October 25 Update: Brighton Illustration Fair, Art Imposter Syndrome
October—the spooky month! For me, autumn always rushes by too quickly, and this one has been incredibly busy. I have some major news: I’ve been given the huge opportunity to table at the Brighton Illustration Fair (BIF) this year! This is a massive deal for my silly little art brand. I’ve never done a full weekend event with my work before, so I honestly have no idea what to expect. All I know is BIF is looking huge this year, with some big names in illustration attending, and I can't wait to see it all.
Preparing for the Brighton Illustration Fair and Battling Imposter Syndrome
The downside of this incredible opportunity is, naturally, the imposter syndrome kicking up a stink. I’ve been drawing all month, trying to create as many new pieces as I can to take with me. I feel fairly comfortable with the inventory I’ve created, but that niggling feeling that I should be doing more is still there. The event is just around the corner, on November 8th and 9th in Brighton so I had better get a move on!
Launching the New Website and Diving into Art Business
The drive to create new work and make my art brand more cohesive led directly to this—my new website! With all the new stock, I felt ready to start moving away from platforms like Etsy and build my own dedicated space for my art. I have been watching a lot of helpful art business Youtube Channels to keep me motivated and it’s been really helping. Kelsey Rodriguez’s videos have opened up a can of business brain for me and I can’t seem to shut it down. I’ve been waking up at 5am and instantly thinking of things I need to do. It’s nice to be motivated but I know how this goes and I usually end up burned out and transforming into a useless potato for the following few months.
Autumn Walks and Fox Chases
Outside of working, I’ve been trying to make the most of the autumn weather. I love a cool, drizzly walk in the woods and we have done a few this month. One walk took a terrifying turn - Chippy bolted after a surprise fox through a hole in the fence at the park! It went out onto the main road and car park so I was bricking it! He couldn’t figure out how to get back so I had to climb through brambles to get to him. I couldn’t be mad at him though, it seemed he was trying to find a way to get back to me. I was just relieved he didn’t disappear onto the road! 😮💨
Dream Project Contract Signed!
Lastly, and perhaps most excitingly, I signed a contract for my dream project this month! It’s wild, I’m not sure it’s really sunk in yet! But beyond excited and can’t wait to share it. (Stay tuned if you’re actually interested 👀).
