Epiphanies and Stray Dogs

I feel like I could go-on for hours about the thoughts rolling around in my pretty, little head. However, for your sake, I will try to narrow it down to the most valuable little morsels of knowledge I have gained this week:

Earlier this week I had thought for a moment about blogging on "Art and Perception." Perception meaning: A person's individual outlook on their existence.

Having been doing more graphic design type work than I have done in nearly six-months (and wishing to continue having that type of work) I've really been debating my personal artistic views and those things that could potentially turn-off or offend a client.

I am a very opinionated gal and it has taken all my strength to watch what I say (or type) in order to not do what I mentioned above. I've been practicing keeping my thoughts to myself. This is, unless they have something to do with layout, color of typeface choices.

And I hate it!

So I was having this huge moment while driving along in my car and I was thinking to myself, "Why?"

"As an artist, is it not your sole purpose to speak (or paint) your thoughts? To share them and start a dialogue? Even possibly for the greater good?"

"And as an artist, isn't it so that you should never not let your views on the world inform your art? And is design not art?"

I still haven't really come-up with teh answer. I don't think I need to at this particular moment. I'm not there yet. But this has been on my mind.

After all of this debate, I got back to work. It's truly funny how that works: You don't overthink it. You just do. Then stuff happens. It truly is fascinating.

Saturday I was sitting in my studio, proscrastinating about going to my other job and I caught a job posting. The client wanted a series of brochures by Monday. I really didn't want to go to this horrible other job, so I replied:

"If you contact me by noon. I'll do the job. On time and for the fee you are asking."

If the client responded, I was quitting the other job.

He did.

Fate is on my side.

So I have been very busy with that, wondering if I wasn't a little manic at the time I took the job. But it's been fun! I had quite the moment when I realized that, as a designer, I am not responsible for producing absolutely every element of a piece. My only responsibility is having the knowledge to make sure all of those elements work together. It was very liberating.

Now, I must get back to those brochures and the thousand other things I have to do. I'm quite sure I'll tell you all about them later.

Until then. . .

On Being Me

When I started this blog, I really wanted to focus on my career. I wanted to publicize what I was doing everyday to move forward if for no other reason than it would be out there on the web for random people to see and maybe hold me accountable. Maybe someone would read what I didn't do on a particular day and go, "Hey, Kate! Get off your lazy bum!"

I've been consistent with it, if nothing else. But I'm reading through some previous post and it all seems rather drab. "I played in illustrator today!" Who cares? I'm feeling the burning need to right something a little more thought provoking.

That said. . .

I was going through my journal the other day and found this truly ancient entry that I would like to share. It was a nice "pep-talk."

November 1, 2006

When did you become the person that feared others' perception of you? Not too long ago, you were the girl that was incapable of living like anyone else. Did people get to you so badly that you've forgotten that being different is what has brouht you every beautiful thing you know?

The gist of it, Kate: You've weaved yourself a beautiful web. Go play in it!

Paint! Everything you feel. Splatter it over canvases and walls! Tell your story with the brightest colors in your pallette. But this time, when you've put down the brush, be present!

The people in your life that truly love you and understand your absolute need to lose yourself in a big white wall; the people that tolerate you being lost in a world of linseed oiol and turpentine for far more hours than you choose to spend in this realm, do so because you've truly invested yourself in those relationships.

Trust the world again. You are not just the sum of all your mistakes. Your value has increased thousand-fold because you have managed to overcome every obstacle thrown in your path!

Whatever gods there may be they have seen fit to bless you. Not one day have you ever really suffered for want. Everything you have ever desired has been offered to you. . . biggie sized! You've taken it in with a glutony like none other.

Katie, it's a gift to have enough empathy to escape life's trials. So many others have to be slapped straight upside the head with reality before they even begin to get a clue; before they even get a glimpse of what you know.

Share it!