March | 2018 | Howly Time!

Freelance life can be great. You’re hired based on your skill and hustle; you get to decide most of the rules of engagement. Yes, for outgoing, social people, it can be a wonderful experience….

…. for the people who hate the concept of other people, not so much.

Now I understand that this is a me problem. I need to be liked. My clientele will want to feel a connection to me. I get that. I shouldn’t be unavailable. It makes perfect sense.

But if I could just draw or paint all day, on a mountain, I would. I have learned though.

Anyway… when I was working on this, I was fresh out of the hospital and trying to find a job. I was a month behind on my mortgage.

And NO ONE was buying my work.

So I started doing portraits. I’m sure that it would take me forever to pay just one month worth of bills this way. But it did make me a lot better at it.

The good news is that I can put my own twist on them. So maybe it’s not so bad. Or maybe I’m becoming better at my people skills…

Welcome to the current iteration of my former life. I know, it’s been awhile. A lot has changed for me; I no longer work for the government and for awhile I worked in New York city. I’ve had several setbacks. Things could be much worse, lol.

I have kept up my art this time. I’ll do it until there’s no me to do it. And if that sounds morbid, rest assured it’s meant in a very funny way.

This poster was more about breaking me out of a funk I’d been in. Taking a chance on yourself can be scary, especially when it seems as though you aren’t going to be able to succeed!

Of course it wasn’t true; I just REALLY sucked at business. But as I kept going I got a little commission work for character development on a couple of books. I took a few classes. I’m not rich, but I’m getting there.

That painted look is getting easier to achieve with my work. Of course there is no paint involved; it’s just markers and pencils. But I’ve gotten better at it.