Today, I am sharing my journey from the past few weeks, in illustration but really it’s a journey about self-awareness, acceptance ( a few confessions) & persistence the result of which is the illustrations!

The past few months, I have been embarking on a bit of a new chapter. It’s been provoked by a bunch of things like a big birthday (40), changes in work & in our extended family –  more of the “big” stuff that makes you sit back and go WOAH! Ok.. umm that was not on my plan 😉 Ok so what happens now…. So, that in turns makes me reflect on where I am,  where I want to go but also firstly also where I have been as time / life just seems to be flying by.
On my reflection, I have noticed that a couple of things keep showing up for me over the years and keep banging on my door!  Seeing as they keep coming back I am figuring that’s the universe telling me there is something there I haven’t finished with yet and it’s either step up and get this stuff sorted or be done with it forever!

Art – Design – Illustration

So… banging on the door is the whole “illustration / art licensing” area of my work / business.  It’s an area I have “researched”  for many years including paying money for recordings and learning from artists who are teaching how to get into licensing, its one of those things that I have always said (like 15years ago – I really want to do that!!!).  A couple of years ago I participated in the Lilla Rogers MATS boot camp (in which I made my jellies work- see my archives) and I also booked to take place in the Global Talent Search at that time but  things got in the way.. and I never finished my brief.   I loved it!  and I knew its something i wanted to do but I have been juggling the kids and income etc etc and never been able to dedicate the time to put together a portfolio to pursue it properly (along with all those procrastination, self doubt etc reasons that got in the way).

A few months ago, when I saw the #globaltalentsearch call for bookings for 2016 and also separately a call out for the Make it in Design Summer School, I booked my spot vowing that THIS time I am ready and in the right place to do these and

I am going to do this thing this time dam it!!!

SO…this time,

I was doing it and in the past few weeks I have done it !!!  I completed all 3 briefs for all both the Global Talent Search & the Make it Design Summer School!  I had so much fun doing them and they have spurred me onto to doing more, just like I knew they would.

There were times that I had that voice you know the one that says, “ Everyone else is much better than you…” “You really need be to spending your time on XYZ right now”, “Why don’t you just  get those dishes done rather than doing this…” “What makes you think u can do this”

That was hard but I flat out ignored this voice! I stubbornly didn’t listen to it! And just put in the work and delivered!!! Yes i had a messy house, yes i am not sure that wore a bra for about a week or brushed my hair everyday but i was committed. I am pretty proud of all 3 designs, they are all quite different and they are all things that came into my head as I was reading the briefs. Sure there are things that I could tweak on them when I look at them now but I achieved what I wanted to do in the time frame that was set!!!

So today, I am sharing all of this with you because I am proud of what I have achieved but also to share that it hasn’t come easy,  it hasn’t come without those voices that we all have telling us we can’t do it and it definitely hasn’t come without past failures! 

As the years progress with trying to achieve my goals, what I am learning is one of my key qualities is my tenacity to keep going and get the job done! Sometimes that is what is need more than anything else! Just keep going you will get there in the end, you may fail a couple of times but that will make for a better picture – a bit like creating art!

Now, the brief is done, I have these super cute designs to go into my portfolio but I also have some work that I have put onto products such as scarves, totebags and pillows to sell in my shop and at my markets! Keep an eye out in my shop I am finally getting my act together with this and making new additions daily!! CHECKOUT MY ILLUSTRATION PORTFOLIO >

I hope this in an inspiration to some people, please leave a comment below!