The three big things for me in 2024 that have helped to get me out of my comfort zone and onto the next level of what I want to be doing more of:
1. Life In Colour, Group Show
Creating my own amazing group show with Bree Morrison and Amy Compton, pushed me out of my comfort zone. For a self confessed introvert this was huge, I met so many amazing people, artists, made friends and worked with lovely businesses. My art changed, my process changed and my approach to my work will be different when I get started on the next collection.
I got to create an event, which I absolutely loved. I now know the things I will do differently next time. I learned the things that I will do definitely do again. The big learning, that there are a lot of great people willing to help out, generally people want great things for other people too and a lot of people are looking for communities to be part of too.
2. Creative Workshops
Workshops are something that I have thought about doing for years. I put them off for so long. I had run a few here and there and helped others run them and attended a-lot. I really doubted myself. Not my ability to run them, well a little bit my ability to run them, but the biggest block for me was if I would actually enjoy them. So should I really start if they will just be a flash in the pan, and not something I will continue. But how wrong I was. After agreeing to do a corporate workshop when I thought it would be a team of 30, only to find out it was 160 people, and by that time I had already said ‘yes’, I had to just run with it, and I was so suprised by how much I enjoyed it. Sharing knowledge and seeing others be creative gave me such a buzz.
Once I knew how big the group was I asked Laura Day, @laurajaneday for help, and it wasn’t too long after she started coaching me through that I asked her to work with me to run the workshops. I actually could not believe how much I loved running the workshop. I was truly in my element. This has since opened up so many more opportunities and relationships. I have now run several small group workshops, large corporate workshops and even online paint + sip as well as in person.
3. Feel the fear and do it anyway
Fear is something that has held me back in all sorts of areas of my life and it many different ways. I am sure it has you too. Most people grapple with it at some point in their lives or many times throughout a day. Now more than ever I am continuously proving to myself that you can face the fear and do it anyway.
- Keep on going when it feels like you’re painting for no one.
- Get up and run that class even when the imposter syndrome is trying to take you down.
- Mindset is everything
- Practise, practise, practise. Doing things over and over again, really does make things easier, quicker and allows room to expand
- Ask the silly questions, and usually you get amazingly helpful answers
- There is always someone who has a different approach, or a better way, that could help you in your own business or practice.
The biggest take out for me in all of this is ‘building community’. The people I have met, the friends I have made and the businesses I get to work with. It has all been worth the hard work for all of the relationships.
But what i have enjoyed is getting back to in person events.
The get togethers, the workshops and the in person, real life, relationships, as well as the friendships and connections made through social media. These have all attributed to me continuing my creative journey, no matter how hard, my passion keeps me curious and the people surrounding me keep me going.