This is how I’m feeling about the new year right now — excited, elated, anxious with optimism — in a word, “turnt.”
2014 brought a lot of excitement and new things for me — I was featured on television for my illustrated stationery. I met one of my illustration idols. And I capped off the year by being published in Essence magazine, a book I’ve read cover-to-cover ever since I was a little girl. Dreams can be reality.
Last year I learned to assert my worth as a creative and as a professional. I’ve been inspired over and over again by other illustrators and artists who’ve been documenting their journey online, like Meagan of Travel Write Draw and Danielle of Final Fashion. And Andrea Pippins’ blog Fly made me meditate on what it means to be a black woman and an artist, learning how to infuse my work with celebrations of my identity and heritage — bringing my full self to the table. And I’ve already landed a new commission that allows me to do just that.
Before 2015 started, I’d already committed myself to becomine bigger, badder and better, in illustration and in life in general. And I’m already feeling electric about the change ahead. I’m getting married this year. I landed a new day job in design that will free me up to really focus on the kind of illustration I want. I have ideas coming out of my ears and each passing moment brings more confidence, more excitement.
I am EXCITED! 2015 is going to be great. I can feel it in my my bones. And my pencils too. :o)
