult to disappoint people you care about.

Wish me luck....