Oh, how quickly life can change — and change again.
It’s been nearly 3 months since last we spoke. Surprised? Same here.
In the last 3 months, I left “one job” for “another,” and have now left “another” for “who knows what?”. “Another,” while it taught me so much about myself and gave me new life experiences that I am grateful to have had, was unfortunately not the right fit for me. Though my time at “another” was brief, I will always count myself lucky to have had the chance to try something different and to work with the brilliant team of people I came to know in eight short weeks. I would be lying to everyone if I didn’t admit to being worried about what the future may bring — I never expected to find myself completely without direction, especially not in times like this, but it helps to know that I am not the only one experiencing this kind of uncertainty.
These circumstances, though challenging, have brought me back to thinking about the things in life that I truly want, especially in regards to my life as a photographer.
Here are a few of my thoughts:
First, I am starting to take a serious look at different exhibition and submission opportunities, especially for my Polaroids. I feel that I am in a great place with my work, and I am ready to start really putting it out into the world.
Second, I am strongly considering putting together a book showcasing the best of my work so far. Again, I feel that I am in a great place with my work, and I think having it commemorated with a book is another way to showcase how far I have come as an artist.
Third, I am also considering selling prints upon request. I would allow you to pick an image from one of my galleries, and then I would sell you a print of that image. I haven’t worked out pricing or anything yet because this is simply an idea — I’m not sure how many people would be interested in this, even — but it’s something I’ve been considering for some time now, and I thought I would bring it up here.
Fourth, as I mentioned in my end-of-isolation post, I am looking into other photographic mediums to sink my teeth into, including ones that involve mixing media. I believe that experimenting with new things is vital to the growth of an artist, and I am committed to this growth, especially because...
Fifth and finally, I am once again researching MFA programs, this time with a more open mind about where the programs are located and what they have to offer. Naturally, whichever program I choose will have to either have a dedicated photography MFA track or will have to be interdisciplinary but with a focus on photography, but, other than that, I have no other true specifications (other than this one -- the program cannot be in NYC or California. I've already tried programs in NYC and found that I no longer believe that NYC is the best fit, and I simply cannot afford the cost of living in California — nor do I truly want to live there, either).
If anyone has any thoughts, opinions, or suggestions in regards to any of the above topics, please, do not hesitate to reach out. I would love to hear from you!
I may not know where life is going to take me next, but I do know that I have learned so much about myself over the last few months, and, even though everything has not worked out the way I had hoped, I truly believe that the next great adventure is around the corner.
As always, thank you for taking time out of your day to be with me, and, if you have any suggestions for future blog topics, be sure to send them my way.
May peace be with you, and, until next time,
— Kelsey