On the edge

Wash Day
Graphite
copyright Jeanette Jobson

This is the third image that I am submitting in the show on Sunday. The difference is that I have added a touch of colour to the ginger fur on his head and some blues and purples into the shadows. I don't seem to have an image of it for some reason. I'll have to take a photo tomorrow in its frame.

I'm standing at the edge of an abyss, throwing little pieces of myself off the edge, hoping that some of them will make a soft landing or that I will at least hear an echo back as they land instead of silence.

That is what it feels like at times when I take on new ventures. I've pushed myself into new experiences to be able to grow my art and make it take on a life of its own. There are nagging doubts that creep into the excitement. 'Who do you think you are?' 'What on earth are you doing at your age?' Sometimes is it very frightening to stand on the edge and see what is in front of me. Sometimes it is awe inspiring to see the potential. The journey to get there is difficult. Taking that big breath and going to see a gallery or to set up drawing classes all have the potential of rejection. Artists tend to take that rejection personally as our skills are bound up in our souls.

For those who believe that they can sit in their corner of the world and make art then expect to be discovered, it won't happen. Marketing, hard work, contacts, networking, putting your reputation, your work and your ego on the line is what it takes. It takes late nights, early mornings, sacrifice and a lot of drawing and experimentation to find the right mix to even begin to make an entry into the art world.