Working Stiff

Integrating my art practice into my day job.

If only I had more time was my mantra; anxiety clogged my mind and blurred my vision, as the years passed I found myself stuck in a day job that didn’t feel right. The experience was exhausting and depressing; I wasn’t happy within myself and I didn’t know what to do to about it. One day my mom suggested I change the way I approach my artistic practice and work on smaller projects. That way I could see results of a finished product and have a sense of accomplishment. I thought about it for a couple of weeks and realized she was right. I made a firm commitment to change the way I think about myself and my artistic practice. That it is a profession and it is possible to make a living doing it. I moved to the evening shift at work which opened up time and opportunities for research, networking appointments, time in the morning to write and time at night to work on storyboards.

It’s hard and at times I am very tired juggling the day job and my artistic practice, but I am happy and inspired. In April I wrote and illustrated a short story. My summer goal is submitting the manuscript to various publishers, if it doesn’t get picked up by 2021; I’ll look into an independent publication.

I’m thirsty for more, every time I sit at my drawing table or at my laptop a voice in my head says, “This is what you were born to do with your life.” To keep the creative momentum going between projects and stop myself from slipping back into bad thinking habits, I give myself a creative challenge to complete in one month and this is how Working Stiff was born. It is an ongoing body of work where the ideas, sketches, and writings flow without judgment. I get up every morning walk hand in hand with the unknown understanding that it’s not so scary to go after what I do best in life.

5 Minute Drop

May 2020

First creative challenge, 4 weeks to complete

5 Minute Drop recipe

Pick book at random from book shelf (Mona Lisa Awaking by Sunny
Fan pages at random stop (I landed on page 216)
Closed eyes and point to sentence (“Tears welled up in Thaddue’s eyes and only by sheer dint of will did not over flow.”)
Set timer for 5 minutes and write what comes to mind based on the sentence in long hand no judgement no editing just write what comes to mind.
Set aside
Set timer for 35 minutes illustrate pen and paper every sentence, draw the first thing that comes to mind. No judgement no erasing do one drawing daily until midpoint of writing exercise
Go back to written exercise set timer for 5 minutes reduce to 100 words, no judgement, or criticism, just use that red pen and strike words out.
Set aside
Go back to illustration exersise set timer for 35 minutes and illustrate pen and paper the remaining sentences
Return to written exercise set timer for 5 minutes cut 30 words.
Set timer for 35 minutes ensemble illustrations with written exercise with minimal computer assistance do not change anything. Be open to new ideas and meanings of written words and illustrations and no judgment just do it.
When done take a good look at it and grin