Returning to myself
Dear Reader,
An active creative practice has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve always needed to keep my mind and my hands constantly busy in many different ways. When I was in college, I had a very full class schedule, and then later when I was in grad school, not only was I a full-time student, but I also worked two jobs to pay for my tuition. I loved school, and there was nowhere I would have rather been than talking about literature with people who cared about it as much as I did. Living in the worlds of the characters I created and wondering what they would do and say next was intoxicating to me. I thrive on deadlines, so I think it really fueled my creativity when I knew that I had to have a short story finished by a certain time. Since we had to read those stories aloud in front of the class, the thought of not doing your best work was motivation enough. Nowadays, I keep my hands busy making things daily, constantly reading (I have five books going right now), and doing all the things one does as an adult who also happens to be a wife a and mother.
As a self-employed artist, it sometimes can be tricky to figure out where the differentiation is between your creative practice and your business. For quite some time I felt that I was an artist first and then a business owner, but more recently, I have come to the realization that it’s all part of one ecosystem. It’s all creative work, and everything is connected. The essence of my creative energy is carried into my business in all aspects. That’s how all of my business, whether it be marketing, sales, etc. feels sustainable. It’s all part of my creative practice. And, I couldn’t do it any other way.
In the past I spent a great deal of time worrying about how I can support my art. Most of us who are self-employed artists have had these thoughts time and time again. But, in the process I was compartmentalizing art and business. When I consider things in the realm of what will make money and what won’t, then I’m creating a divide and putting money at the forefront. This realization has led me to become deeply introspective with my relationship to money. This led me to work on reprogramming my relationship to money, but particularly how I value myself and my work, and relinquishing the myth of the starving artist. Who says that artists can’t be abundant in all forms of that word? Artists have so much to offer with our imaginations, abilities, and spirits. All that energy should be fully expressed in the world, and we can receive compensation that sometimes comes in the form of money.
Big changes are happening in my business right now and that can feel scary. I now have a studio and I have to pay rent every month. Even though it’s within my budget, it’s still an expense that I’ve never had before. Although, when I walked through the door, I knew it was right, so I didn’t hesitate. I feel that we’ve all been brought up in a world where we’re conditioned to think about the end result or the outcome. Of course we all are hoping for a safe landing before we jump. We want to know what will happen. But, what if we reframed that and instead focused on the act of moving forward? Slowing things down and thinking about the steps that feel right and nourishing as an artist and a human. Maybe then we’ll all find something on the other side after we jump that will be all we hoped it would be and possibly even more. I do not come from a place of financial privilege, but still, I’m here trusting myself, following my own path as an adult while I nurture the heart of the creative child that lives within.
May you take that leap, and find all that you wished for when you land.
"What matters most is how well you walk through the fire." -Charles Bukowski
Last week at a glance
My kids picked up Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease when they went to a big craft party. First one got it, then the other, and their friends also got it at the same time. Having teenagers at home who cannot hang out with their friends made for a pretty uneventful and boring week. So far the adults in the house are still symptom-free.
We had to cancel many plans this week, so aside from getting outside for walks and hikes everyday, not much happened.
The weather was perfect for a beautiful hike yesterday.
I finished my Halloween costume. No photos until Halloween though.
I made a bunch of wrist mitts, arm warmers, and scarves.
fluffy arm warmers I listed many made-to-order items in the online shop.
I acquired a new earring stand and some shelving for my studio and shows.
We got a new stove.
I got two small ionic air purifiers that are about the size of a small water bottle and I love them. They’re having a sale, so check it out, here
My family and I rewatched Hocus Pocus and Sleepy Hollow,
We also watched Frankenweenie for the first time. The ending made me cry.
I added A Carnival of Snackery, by David Sedaris to my daily reading. It’s basically just his diaries. And, of course I love it.
I picked up Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and A Visit From the Goon Squad from the little free library, but I haven’t started them yet.
I strained my lemon balm tincture
I harvested more hibiscus.
I made some rosemary and nettle hair rinse.
I appreciate all of you who choose to be here and read my newsletter. Have a wonderful week. And, I hope to see you around the studio. Please, tell your friends.
xo,
Christa
Gandalf is so helpful with the whole writing process. Links
Email: wildchildfibers@gmail.com
Website: https://www.wildchildfibers.com
Gallery: here
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Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.