Not only am I "just starting", I'm also "finally starting". I have been an artist since I can remember, but now I have started to be an entrepreneur.
And yes, I'm only starting. My head is full of ideas, my heart is beating harder, and my fingers are typing even faster than before. To create my own business is something I wanted to do for many, many years ... but insecurities always pulled me out of taking this step. Although I'm certain this happened for a reason, a came to the point I was going to miss this bus if I kept procrastinating. When I got fired from my job in July of last year, I felt a growing momentum, and I used my notice period to paint.
There is something to say about painting often and practicing a lot, you become better and more skilled. One of my new works ended up on ekspose.me, a young website that sells artworks, I was planning to upload more, but didn't had the time ... . But then, that was enough to be picked by the Affordable Art Fair organizers to exhibit at the fair. Growing momentum!
And there I was, at the Affordable Art Fair between an eclectic crowd of international artists. I used only my eyes during the first days, but then I had the opportunity to talk about what I do and what I paint. I stepped up to two men that were watching my artwork, and just asked them what they thought about it. A pleasant conversation was the result, and maybe they will think about me in a couple of months when they are ready to decide. These two guys didn't know I was taking this big step. I used to be shy and uncertain about this, but now I enjoyed it and it felt liberating. This is a big and important personal success.
Feeling more confident came from painting more and getting great feedback, but also from this group with other starting entrepreneurs I have joined at the end of last month. Seeing them with the same insecurities and questions, but also feeling their support, made me grow to this more confident and strong person, it feels like I have upgraded myself in a very short timespan. But remember, I'm only starting!
Something I have been doing for a while now is pulling of paint and flattening paint with paper. This paper is what I call a pull-off. I have used them to make paper dresses, but now I'm going to use them as the first step for a next artwork. Below are the pull-offs from the above artwork, I'm curious to see how they'll change over the next days.
