Keep At It
I can remember, so vividly, dreaming of having my own shop filled with things I made. This was 25 years ago so that was nearly impossible back then when a shop was exclusively brick-and-mortar. No matter, I'd get lost in the process of creating something I thought I could mass produce and sell. There were so many things to think about... tools that could cut production time, supplies I would need, what I'd call it, what the packaging could look like, how I would get the packaging made. At that time, I'd never understood what Industrial Design was. Wish I'd learned sooner and studied that in college!
Thinking about this, and remembering the sketchbooks I'd get lost in on every lunch break, makes me all the more grateful that I now get to do all the things I used to only dream about. I need to remember, and really recognize, how far I've come. Maybe instead of always looking ahead at how far I still have to go to achieve long distance goals, I need to look back more often. See how far I've come. Get empowered by that. Maybe that's my problem - I'm always looking forward. And when I look back, I'm only focusing on individual moments rather than the collective progress.
Ohmygosh, compare now to manning a craft fair booth with a cash box, a stack of carbon credit card receipts, and one of those credit card imprinters. That sounds so ancient! Think of the very first small business websites! I wish I had a screenshot of mine, but back then screenshots didn't even exist. Screens didn't exist! There were only computer monitors, flip phones, and, if you were really fancy, a palm pilot. So, yeah. Progress.
It's weird, though. I didn't set out to get here. I evolved here. I learned new things, technology advanced, the market expanded. In other words, I grew as each opportunity presented itself. 25 years ago I didn't even consider that this could actually be my job. What else might I not know to want?
Anyway, on the subject of progress, I present my very first digital illustration from September 27, 2020:
I thought this was SO good. It's all about perspective. At that time, it was good. It was the best I could do. When I compare it to my latest illustration, I can see the growth and progress that has happened over the last 3.5, or so, years.
Moral of the story: keep at it. That was the point of starting this blog. Holding myself accountable to share something, so I'd have to make something, somewhat consistently - In order to maintain steady movement in the forward direction. Who knows what another 3.5 years will bring? I'll never find out if I don't keep at it.