It has been nearly four years since I made the decision to join the gypsy train of art shows. Indoor, outdoor, rain or shine you could often find me on the road, pitching my Trimline Canopy, hanging my art, and enjoying the adventure. The journey took me from Aspen to Lexington, from Chicago to Ft. Lauderdale and many points in between. There comes a time however when change makes itself obvious.
Last week it did just that. I have made the decision to pause the gypsy train and park my trailer in the station for a while. I do not know at this point what I will do to replace the income that has come from these shows these past years, but as my wise hubby said, “You don’t have to know what you are going to do in order to know what you are NOT going to do any more.”
Another wise man, St. Paul wrote to the Philippians “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal.” I truly believe that there are times when we must let go of something before we can reach for the next.
My mind is more available to possible opportunities because I am no longer checking the show and application schedule or concentrating on which paintings to include in each application. Or trying to second guess which cities house my customers. Or wondering what the weather will be like so I can guess which clothes to take. You get my drift. My mind and my time are free to explore.
Along the way I’ve discovered something about myself. I love change. I actually thrive on it. Perhaps it is my creative brain that gets bored easily, but the idea of a new chapter is exciting to me. Rather than using my creativity and vision to paint, I am exploring possibilities, weaving my way through the world wide web and asking the same question that inspires me at the easel. “What if?” has been my guiding star for the past 25 years in terms of my art. Now I will open myself to listen and watch where it leads my career.
Don’t know where I’m going but I’m enjoying the journey one step at a time.
Deborah Gall 