I am putting my Etsy account on hold now, and I’m researching artist residencies. I found a great blog post by Elisabeth Larson Koehler outlining what an artist residency is and what you need to do to get into one. She also posted two excellent links to find residency opportunities artisttrust and callforentry. Both links are great leads into the art residency world. I just made a profile on callforentry, and there are many opportunities available, searchable, and curated to your needs as an artist. 

Before I moved to Korea, I was looking to do an artist residency. I didn’t have the confidence to try and apply, so I kept going with teaching. I also have an issue with getting in my way. Sometimes my brain makes something so simple into something very complicated. The information you might need is only a few clicks away. My new goal is to fight the urges to give up and push forward, even if it is just a little, every day.   

Next Steps: I will look for some residencies that I could attend over the summer or next winter break. Hopefully, Korea will lift its mandatory quarantine so I can travel more freely. Time will tell. I can at least continue to do research to form my future artist life <3 <3 <3

What are some things you have done lately to awaken your inner artist? 

Today I am sitting in my classroom, and I'm thinking of all the ways to escape my job. I work at a private high school on Jeju Island in South Korea. It seems glamorous, but I promise it isn't. The job has fun perks like travel, but travel is not an option because of the pandemic. So here I am, grumpy in my classroom thinking about my escape. How do I do this? What work will I have to do? How do I do this research? What am I even researching? What about taxes, ugh... taxes... THE WORST!

YouTube, here I come! Give me the answers I need, PLEEEEAASE!  
So I searched: How to quit my job and make art
Here is what I found: Austin Robinson 

What!?!? He made it look so easy to start working on your art. He sells his original sticker designs on Etsy!
I mean, come on! How can it be that easy!?
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I used to have an Etsy account, and I hated it.  I hated how fussy it was to photograph my work. I hated dealing with customers, and I hated dealing with the post office. Am I a diva? Why do I hate so many things? Well, maybe I need to examine my relationship to making and selling before I take this plunge that I so desperately want to do. 

What are my next steps? Etsy... Here I come! Geronimooooooooooooooooooooo!