I am an artist

Yes, I am an artist. Why are these words so hard to say? When someone asks me what I do or whether I have a job, why is it so hard for me to wear my artistic vision proudly?

Aesteticeleveator.com put it perfectly, "Probably for a similar reason that being a 'homemaker and mother' is not considered "real work"- because it does not bring in the bread." Funny how I have become all three since Aug 2011. Yet this is completely NOT true! Yes, raising my child and doing the dishes, laundry, sweeping, mopping, etc. are not actually creating any sort of revenue. Yes, I could choose to be simply artist that cares little if anyone actually purchases her work (there are some out there...though I don't understand why).
One of the best and biggest examples in my life of a woman that made a great life out of being a simple "homemaker and mother" is my late grandmother. I truly can not hold a candle to her abilities (especially her cooking!). I only aspire to be a mother that shows her child how much she loves her and to do what I can to keep the house in some sort of order (that is pretty hard with a little one!). No, you can't eat off my floors and yea, there are times I lose my cool (patience is an ongoing process God is still working on with me). Yet, I know I am doing my best and giving my child the best by being here with her. (This is not to discredit those working-outside the home moms).

Because I was blessed with the ability to stay home with my child, I chose to jump on the chance to chase my dreams. Do I dream of being a famous artist known around the world like Picasso or Monet? Nah, not really. I don't anticipate making millions off my paintings or tour the world with my artwork. But is it impossible for me to make a career from my art? No. It is not impossible. It is hard, but not impossible.

So what do you say when someone tells you that it is not a real job and you need to go get a real job? Yea, I'm still figuring that one out. For honestly I work harder at my jobs than I ever have before. I've had real jobs (I was an assistant manager for a retail store once), and though I did like some of those jobs, these new jobs are my true calling. Those "real jobs" had a time clock and when I clocked out I could check out until the next day. Now (even as I'm typing this at midnight I hear my daughter looking for her binky and fussing in her sleep), I am on call 24/7 and even when I'm "off" I have many other things to work on (like those millions of paintings I can't wait to get started/finished). I have a real job. Being a mother is a "real" job. Being an artist and owner of my own art business is a "real" job. Just because I don't bring in a $ amount with one job nor make millions with the other does not make either job less "real".

So for those of you that are out there, living your dreams, don't let others squash them because they don't fit into some acceptable mold. Life is for living, not accumulating $ or stuff that you can not take with you. Don't look back and wish you could have. Just be ready to work for those dreams. Chasing rainbows is not for the weak!