Visual Language Magazine Vol 4 No 4

Flowers
Nancy Medina
Leap of Faith
I suspect when we are truly artists, there is really
no escape from the destiny of making art and
creating. When I was young and flitting about the
country trying on different careers, the one thing
that never changed was a constant need to create.
I remember quite clearly the day I was deciding
on a major for College and my parents told me
not to choose art because I would starve. And so
I became a journalist. (This is the part of the story
where all the underpaid journalists in the room
laugh).
My parents were speaking out of fear and out of
a desire to protect me from the big bad world out
there, but in reality being an artist is a calling, and
I could only ignore the calling for so long. One
year ago, at the age of 51, I gave up my job as the
director of a national magazine to paint and teach
full time. My boss’ jaw dropped when I told him I
was leaving this cherry position with its six-figure
salary and nice office. I would caution, however, I
didn’t leap off the corporate cliff with no preparation
into some blissful artistic abyss. I was strategic
and careful and I slowly but surely built my art
business over time, balancing two careers until I
felt fairly certain I could pay the light bill with my
art. I would get home from work at 5:30 pm, take
care of the pugs, clean house, and be in the studio
by 6:30 pm each evening. I would paint until
midnight and be at work the next day at 7:30 am
sharp. I did this every day for over 7 years.
And now, at the end of my first year as a full-time
artist, I have more than doubled my old salary in
corporate America. How was this possible? When
you do what you love, you succeed.
I wake up each morning and I am filled with happiness.
Now that I set my own hours, choose my
own places to teach, decide each morning what I
want to paint, and basically control my own destiny,
I understand more clearly the concept of “freedom
to create.” I can write an article for a magazine
at 11 pm at night, and not worry about the
board of director’s meeting at 8 am the next morning,
for example. My coworkers have four feet and
leave squeaky toys around the studio. My boss
tosses a ball at my leg and barks at me when it’s
time to take a break. I have conference calls with
videographers and website gurus in my business
casual bathrobe. Most importantly, I control my
own success. Strangely, I work more hours now
than I did when I had two jobs. I work 7 days a
week, every day and every night. But I love every
minute of my life.
http://www.nancymedina.com/
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