7 weeks! That’s how long it’s been since my last post. In Instagram-time, it feels like eons, but in real-time, I can’t believe it’s already mid February. Get ready for a long post! Admittedly, my ’break’ wasn’t absolute. Opening Instagram when I wake up, and watching my friends stories has become part of my daily routine I really enjoy. Aside from stories, it’s been super refreshing to not pressure myself to post about what I’m up to, and to make myself ‘unavailable’ here in this space for a time. I know I’m not the only one who struggles with the inner anxieties this space creates. What years ago felt like a place to express myself and share my art with friends, has lately felt like a never-ending stream of angst-inducing content. At times, it feels futile or just exhausting to even try to be understood here. Gotta sell, gotta pay bills, gotta keep up the engagement, keep the feed cohesive, if you take a break the algorithm with punish you! No one wants to hear about the days I was depressed, and healing, and couldn’t leave my house, or even focus long enough to draw. Right? Sharing health stuff online feels like an invitation for advice, which I don’t want or need. I very much dislike feeling like a ‘business’ in this space instead of a human first, artist second, but for boundary reasons it’s the mode I’ve fallen into. A goal of mine this year is to soften that line a bit, hence this long-ass meandering post... I wasn’t a *complete* lump in my absence, though. I actually made a big dent in my turn-of-the-year goals: -updated my entire website -completed my custom work wait list -added a new custom work page and submission form to my site -deep cleaned and destashed my entire studio, tools, metals, and stones -added all that destash to a new section in my shop -sent many years-worth (multiple pounds!) of silver scrap in for refining -bought a very modest amount of gold for a tiny upcoming collection -healed from ACL surgery, now walking with a cane -Applied for a small business loan so I can have some of designs cast/ start working smarter -made prototypes for three brand new designs (two rings at left), and sketches for many more {cont’d in comments} — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/37q8N4R
