______Guys.
______Guyygyugyysuys.
______GuysssS.
______Ack. I've just gotta apologize repeatedly for being the worst, most horrible, most all-things-synonymous-with-negligent blog friend in the absolute WORLD.
______It's not that I forget, really, it's just that time eludes me. I've been doing this thing where I'm trying to balance the many objectives of life, treating them like perfectly rationed pieces of pie on a multi-armed balance scale... and well... basically, it's not working. I've come to realize not all pie slices are created equal and that sometimes certain things need to be prioritized over others for an indeterminate amount of time. I'm beginning to feel more at ease with that notion, but I still dislike when certain pies go unweighed for a while, like blogging. That one is definitely a priority!
______Or a... pie-ority.
______I've been thinking a lot lately about what exactly that I want to do in a year when all my art fellowship money is finally spent from being recycled into crafting skills and new work. At that time, I'll have a hearty oeuvre of art under my belt if I want to apply to grad schools, but I'm not entirely certain grad school is what I immediately want to dash off to. Part of me dreams of being a starving freelance artist who sells charcoals, paintings, and reasonably-sized versions of my fabric "paintings" that people could actually display in their homes until something kicks off (or doesn't). Another part of me wants a practical 9-5 job to make money, leaving weekends and nights to work on art-related shenanigans. And then finally, part of me hears my heart plea in the meekest voice, "Let's kick art to the curb entirely and open a bakeshop where everything is adorned with tiny chocolate roses."
______My mind is awhirl.
______How do you guys make decisions?
Dress: exact, runs small!
Boots: Jeffrey Campbell (similar styles)
Jewelry: Charming Charlie
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Earrings: ???
11 comments:
Honestly, you should do your freelance art full time. It's your passion so follow it. I went to art school and immediately after graduation I took a full time position at a winery because it was easy money. That job had nothing to do with my major. I was miserable there the entire time and on my days off I was too tired, busy with chores, or uninspired to paint. Learn from my mistakes and don't do what I did :). I wish I had followed my heart instead of doing something I hated. I'm barely getting back into the art scene again. I missed out on some amazing opportunities and commissions because of my previous job.
This outfit is really cute, BTW. I love that dress on you.
Good luck with your art <3
Xo Azu
www.raven-locks.blogspot.com
I don't like to starve, which is why, to some extent, my decisions tend to err on the side of practical and getting a normal job. But, then again, even though Angel and I had a perfectly good normal, practical life plan and even though he was already in grad school to be a nurse practitioner...we decided to hop to the other side of the world and work in a field that not even nearly as lucrative as his old job as an ICU nurse. So, sometimes I would definitely choose life quality and doing what you know YOU SPECIFICALLY should do over practical stuff that gets you food. You kind of have to balance it all out somehow. I'm so happy I get to do what I love (currently, that's teaching hyper preschoolers in the morning and teaching English to young teens who've been admitted to English school in spite of lack of English skills in the afternoon). I love it--it's what I'd want to do even if I didn't get paid, which is good, because I don't get "paid enough" to do what I do, and I'm fine with that. Then again, I have that convenient husband with the real job--in all honestly, I wouldn't be free to pursue my little dream if it weren't for him.
This is all going to sound ridiculously cliche but--live your dreams while you're young. You never know--they may lead to something amazing! Worry about bills and stability when you're older. You are a very talented artist--give yourself some credit! Follow your heart and you can't really go wrong, even if you just get paid in lessons. Do I sound 75 yet?
Making decisions is hard! I erred on the side of practicality in my post-school decisions, definitely. But I think it's important to get a good financial foundation early in adulthood so I don't suffer for putting off saving later on. Then again, if you have an awesome passion and you want to pursue it and have the opportunity, do it! You can definitely get away with doing only art for a year out of college and nobody will judge you. You've got this!
Also this tie dye dress looks amazing on you and I'm loving the knee high boots too. You look super cool!
Jamie | PetitePanoply.com
Haha I feel like we need to be friends because I feel your pain. For me, it's firstly more of a decision of, should I continue to do photography stuff forever because I'm pretty decent at it and people expect it, or should I experiment with mixed media and pursue a traditional artist practice even though I have no idea what I'm doing, haha. And then that dreaded grad school. But you should read the book, The Artist'S Guide by Jackie Battenfield, and Living and Sustaining a Creative Life by Sharon Louden. I'm working through them right now, but they are really good at giving practical tips to be a professional artist and actually making a living off of your art.
Wait, wait, wait, before we get into everything else, something needs to be acknowledged here, because my first thought when I saw the first photo was: "Damn, this dress is doing Ali's booty justice!"
Pie-orities, girl! ;D
Ahhh man, the future...such a big and scary concept that's never a promised thing but something we stress over nevertheless. I can't imagine an Ali without art, and I know you'd miss it, so don't give it up yet ;)
Ughhh, but don't ask me on decision-making, because I'm right there with ya! My backup plan is to sell everything, move to the Philippines, and open a coffee bar. I'll live as a beach bum serving depressants and caffeine. It'll be great. You're welcome to join me! I need a morning person to work days since I'm a total night owl so I'll have to work evenings.
PS: I've already designed a name/logo for it. Help me make it. :P
PPS: Hehehehe, your comment on the hot air balloons post made me laugh. I know, it's been a while since Linda did a boy story post! But I finally had one worthy to share! *sigh* Believe me, I was beating myself up after that night. Who knows though! There are SO many events going on in the city that I'm planning on going to, and maybe I'll run into him again...we'll see. Either way, BOYS = NOT MY FORTE! *waves* Okay, bye! xD
The Dragonfruit Diaries
Check out my YouTube channel too!
I love the boots. If you don't have a lot of bills I'd try taking a leap and doing art. You can always go back to school.
Oh, Ali--you're definitely not alone! We completely understand that you have plenty to juggle. I also feel the same--I hate leaving blogging for awhile, but I know it sometimes needs to happen. I think you're doing quite well with your pie-orities, haha.
I love how ever detail of your outfit flows together--the jewelry and baubles complement the edgy tie-dye, and the detailing of your makeup is exquisite. I love the little gems at the corners of your eyes!
That's a really tough decision to make, and I certainly resonate. I originally planned to do law school, but then I realized that that would mean LOTS of loans, and I'm not even certain that I'd like being a lawyer. I think the worst part is that for a lot of jobs requiring professional degrees, you can't really experience it until you're there--most law firms, for example, won't take students until they're in law school. If you find out then that you dislike law, it's already pretty late. I had a quasi-crisis this summer because I realized that if I wanted to go a very specific path, such as physical therapy or something else health-related, I'd have to start fulfilling requirements now. It's crazy that we have to make these tough decisions with little to base them on!
I think though, in the end, you can always change your direction. You can always go to grad school later if you find you crave it, or you can always find a non-art-related job post grad school if you wish. Obviously, money is a big factor, and it seems fruitless to go through all that school to not use that degree, but I think school is more than a piece of paper--it's a culmination of experiences, connections, and growth. And finding out that something isn't for you isn't necessarily a setback--it's actually a step forward in your journey to finding what you really do want to do.
Hope this ramble made at least marginal sense, haha. Sending much love!
imperfect idealist
Decisions are hard- I'd always look at which is giving you the lifestyle you want and putting you in contact with the people and rewards you want (not, like gold star on the test rewards. Like, the Theory of Behaviorism Positive Reinforcement. Which results in things that will make you want to keep doing that pathway). Grad school proves a very different lifestyle than 9-5 jobs and freelance artist is very different than working in (or opening your own) bakery. Then, I'd look at your finances and what you'd need to do each of the pathways you are honestly really excited about. Not that you need to go with the one that makes the most money, but, you may need to consider now saving so you have a funds the first few months of figuring out your next step. They usually say 6 months worth of living expenses, don't they?
I dunno. I chose not to pursue theatre because I realized I wanted a family and working night (for shows) wasn't something I wanted to do when having that family. And I liked a job with a steady wage, so I became a teacher, which I love doing.
Anyway, really rambly. What I- and probably all the commenters!) mean to say is- good luck with making decisions. It is hard. But you will find something that will hopefully make you happy and no matter way will be part of your journey! As for the clothing- that dress makes your body look rocking and the boots are so very you!
I love this outfit and those boots! Seriously, the best boots.
As for your life dilemma, I think you need to either figure out EXACTLY what you want (money or art) the most and try it out. I have a lot of successful full-time artist friends. They didn't start that way. They started with mediocre jobs that paid the bills, got them through the day, did their art on nights and hustled at art shows on the weekends. Now they are livin' their dreams and making names for themselves. It wasn't always easy for them and it was definitely soul sucking, but it worked. There's always a way to find a balance of making money and doing what you love. I think that the internet and the insurgence of craft and art fairs has definitely made this easier. You are driven, educated, and talented so there's no way you won't succeed in whichever path you choose. And remember that you can always rearrange and refocus at any time. Nothing has to last forever <3<3
Loving this outfit!
xx
Post a Comment