on groundedness
stitched collage
i have days when i feel like i am digging my foundation with a spoon. you too? i guess that goes with the territory of being a full time mama and a full time artist. and sometimes i just want to scream, can someone please bring me a bulldozer? i have some serious work to do here and i just would like it to go a little bit faster. i imagine i am not the only one. i imagine there are others who feel this way too.
love my life
but. i will say i am growing more excited about this great foundation i am building. i am finding more joy in the process. i am stopping to listen. to really listen. which i would never do if there weren’t a few roadblocks in the way.
because sometimes we are just not ready for the success… even if we think we are. sometimes our foundations are not ready to support it. there are days when i grow weary of building my foundation. don’t we all? but there will come a day, when it will all be worth it. it will all pay off… all this digging and working.
new deer painting
so in the meantime, i have decided to embrace my journey. to let go. to really trust the process. and not just the good stuff that happens. but the hard. and the disappointments. and the curves and bends in the road. they are all there for me, to support me on this journey. because the strong ones are those who are not swayed by disappointments OR success. they are able to stay grounded through both. because success is just the other side of the coin. and success is fleeting and failing. but so are the disappointments.
my beauties
these are my thoughts after not making it to the top 50 of the global talent search. only 3% of the people who entered made it. i won’t lie, it was a disappointment for me. but it just means that i still have some building to do. and i am okay with that. i feel like i grew so much by entering! such is the life of an artist… putting yourself out there, dealing with rejection, not taking it personally, and going back to the drawing board.
it’s. ALL. good.
a girl and her brush 
Hi Wendy! I love this post. Especially the part about being disappointed about not making the global talent search thingy. I mean I’m sorry you didn’t make it, but I liked what you said about how know you just have more building and more work to do. and how you grew just by putting yourself out there and entering.
I know that’s what I need to do. I need to put myself out there, but know that if I don’t make it it’s ok and I just need to keep going and keep growing as an artist.
You are incredibly talented and success WILL come more and more. Thank you for honestly sharing the journey.
Your thoughts resonated with me on so many levels. Your sweet girls are precious and looking at them, from here; my wee corner of the world, you are already a success, creating kids, holding a family together while being a full time artist is a juggling act like no other, haven’t you ever wondered where your extra hands come from, especially when you need them most or those eyes you’ve got hidden in the back of your head that see everything and your super-tuned ears that hear the slightest sigh of your littlest one? Aside from the fact that I think your artwork is awesome, that I understand the struggles, the time that goes into building a ‘creative foundation’ push all of that aside and what I see is a beautiful woman, adorable, well loved kids who has already made her mark on the world; your children will always be your masterpieces and they will change a gazillion times over before they will ever be complete and your hand will always be gently supporting them forever. You are an artist no matter what happens and I know that might not always feel that amazing but you truly do matter where it counts. The rest of it will come and probably when you are looking the other way and the surprise of that moment will make the not so exciting days worth it.
thank you susie! i so agree. that is why my three girlies are the ones who keep me grounded through it all. they really are the ones that matter… and the work i am doing is so important!!! the most important work. so important to just embrace the journey of it all and let the disappointments go. thanks for the encouragement!!!
Great post!! Thanks for your honesty and looking at the positives too!!!
Three things I love right here: Those green eyes (hope they’re green, they appear so!) The new deer painting (the colors, the lines, I love them). And your perspective. Yes, the process. Yes, the journey. Those are the colors the end game is painted with. If we don’t watch out, we’ll miss it.
i am sending support- i am sad and disappointed that the global talent search didnt happen for you this year. but… then i am reminded– how many GREATS have these blips to negotiate. Michael Jordon got cut from his HIGHSCHOOL basketball team one year… Steve Jobs got fired from Apple, and Picasso?? and solo many other artists… did not get their works truly recognized until later!! do not be deterred. you have amazing talent- and an amazing gift to create!!! thanks for sharing your story- keep going…