Ups and Downs...

Benji - Colored Pencil 5" x 7" 2006

I will almost never inject personal stuff here but I'm making a slight exception this morning.

For several months I've been preparing for a show that I've been juried into but wait-listed for. It's next week and I won't be told until then. This is the biggest show I've been accepted to and it would be a terrific boon to me to spend four days in maximum exposure. If it doesn't happen then I just keep going, on to the next challenge and so on and so forth. It's all good.
Yesterday I was pleased to hear that I'd won runner up in an art contest for Dog Show USA. The contest was sponsored by NBC/Universal and held at WorldFamousComics.com (run/owned by Justin Chung a comic artist, illustrator).
Here's the entry.

Each step, no matter how large or small, is still a step...no matter which stage in your professional career.
Setbacks or failures are only stumbles on the path. Successes are bonuses. As long as your goals are clear and your love of your art (work) is true, failures and successes are all just a part of the ride.

Personal Note:
~~My parents sold my childhood home, 30 years. Bittersweet. I don't like to dwell on the past with these issues but it's hard to ignore such a large change and loss. The sweetness? My parents now live 15 minutes away rather than 4 ½ hours. My son will know and grow with his grandparents, something I didn't have...that makes me very happy.

My great aunt and uncle died this week, Monday and Wednesday. They were so close that they died within 2 days of each other. I've never seen two people as a couple happier than they were, it was amazing. I loved them dearly and will miss them with all my heart.

My best friend, only 39, will be having double bypass heart surgery on Sunday. Yesterday he called me to tell me he loved me and that he just wanted to let me know again before the surgery in case something happened to him. It haunts me a little.

These may seem like "down" things. They are in some ways very sad but the thing is that the love I have for these people and others serves me well, if I lose someone or something dear it reminds me to keep each day in motion, to live for moments, to not waste time, to love fully and to be inspired by life and not jaded by it. There is always something new to learn no matter who you are, there are no excuses.

LM