The Hustle

At times I find it very difficult to balance my art, a full time job and time spent with friends and family. I keep myself very busy practically every day of the week, to the point where if I make plans to catch up with a friend on a certain date, I’ll need to put it in my calendar so I don’t forget or double book myself! Monday through Friday is my work week. I have a full time job and when I come home I work on my artwork. I usually give myself a break after my full time job and start my work from about 7pm until midnight or even sometimes 1am. This time is spent painting, editing photos of my art, framing, sketching or planning out ideas for paintings. Throughout the day I post on social media, write blogs and respond to comments or emails. Usually in the mornings or early evenings I take photos of any new artwork so I can edit them later on that night. Of course, this schedule isn’t always set in stone. Sometimes I catch up with friends during the week or attend any events or functions and I miss a day of work. But I always plan my week appropriately so that I make up for the lost time. This is where the calendar app on my phone comes in handy! Over the weekends I relax, I treat them as days to catch up with friends and attend any art shows or events in Toronto. After all, I’m still young and enjoy going out! But if I have an art show coming up, or a deadline to meet, I usually sacrifice this time on the weekends for work. Work always comes first. This is an industry that’s difficult to thrive in but as long as I’m working harder than the next person, I have a better shot at succeeding. I live a pretty busy life but I enjoy it, I enjoy being on the go and never having time to feel bored. There is always work for me to do, whether it is making art or getting my art noticed. Call me a hustler ;)