Start With What You Love...

Saturday, June 11, 2011





Hello My Loves,

Happy Saturday to you all!! I have absolutely no idea where to even begin with this post. Let's just say I've been thinking about what I've wanted to write for a longtime. Here I am a few weeks into my post-graduate life, sorting through all my thoughts, worries, fears, over what's to come. It's almost as if life came to a screeching halt and decided to plague me with a perpetual question mark dangling over my head. What does an illustrator do when they are no longer in the comfort of school? How do I stay motivated? WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?

I've followed so many illustration blogs this past year since becoming a blogger myself, and I could never understand their need for inspiration. As far as I was concerned, inspiration was ample, time was not. But now that I'm out of school with all the time in the world to paint, I really don't even know where to start. What am I supposed to paint? More importantly, how am I supposed to paint it? Do I paint loosely like my warm-up gestures or do I paint how I love to with lots of attention to detail and layers? It's all so complicated I could stop before I begin.

I was lucky enough this semester to be referred to a brilliant illustrator who was looking for a student to mentor. It was and is an amazing opportunity to connect with someone outside the realm of FIT and get a fresh perspective. She advised me numerous times before graduating to start collecting images of things I love and just start to paint. To paraphrase her wisdom "start with what you love, because the most pure version of you will come through." So that's what I've done here with this little series of ice cream cones inspired by Anna Barlow's ceramics.

I've had a lot of people ask me recently if I plan to discontinue my blog and the answer is absolutely NOT!! I may have had a love/hate relationship with my blog and the blog world in general since September but I realize more than ever how happy it makes me. It dawned on me this week when I received an email from my beautiful blogger friend Alessia Landi of The Red Dot. She wrote to me so many words of encouragement and comfort. Someone I've never met managed to bring me back to myself and that's when I know how good this blog life can be.

Anyways, I wish you well and encourage you all to start with what you love. You never know where it will take you.

Meag xx

17 comments:

  1. Wheeee! Those paintings look yummy Meagan! We are all routing for you and very excited to see your post-grad journey develop!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These ice creams are so fancy! Beautifully executed, love 'em!

    I think you should paint what you love, and how you love. I bet you already know that, eh

    Take care ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Meagan, I've missed you around the blogosphere but I've figured out that you must be so busy with work and that we'll get to enjoy your art and your words again when things settle. Transition from being a student to stepping back into post-graduation life can be a bit of a 'shock to the system', I still remember how strange and confusing it felt to walk out of my last exam. But you will soon settle into your new life as a full time illustrator, your hard work, talent and your sunny and determined personality will help you get you started on this new path. I am absolutely sure that there is an amazing future ahead of you and I for one will be following you along through your blog :)

    Veronika (http://www.constantworkinprogress.com)

    ReplyDelete
  4. mmmmmm delish. Doesn't seem like you are lacking any motivation...these are beautiful meag. Cannot wait to see all of your post grad masterpieces and developments, and will be there every step of the way with you! love you meags xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. very yummy paintings.


    As far as I've noticed, school keeps a demand on us to keep inspiration. There's so many artists, professors, books and art, it's hard to not be exposed to something that inspires. Once you're out of school, it's up to you to find those inspirations and creative juices, since it's no longer concentrated in one big safety net.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my, your ice creams look delicious, you're so good at drawing food that you make me drool :D

    You almost made me cry with your words, seriously.
    (I also replied on the comment you left on my blog btw)

    I told you almost everything I had to say in the mail but I just add that I'm very glad that this sort of inspiration-hiatus didn't make you think to stop blogging. Believe me, it would be a great loss for your fans and the people that you inspire (and I am one of them)

    "Start from what you love" is a great suggestion, keep on that track! We'll be here supporting you!

    Kisses and hugs

    Al

    ReplyDelete
  7. yummy yummy, ice cream!!!!You should not leave the blogosphere...u r a big inspiration!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi girl...
    Have a great weekend, and a very happy week:)

    Many good thoughts have been sent your way from this Norwegian girl:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. For that awesome comment I gave you comment of the week:)
    Have a great day:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is certainly an inspiring post for the times when you just lack that inspiration you really need to get going, I will remember this for the next time I have no idea what to do next and surround myself with all the things that make me feel like drawing! :)
    The inspiration you found for these pieces certainly worked well, these are all stunning, the colours are so vibrant and bold.
    I wish you luck with your future career after graduation, I'm sure you'll be brilliant in whatever you wish to do!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, why are all illustrators so philosophical! (Makes me feel rather shallow lol)

    Anyway, don't discontinue your blog! I don't know how you feel about yours, but it's a creative outlet for me, especially now I'm about to start my career in telecommunications (maybe engineering isn't that bad at all).

    And have you any idea how inspirational your blog is, lady?

    ReplyDelete
  12. One of my addiction, ice cream. They look so yummy! Can I have one? haha Great illustration by the way :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. These icecreams look really delicious :D I'm so happy that you're here cause I missed you:) I would also like to thank you for visiting and leaving your comment on my blog:) A big smile on my face appeared when I saw that you left a comment :) I think soon I'll post some of my works so it would be a pleasure to hear your opinion about them;) Lots of kisses and hugs Agnes xxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this post and I definitely agree that you have to start with what you love. That's what's helped me continue making art without any direction from anyone else, and also continue on with my blog. I love both so much :) and I adore your ice cream drawings, they're very dreamy and make me hungry!



    Meanz (Koi Story)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you. This has given me inspiration and food for thought. Now to the execution.

    ReplyDelete

Proudly designed by Mlekoshi playground