Sunday, December 25, 2011

2011 - A year of discovery: The Review

I can't believe that 2011 is coming to a close already.  It is crazy to think about all that has happened in the last twelve months. It has been a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions.

In January I worked with Nathan, Liz and Jonathan to form Studio 247. It was an experiment in trying to open and run an art studio. Our first and really only Studio event was the Extreme Makeup and Photography event.

In February I started the seven week long Artist Way for Photographers course. Man did that course help me grow artistically and in the end grow personally as well. As a result of being a part of that course, I along with seven others were shown in a downtown art gallery for the month of March.

In March I learned that my ride was over. My unemployment was going to be denied if I refused to accept a job offer I was given. Oddly enough, I was one of the honest people on unemployment. I actually applied for jobs, which is a requirement of being on unemployment. Oddly yet still, even though I tried my damnedest to not do well with my application and even the interview, I was offered a job, which if I refused,  my unemployment would be cancelled. I was on the brink of several things on the brink of breaking out into something huge when this happened, one of which was national.

In the end I did the safest thing for my family.

20110303-_dsc4013-edit

In April depression set in big time as I pondered over all of the huge art related projects that were absolutely falling from my grasp; projects that could have made an income that could have sustained my family without the day job.

In May I starting learning who my real friends were and who were simply "The Good Times" friends. As a result, my real friends now have more value from me because now that I am in a better place, they are getting the benefits of me not being stretched so thin.

20110627-_dsc1551-edit

In June I failed horribly in getting my shit together for a showing with the group from the artist way. I let all of them down and as a result I missed a great opportunity to lift myself out of the black hole of depression.

20110702-_dsc1728

In July I found something that I had been missing for nearly a year; passion for art. I had spent the last year darting into rabbit holes looking for where the money would come from and had actually lost the passion that drove my art in the first place. But over the fourth of July weekend, thanks to a close friend of ours (my wife and I) I found that passion again. I began the process of finding myself again and acceptance of the loss I experienced in the first six months of the year.

In August I dyed my hair red, well not all of it. It was my middle finger the greed of the world, well before the Occupy movement began. I also isolated myself this month, letting very few people close as I was dealing with my own painful past and working through finding myself again. August also brought me back to what I did best; teaching. August also brought confirmation that I did the right thing by taking that job. But I also discovered that I couldn't afford the studio any longer.

20110806-_dsc2651

In September I recovered my value and moved into planning my future. I relinquished control of something I hold very dear to my heart so that I could shift time resources to other things; like family and developing training syllabuses. 

In October I watched silently as something I and many others had spent years developing, was falling apart from the inside. October I executed on my teaching plans. .

In November I was called upon to pick up the pieces and I did. Things are back on track and everyone I have talked to happier for it. November also brought back the giving. I am now photographing the cats at the the Willamette Humane Society. Twice a month I go down and photograph the cats, up to 50 each visit, and then come home, process the images and post them on their site. 

In December I am back on track. I am making art. I am having fun. I am earning a living with my day job. I am helping others. I am teaching. I am happy again. Happiness is found making art, not in trying to profit from it all the time.