As it turned out... nobody even SIGNED UP for the class. I drove home to my 3rd Apartment with the caffeine shakes and laughing uncontrollably at my failure.
I will always have a sense of humor.
After my first failed attempt at doing something with my college degree, I decided to take on one of my "do before I die" sort of challenges. I tried to master a different kind of art: the art of being a waitress. Because, you know, there really is an art to it. There's a steady beat that needs to happen and if you get knocked off that beat, your entire day plummets downhill at a rapid pace. (Tip your waiters, people, and stop being so demanding, jeeez!) I would imagine this was around the time of Memory #2.
One day, a little less than a year after my failed attempt at teaching, I got an email from a staff employee at the Boston Children's Museum. Those emails, the ones that just pop up out of nowhere, can totally change your life.
This particular email was from an event planner at the museum and had heard about my 'artistic talents' through Yssa and James at About the Arts. (Say what!?) The Children's Museum staff wanted me to teach the workshop I spent so much time preparing, to kids at their next fundraising event and be the GUEST OF HONOR. (oOoOoooooh!)
OK, now...let me elaborate. When I was 23-24 years old...my website looked like this:
And my showcased illustration, aka, my favorite...was this:
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| This was back when I actually used paint! |
It was a miracle that anyone even gave me the time of day!
(Thank you waybackmachine.org - Check out the third iteration of my website! It's animated!!
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| Oh wait...this whole thing is a flashback. |
I wrote back about 2 milliseconds later with an overly enthusiastic:
(...to be continued)
Nah—you're selling yourself short. I loved your website, and that giraffe :) Plus, at the time you told me that was a breakthrough for you—that most of your time in illustration was spent in realism—and a teacher of yours liked your goofy doodles. It all adds up!
ReplyDeleteBeen digging these last couple posts!
Btw—at least you HAVE a new website. My basic design from 2004 is still intact.
I agree with Bob...I love that giraffe too :) I also agree with the whole sentiment of this post. Confidence is a hard thing to come by, but you just have to find a way to get it, and, as you said...DO IT. Love seeing your old website design too! It brings me back :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for getting me in on this great opportunity. I was ridiculously nervous too. And I took your picture on a tree in the Public Garden afterward...it was always one of my favorites.
I really dig how you blend comics and blogging, looking forward to the next installment :)
ReplyDelete"I got dressed up to the best of my knowledge of dressing up" - That's a good quote.
ReplyDelete