Roadblocks.

It is kind of hard to see but the word on this bracelet is happy. I tend to make things with positive and uplifting words because well to be honest I am just a happy person. I enjoy life and am blessed to be creative in not only the art sense but in every aspect of life. So my outlook is usually rose colored and maybe to negative Nellie's a bit annoying. I in fact was once called an annoying cheerleader but an pessimistic local crumungen who was just so put off by my positivity. Sad sad boy. But I digress....life is just good.

Like everyone out there though I struggle. Since closing my store which for 6 years was my identity has been tough. I kid you not I sometimes meet someone and they say "oh you are PErsimmons?" Um well I guess but really I am just Kim. Before Persimmons Manitowoc I had a store in Baraboo for about 4 years as well so 10 years of running a store and suddenly having no place to have to be pretty much everyday has been a shock to my used to working every (well most anyways) weekend system. I closed shop and had no idea really what I would do. Yeah I knew a little ... I would continue to make my art for local and regional shops that I adore, maybe a little Etsy on the side and just volunteer a little for my community. It is all great in theory but in reality it just was not working. I had no structure and while I continue to work in the studio and create things almost everyday it is just different. I am finding myself at a roadblock.

See I don't really know what I want to do. I love making art and I hate selling art. I love being around people but I don't always love being around people. I love inspiring others and I love teaching. I am well...a typical artist. The only thing that is a little different is that I have a much easier time helping others develop their art and direction than I do my own. I get told a lot that people are inspired to go out and do things whether it is making art or taking a step in the right direction to get that art into the world, after talking to me. I love seeing that spark in people's eyes being lit. I love inspiring people and I love it even more than making art to sell.

Don't get me wrong there is very little more exciting than creating a piece of work that just makes you want to run to your neighbor to show it off not because you think you are great but because you are so excited that you just cannot hold it in. (I think that is why I love facebook) Let's face it though marketing is tough and I don't like to sell stuff. Which is fine but when you make as much as I do you have to figure out ways to sell it or you end up on shows and people laugh and point...no fun.

This has been my roadblock. What do I do. How do I do what I love and maybe even make some money doing it. Because truthfully the way that I work is not conclusive to making money. I sell art and I use the money to buy more art supplies. My artwork is a hobby that I sometimes get paid for. Those who know me know that I am so not a money person. I really really do not care if I ever get a new car again and to me a thrift store junkie, shopping at Shopko is a splurge. However after closing my store which gave me a steady influx of income (not much but still) I need to make some money and I have invaluable skills!

So today it hit me. I want to help people, artists and businesses to be more creative. I did a little poking around and the official title I have found is Creative Consultant. The idea of helping people set up a creative space in their home, or helping an artist start their online presence through social media and other venues, or going into a business that is stuck in a rut and giving them tools to get out of that rut is well, extremely exhilarating to me. I am putting on my thinking cap and researching for the next few months and I am going to do this.

Finding my roadblock has been challenging but now that I have it out of the way I am really really excited for my next creative chapter! So stay tuned because I am going to make as many people as excited about living and being creative as I possibly can!

Are you ready to face your roadblock?