Okay, so I did something crazy.

I did it. I quit the corporate job.

If you had asked me a year ago what I would be doing professionally and what the world would be like today, I'd be wrong on both counts. 2020 has flipped our world upside down, bringing a lot of hardship, sacrifice, and tension... but with the chaos came buds of hope and positivity poking through. I could go on for days about the frustrations that the last six months have brought, but I am grateful for the garden that has grown through the weeds. The beauty of a revised sense of community, my people near and far, positive social change, and this. Pushing through what felt like rock bottom gave me the courage and opportunity to claim my creative, and follow my dream.

I, like so many others in the United States, had my career impacted by the pandemic, and I was completely devastated. Month one brought an extended furlough, month two brought a double demotion, and month three brought an exaggerated "promotion" (that was really just bringing me from a double demotion to a single demotion). Months four and five were a grind, exhausting, but filled with hope for a swift return to normalcy. And that brings us to month six.

As July crept by I realized how far my career trajectory had strayed, and more alarmingly, I realized how my quality of life was slowly draining what passion I had left. My painting has always been something to bring me back to center at the end of a long day, but I had barely lifted a brush in months. My days were long, but also short - I grudgingly pulled myself from my bed only to return to the safety and comfort of my blankets when I returned home. The pieces were all there, but they no longer fit together. It became clear that my previous role was not one that I'd be able to fill again anytime soon, SO I decided the time was ripe for a change. After a lot of emotional deliberation, sleepless nights, and glasses of wine, I put in my two weeks.

I'm now nearly two weeks in on this new adventure, and I could not be happier, more inspired, more grateful, or more excited. My brain works constantly, flowing with new ideas; My hands are never idle, covered in paints and charcoal or fluttering across a keyboard; My heart bursts with excitement and passion. The anxiety has dulled, my muscles have relaxed, and with all of this I know that, despite the fear of the unknown, I made the right call.

In this blog I hope to share my creative process, mini (masked) adventures, and inspiration, but most importantly I hope that it allows us to bridge the gap. Welcome! I'm so excited for you to meet me, the artist.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure - I can't wait to see where we'll go!