Life gets in the way

It doesn't matter how well laid out your plans are. Life will find a way of happening. The very best thing you can do is try to flow with the changes.

Easier said than done, and it's taken decades of tough life lessons for me to finally flow with the changes. It's forever a work in practise.

I had big plans for art things this year.

I started the year off being sick for weeks and delaying my original plans for Jan and Feb.

Felt like I was picking up the illustrative work pace finally in March. Felt confident that I could start making new plans for art shows for the rest of the year.

Then last week I was handed A BIG LIFE SURPRISE. An unwanted sad, life surprise.

It's going to stay vague until I have more details and plans laid out. I'm still in the shock/grieving phase.

And in this state I realised that this year is a non-year for my art career. I can't do any shows, I can't do any of the big art plans.

I just have to try again next year when hopefully the dust has settled from this life surprise.

So I'm refocusing my energy back on zines for now. It'll keep my story telling sharp and there is no long term projects, so there's no commitment or stress surrounding that. Things in my life are up in air for the forseeable future, so I'm just trying to go with the flow.

I've got three mini zines featuring Birds now:

*Toucan do it!-Toucans, facts about Toucans

*Surf’s up-Crows, it's an art zine with surfing crows.

*Get in my belly -Pelicans, and the animals they can't eat.

The mini zines make me feel a bit better. It's not the big splash I was hoping for this year. But It keeps me creating art during a very stressful point in my life, and that's what matters the most.

The three robot ones as well, so far.

If I haven't said thank you recently,

Thank you. Seriously. I very much appreciate every bit of support for my art, my shop and my life in general. I wouldn't have made it this far without you. Thank you!

⭐Ness