Art (and cats) to the rescue
Some of you may not know but I have been almost five months unemployed and it is getting to me. I was a UX web designer at the National Cancer Institute and the reduction in federal cancer funding eliminated my job. The job market at this time is awful. Because of all the instability, companies are not hiring and especially in the DC area there is a lot of people looking for work. I have applied to almost 250 jobs with a few interviews that have gone nowhere. I have some money saved and friends have helped but I know that won’t last forever.
But thankfully it is not all doom and gloom because I have art to fall back on. I spend part of my day in a frustrating job search or thinking about businesses I could start to make money and the other part of the day is spent making beautiful things and adding successes in my art career.
I’ve been doing some lectures about my quilt career and they have all been great experiences. If my Public Speaking teacher in college saw me now, she would be very surprised.
I’m working on my Not What I Taught You (NWITY) series and even though I am stuck in the piece I am working on, I know it is going to be great.
Last month I missed the deadline to an exhibit I wanted to enter but they extended the deadline and I was able to enter it. (see below 👇)
I have a clear idea for my next quilt in the NWITY series.
Also, having cats are keeping me sane. Even though they can be naughty at times, their cuteness always makes me smile, I have someone to talk to when no one is around, they purr on my lap if I’m sad and I pretend that everything is going great not to worry them. Yes, I am a crazy cat lady. That must be what having kids must be like but cheaper. 😹
Built to Last
About that exhibit I entered, it is called Built to Last. It is an exhibit in Baltimore that will feature some of the historic architecture in the city. That sounded very fitting to my work so I created a pieced based on Old St. Paul’s Church. Don’t know if I’ll be in the exhibit yet but fingers crossed.
Old St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore
I wonder what people do when they are going thru rough patches and don’t have something that brightens their day? If you don’t, find it. You will need it someday.
