I have a mission:

going all the way back to why I began podcasting, including this early podcast and post  ~this mission inspires my life, my teaching and my art. I want to change the concept of starving artist to thriving artist. It’s time don’t you think?

I thought so, and then I recently came across an entire line, brand new to the market of "starving artist" design, from coffee cups to bags,  selling in art supplies stores across the country. With all due respect to the artist who created the image, her designs are adorable ~ but the concept ~  ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 

Let me rant for a second. Please skip to the next paragraph to ignore my rant. {I know! how about, let’s make a "Starving Lawyer" coffee cup, and the lawyer can be holding a little brief case overflowing with papers. I’m sure that will be a great seller. And then let’s make a "Starving Teacher" cup?  ~ and a "Starving Fireman" cup and a "Starving Bank Executive" cup. Good LORD ~ is this really the message we want to be putting out into the world, especially following the year we had last year? It’s hard enough to keep your optimism up about abundance without drinking your coffee from a cup that says "starving" on it. O.K. I’m done.}

When I get this frustrated, here’s what I do: I take what frustrates me and then I let what I want instead, inspire my life going forward. And in this case it is also inspiring my creations going forward. 

If someone out there actually thinks that creating a "starving artist" line of products is a good idea ~ then creating a line of thriving artists product might well be a good idea too ~ so I’ve decided to create my own line, the THRIVING ARTIST line by Creative Thursday.

Introducing the first product in the line, a new print of an original illustration featured above. What’s interesting is that this image is also a brand new style of creating for me. Using a yellow vintage book cover as my canvas, I illustrated  with pencil, black ink and acrylic paints. I have to say, I really loved creating this piece, everything from the "newness" of painting on a book cover, to re-reading the sentiment while I was working on it. For my e-course students, I know you’ll understand, I lost all track of time in the creating of this piece.

Speaking of my students ~ past, present and future this image is dedicated to all of you. 

Every time I teach, online or in person ~ I’m inspired to be to better, to live better.  I’m inspired to emphasize this message of "thriving" for everyone, regardless of your chosen profession.

I will close by saying that I for one chose a career as an artist expecting to THRIVE.

This image is also dedicated to all of the artists out there who know this, believe it, and live it, and on the days where you aren’t feeling it, you are reminded to reach for it again.

have a great weekend! xoxo

{the original is not for sale, but you can purchase it as a print over in the shop}