Friday, September 26, 2014

NATALIE DRAWN

Hey look! A four post September! It's practically an anomaly since this whole summer it seems I can only manage to squeak out two posts a month or something stupid like that. Like, what even is writing a post about anymore? I am apparently just way too cool for it, is what.

Until now, because here we are!

So, I have been doing these art things and drawing on chalkboards for people who decided that I do it well enough to pay me with real money. It's becoming quite the adventure over here, and then I even ordered business cards and just, what am I doing with my life? Please.

And as I sat in front of my computer trying to piece the perfect amount of information onto my pretty little 2.5 by 3 in cards, it mildly irked me that I didn't really have a business name for this business card. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is not something you do willy nilly and I needed to think about what to call my business before I just rattled something off and then was stuck with it forever, because that's how the world works.

I know.

Yesterday evening I grabbed my charcoal pencils and prismacolors and my new toned paper sketchbook and I laid on my bed drawing in a zoned out kind of way, like you do. I'm not sure exactly when inspiration struck, but I remember thinking about my sister's blog Miranda Writes which is incredibly punny and absolutely hilarious and then I got kind of sad, like why doesn't my name have something funny I can do with it?

I mean, Natventures is like Nat + adventures which is cool in its own way, but also not something I'm going to call a business for artwork, know what I mean? Anyway, I got a little pouty and turned my attention to instagram for a minute to distract myself, which, this is when the stars and the planets aligned in just the most beautifully perfect way and all of a sudden it hits me upside the head.

There are these instagram accounts of artists with their name plus draws or paints or whathaveyou and then I texted my sister about my stupidly awesome idea.

me (paraphrasing): so i had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea because you're Miranda Writes and I've been racking my brain for a good business name and ARE YOU READY FOR THE BEST IDEA YOU'VE EVER HEARD IN YOUR LIFE?

her: i suppose

(she's so nonchalant. she has no idea i'm about to blow her freaking mind.)

me: NATALIE DRAWN

And then there was a loud explosion because of all the awesome that just happened right there so I went and I changed the name on my art blog and redesigned my header because what else do you do when you're harboring intense feelings of inspiration? Right.

PS you can click the artwork tab at the top of my page and it will direct you over to my art blog. but also, i'm kind of bad at updating it. except, for added bonus points it links to my portfolio which is actually more updated than the blog. you know, inspiration comes in waves and all. it'll all get caught up soon enough.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

ENJOYING THE RIDE


My dad started his own business when I was nine years old. It was called Northwest Testing Company and since its humble beginnings in a small shop in North Idaho it has since expanded (along with a name change) to five locations (I think it's five?) and a welding school. 

Being the daughter of a business owner I was exposed to the frustrations of handling rogue employees, dealing with clients who were not-so-nice and sorting out scheduling conflicts among a myriad of other situations that come with owning a business. And I remember telling my dad that I never wanted to own my own business because I didn't want to have to deal with all of that responsibility. 

I am a person who likes to have as little responsibility as possible, if we're being honest. I am so not a typical first born child in that respect. I would much rather have someone else be in charge, but let me be second in command or something. I mean, I do like to be bossy sometimes. 

And yet here I am, eating the words of nine year old Natalie and contemplating starting my own business. But unlike my father's LLC, this is just for me. Me and my artwork. 

I was contacted by an old family friend to do some commercial art for a local business. I happily accepted the position as a way to get paid for art and also to get my name out there as a local artist. I mean, breaking into the art world is not as easy as you might think, so I practically jumped at the chance to get to work with The Wellness Bar. Since then, I have taught a class there, worked on the coffee menu (which will be finished sometime this week) and contacted the owner of a nail salon to do some chalkboard art for her. 

Walking into her shop today, she gave me her business card and since I am lame and without my own little info cards, I had to have her write down my name and number on some yellow pad paper. Suuuuuuuper professional. And then I went home and called my mom about getting some business cards and maybe it would be a good idea for me to keep track of what all these people are paying me for my talents. 

This is starting to sound like a business. I'm starting to do something I said I didn't want to do. This is a crazy world we live in, folks. And I think the even crazier part is that I'm actually excited about it. If this could turn into something bigger, it would make working at the restaurant supplemental income instead of the other way around. 

In college, even though I majored in art education, being a teacher was the part I tacked on so that I could pay the bills. I went through the college of art and architecture instead of the college of education so that I could be an artist who teaches, not a teacher of art. And while I do love teaching, I am definitely more artist than teacher. 

So it kind of hurts me in the world of education that I'm only certified in art because it makes me less marketable than some places would like. But in the world of art, it's a fantastic thing because I don't just do one type of art, I have worked with many different mediums and in many different styles so where in one world I'm singular, in the other I am versatile. 

At 23 I was a full time teacher, which is crazy. I mean, I was in charge of and responsible for the artistic education of high school students. This year, at 24, I am a restaurant hostess and manager who freelances artwork on the side. It's crazy how fast life can change and it's also crazy that life never goes exactly how you think it will. You just have to hang on and learn to enjoy the ride. 

And just so you can fully appreciate my experience as a nine year old entrepreneur's daughter, here I am slaving away for free. 


Okay, so it was actually for a science project in fourth grade, whatever whatever. 

Also, a close up of the first image. Please to appreciate our 90s fashions and the fact that I am still the tallest of all of my siblings, which is no longer the case since they've all passed me up. 


Monday, September 15, 2014

STUFF AND THINGS AS OF LATE

I tell you what, this has been the weirdest September of my life, I think. For one, it seems like I'm just completely exhausted. The little introvert inside of me is screaming for some alone time, and for the first time in what feels like a long time, I finally have some. My apartment is quiet and I have the day off! Actually, the only thing I have to do today is go into the spa for my one hour massage appointment courtesy of my sweet boyfriend. Yeah, I know. Spoiled

School may not have been in session for me this month, but I've been completely swamped with things to do. Actually, I think this year has made me feel more like an adult than I have in any of my past moments of adulthood. And I'm attributing that to the fact that I am not taking a class or teaching classes as of right now. 

Except on Wednesday I'm teaching a two hour ish watercolor session that includes wine and appetizers and if you're in the area and want to come email or text me! Hashtag shameless plug. 

And if we take a step back and look at all the stuff I've been doing recently, a lot of it is actually art related and that blows my mind. My teaching job at the high school may have closed one door, but then all of these windows just starting opening up and it's been really cool to watch as my life goes in to hyper drive. This has become the biggest season of change for me - in ways that I never even imagined. 

Speaking of being in hyperdrive though, I worked 11 days in the last two weeks and while that's going to make an awesome paycheck, the well that holds my will to interact with other people is running a little dry. I felt sick all day yesterday and while I'm thinking part of that may have been because (hashtag TMI) mother nature oh so kindly let me know I wasn't pregnant this month, the other part of that I think is because I've been so busy with almost no down time and just, introverts don't function that way is what it is. 

I can love you, and love to hang out with you, but there comes a point in time where I retreat to my bedroom and if you follow me, I might cut you. So here we are, Monday! May you be just what I needed. 

And now, three photos. Because, just because, alright?




Wednesday, September 3, 2014

HELLO SEPTEMBER

Holy end of summer. Batman. I can't believe it's already September. And that summer is technically over. I mean, what the crap.

I have this love/hate relationship with my birthday. Let's be honest though and say that it's mostly love, just there is this bittersweet thing about the last day of August because I get chocolate cake, but then I also get the beginning of orange crunchy leafs and icy cold breezes. I'm never ready to give up my summer or my tanned skin or the lack of reason to need to wear a sweater. But then fall actually gets here and I'm like...well, this isn't so bad.

Now winter. That is another story entirely. But let's not go there. Especially because this weekend is supposed to be in the 80s and just, words do not describe how thrilled I am about that.

Since I'm not working as a teacher this year, September so far has been weird for me. All three days of it.

Day one I was still out celebrating the 24th year of my life (holy crap how did I get that old?) and then day two was the first day of school - and it was the first year since I was five that I haven't been involved in school in some way or another. It feels like maybe I'm more of an adult now? I mean, these are the deep concepts that go on inside my head.

I have been involved in the school system for a good long time - I mean, every year since I was five I was either a student or a teacher and now, now I suppose I'm neither. Oh sure, I'm teaching a watercolor class at the juice bar downtown but I'm not full time. Instead I'm a hostess at a restaurant and instead of spending the first day of school in a classroom I spent it in a dining room. Which is weird with a capital W.

Today was rainy, preceded by a thunderous summer storm last night over which I was irrationally over excited. But really, can one ever be too excited about a thunder storm? I don't think so. And I'm basically an authority on the subject, so whatever.

And now, I think this rambling post has become quit the accomplished nonsense transmission. Over and out.





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