One year and one week later......
So, it's time. Time to look back on my life. I can't believe it. One year and one week ago exactly I sold my first illustration on Etsy for $15. It took me five hours to draw, and I just listed it on Etsy out of curiousity. It was the first work that I'd ever sold in my life. I had just started drawing again about two months prior to that after a four year hiatus from anything creative. Previously I studied fine art at college specialising in charcoal. I could never have predicted that I would be here right now doing what I'm doing. I can't believe how much my work has grown & changed, or how much my life has changed for the better.
I look back on the person I once was and do not recognise her. Four years ago I was 98kg, unhappy, miserable and had no direction in life. Now I'm five dress sizes smaller, about 72kg and on top of the world. I don't have a clear direction in life *but* I'm happy on the path that I'm travelling and I'll just take what comes as I pass.
So, for those of you who know me you'll know I'm a notes & statistics kind of girl. I'm not sure why but it helps me set new goals to achieve and be realistic with what has passed or what may happen in the future. So I'm going to share with you some of my statistics about my creative journey. They are not being written as bragging rights. I have good times, but I also have bad. I just believe that some things should be shared & that you can learn from other people. Everyone has their own paths to follow and no ones journey will ever be the same.
- I started blogging on blogger in January 2007 and switched to typepad in May 2007. Since switching to typepad I have had 42,785 hits to my blog. My visits so far have been from 75 different countries. (How amazing is that!!) Some of the countries include England, Hungary, India, Peru, Slovakia, Morocco, Bahrain, Macedonia and even Vietnam.
- I opened my Etsy store in May 2007 and sold my first item in 4 days. Since then I've reached 500 sales, and I'm so pleased to know my treasures now reside in over 24 countries worldwide.
- I have two artworks in public collections - City of Joondalup & the Town of Vincent library here in Western Australia.
- I have been commissioned for a variety of work including Geekgirl, Thread Magazine, Lip Magazine, Mesa & Sony/BMG CD as well as private commissions.
- I have had the most amazing press features including Marie Claire, STM Magazine, Xpress Magazine, Decor8, Design*Sponge, Creative Commons and many many more. I'm truly blessed.
- I've participated in 5 craft fairs / designer markets and whilst they may be a stressful experience for me I find them to be an invaluable tool to my growth in both my career and my life.
- I launched my website in January 2007 with many tweaks and updates along the way. I don't know exactly how many hits I've had (I forgot to install the counters when I initially launched the site) but I've had visitors from 45 countries including Germany, Egypt, Pakistan and Bulgaria.
- I've participated in an amazing range of exhibitions including V-Raw, Wayside Chapel, Clothespeg Exhibition, Artopia and my first solo exhibition in November 2007. I've painted live in front of university students for V-Raw and even presented my girls in front of a room full of eager listeners for Pecha Kucha volume 1 in Perth.
- The fastest one of my items sold has been seconds - on Etsy. I also sold one of my artworks at a gallery exhibition last year the moment it opened!
My first illustration sold through Etsy - May 2007
My most recently completed illustration - May 2008
So much more has happened in my life, I just cannot express how priviliged I feel right now to be able to live the life I do. To spend my days sketching and painting, or even sewing, it is so fulfilling.
I get asked quite often what I plan for the future. To be honest I don't know. Next month I can tell you almost everything I have planned because of my diary - but after that who knows? I'll just have to see what happens. Since the day I started so far every single week something has happened that is completely unexpected and absolutely miraculous. Every single week without fail. It may be a phone call, an interview or even a commission, but all are completely unpredictable, but so exciting!!
On the same note my creative life isn't one big high, there are many lows. The point to remember though is without any lows you'll never be able to know when you have a high. I have had a million failures whether it be artwork, cancelled commissions or just anything that failed to progress to that next stage. It is tough when that happens, but understandable as situations change and so do ideas, budgets and even communication. Still, each one is a learning experience and for each failed proposal, a good one will eventuate. I look forward to those. :) SoI'm sure that now you must be a little curious about what hasn't worked for me. Well, here are just a few -
- An agency in Russia wanted to represent me for my illustration, but at the time I didn't feel that my portfolio was strong enough. Then a great deal of time later I contacted another agency to represent me but was declined as my portfolio was strong but not broad enough in its subject matter. (Rejection is great = the best thing to help you grow.)
- I was contacted about transforming one of my girls into a character. The character would be transformed into a 3D figure and would feature in both print & television ads across America for a major furniture company. The company the idea was presented to didn't go forward with the proposal.
- I was contacted about using some of my illustrations in designer jewellery to be stocked in stores across the United Kingdom. The idea just didn't progress any further.
- A website wanted to feature my illustrations across the site and use me as an example for other illustrators in regards to an organization that they were starting up. The communication was excellent, and they were very excited & specific about the illustrations they wished to display. However upon the release of the website my images were cropped, altered, discoloured and displayed in a terrible fashion - it honestly made some of them look like crayon drawings. I was so offended and after further communication they revealled that they intended to use my images in that way from day one and didn't think copyright laws applied to websites, so I asked for my images to be removed immediately and for all references to me to be removed also.
It's been an interesting journey to say the least. I've learnt so much in regards to illustrating, budgeting, running a business, communication, negotiations, quoting commissions to companies, website designing and even making computer image files print ready. I used to always think an illustrator just needed a pencil and a creative imagination. Now I've realised that they need much more then that to stand out from all those other creative talents who also have pencils and vast imaginations.
Oh, and the other question that I get asked ALL the time, especially by school children. Am I rich? My answer is yes. Financially? Umm... no. Unless you happen to know something I don't. I'm rich because I'm living a dream, and I couldn't imagine myself living any other way. Then I get asked what will happen if I ever win the Lotto. Will I buy a mansion? Move to the moon? Fly all around the world? Quit and become Paris Hilton? My answer is no. First of all I don't have the figure to be a Paris Hilton and secondly I honestly want to live my life exactly as I'm living it right now. A bigger studio would be nice, as would some more art supplies, but this is my dream and this is what I want to do.
To those of you who have purchased anything from me - thankyou for helping me continue to live this dream. For those of you who just enjoy my work - thankyou for your continued inspiration. For those of you who don't like my work but keep visiting - thankyou for your interest in me. For my friends and family - thankyou for your continued love and support. For those of you who've visited me for the first time - welcome, I hope you enjoy your visit. :)
I look forward to what the next year will bring!
