Just a quick post to let you know that today is the last day to register and join us "In the Fish Bowl"
I've also been threatening that this may be the last e-course I run for a while, maybe ever.
Since the time I started speaking and teaching online the amount of people who are also teaching has grown exponentially. And while the majority of me loves this and believes that we all need not just one teacher but multiple at any given time, and how great is it that we can learn from so many different individuals willing to share what they've learned? another part of me becomes incredibly frustrated at the amount of what I like to call fakety-fake, fake, fake aka disingenous teaching that is happening. The amount of slick, razzmatazz presentations {for services, products and entertainment for that matter} that are being sold to people these days is disheartening. Related to online teaching specifically, the presentations seem to be selling the importance of getting a slice of this online landscape? quick! before it's all gone? maybe?! That by being online this is what is going to change your life forever. This is the thing that is going to help you fulfill your dream in its entirety. Well, it might, and it might not. The idea that getting online is going to solve everything is not how it works. It's not as simple as that.
So what gives me the right to make these observations? Well having started my career in design literally the same year the internet became commercial, having failed online in a totally different business before this one and having succeeded online as a profitable artist in business for the past 8 years. These experiences gives me the right. That and the fact that I'm no longer questioning my gut. My feeling is you know when you know. You know when someone is smoke and mirrors. If you don't yet know, you'll learn how to recognize it.
What's a bummer in this situation is that when I see this saturation happening this is usually when I want to take myself out of the game. I don't want to be one in a huge crowd. In fact I don't care for crowds at all. It bothers me when I see everyone thinking and feeling the same, in agreement over what feel to me like surperficial ideas, not because they're listening to themselves because they've bought into the ideas of one or a few voices are the loudest over all of the others. And today, it's fair to say that those voices are loud often for very manipulated reasons.
The cream rises to the top, I've heard it said many times. Yes, I believe it does. When you commit to creating excellent work and living with integrity to the best of your ability every day. I like to think this is the kind of cream that will rise to the top. But in this world, particularly now due to the explosion of the internet landscape, it's seeming as if you have to wade through a whole lot of dairy to find the cream. Whoa, a lot of milk analogies there.
I don't have the desire or the energy to shout over all of these voices. I like to give it time, let it shake out and return when the haze has lifted and a more genuine group, with pure intentions remain. I feel this way with art, and the retail world too these days.
Which is why I'm saying this may be the last "e-course" I teach for a while. I share this with you because many times people wait because they assume I will be back soon with another course. At the close of prior sessions, I have also made portions of the course material available as a download. I will not be doing that this time either.
This group of participants is small and perfect for me to, even more than before, personalize my teaching for each individual, something I'm really excited about. So I would only to like to keep this session open for a few more. If you are on the fence or might feel intimidated, or scared at all, for any number of reasons, please don't. I promise you will feel welcome, seen, safe and supported.
I want to close by saying, I'm thankful to the voices out there who are not like me, who help me to discern and focus with more clarity how I want to express myself. I also want to address that I'm aware that pulling myself out of the game may not be the best answer for someone {like me} who feels equally as passionate about sharing her voice as her art. I fully own that this can be a form of protection, a plan to keep myself safe by preventing possible rejection? I've given this a lot of thought and what I've decided is this: the possibility of rejection hurts me as much as the next person, but I'm braver than that. If I choose to make this my last e-course in this format it's because I believe that I may be discovering a way to share my voice in an entirely new format that speaks to me and inspires me the most at this point in my life, and creative journey. And this evolution, while scary and intimidating is a something I'm very excited about. I am also hopeful that it will be something you will benefit from and enjoy equally.
{painting featured above: "happy in my hood" 7" x 5"}
