Going for stock or not?

It’s been late, i’v been looking thru many websites and my eyes are burning, this
is a sign i should get away from my powerbook.

I’ve got a mail today from stockart, saying that they accepted my work and that we could continue with the process if i want to. I’ve sent them samples of my work last week, but i didn’t thought they would write back so fast, and with a positive answer.

Now i have to face the facts. I must decide if i want to start selling my stuff to stock illustration houses to start making money of my art. This isn’t the best thing to do, i know, but i must start somewhere.

Anyone out there who could help me figure things out would be happily welcome… There are the stock houses i am looking thru:

* http://www.theispot.com
* http://www.folioplanet.com
* http://www.stockart.com

Unknown

Life is a journey, not a destination.
Take it one day at a time.

Unknown

The Lost Soul Companion

The Lost Soul Companion:
A Book of Comfort and Constructive Advice for Struggling Artists, Black Sheep, Square Pegs, and Other Free Spirits

Thanks to my friend Guylaine who lent me this book. She gave it to me saying ‘i thought of you when i read this book’, hm, what was that supposed to mean?

Having a closer look at the book later in the subway, in the back of it is written “The ultimate survival guide for starving artists, writers, performers-and anyone whose dreams can’t be contained by an office cubicle”. Well, i am not a starving artist, but yeah, my dreams can’t be contained in an office cubicle, neither does a 9 to 5 job can satisfy me.

Strange to me is that now, in reading the book, i thought of other friends of mine for whom the book would be good to read. A lot of these friends i thought about are starving artists, unhappy, living on the dark edges, and often close to depression. I always wondered why so many of the most creative persons i know are often so close to depression and need to take antidepressant drug to keep their heads up.

I somehow think that artists are highly sensitive people, like if we could sense things that other wouldn’t feel. Like if some dimension of life wouldn’t exist for them, they would only feel it thru our work (be it painting, writing, dancing…). That could also explain why so many artist are struggling so much with pain, since they can feel it much more than anyone else.

Susan, the author of the book, seems to be one of these people. She went thru different stage of crisis but made the best out of it in writing this book.

“… I felt like a failure. I began to wonder if any other people felt as hopeless as i did. I had so many big ideas but i couldn’t even get out of bed. I wanted to know other Lost Souls. I thought if only we could compare notes i might not feel so hopeless and uninspired. And then i knew what i had to do…”

My favorite parts of the books were “lost souls are hothouse flowers” where i did recognize a bit of myself in every flower, and “live like you have cancer”, this one would help more than one person i’m sure of that!

Susan also made a website to reach out more lost souls, have a look:

* www.lostsoulcompanion.com

Transformation Soup

Sark’s Transformation Soup

I have read a lot of good books during my xmas holidays, and offered myself a little extra treat with another book by Sark, called Transformation Soup.

This one is in my opinion the best book Sark wrote. I wonder when i read thru the book, if she can read in my mind and put words on things i can’t explain. It seems to me like if she could see things that i cannot see by myself, like if life would be a wonderful adventure full of colors and i would only see the black and white version… and she is there to remind me that i should keep my eyes a little bit more open…

No wonder that the book is called “Transformation soup-Healing for the splendidly imperfect” when she write about topics such as acceptance of our bodies, imperfections, illness, sadness, money, isolation, aging, food, exercising, and friendships. I did recognize myself a lot in this book, and i hope it could find his way to every human being on this planet since we are all on a healing path somehow.

(A note for those who are new to Sark’s work: her books are beautiful inspirations, and full of insight and magic. They can be read in any order, are hand written and painted with bright colors all around. At the end of each chapter are recommendations of other inspiring fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books, along with uplifting quotes. Her writing is to me like fresh lemonade for the soul

Anna Freud

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes
from within. It is there all the time.

Anna Freud

No one will stop this war but the people.

“When Congress Rejects the Will of the People,
The People Must Act Themselves!

No one will stop this war but the people.

The U.S. Congress failed to listen to the overwhelming number of people who expressed their opposition to a war on Iraq in a massive outpouring of calls, e-mails and faxes to their elected officials.

We believe that it is unconscionable to send young people in the U.S. armed forces into combat in an illegal war that serves only the interests of Big Oil.

Instead of spending $200 billion of taxpayers’ money on another war in the Middle East, the funds should be used to create jobs and finance education, housing, heathcare and other vital human needs.

We join with the millions who want to take action to prevent a senseless war that is likely to lead to the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people in Iraq. This path of the Bush Administration can only lead to an escalation of violence that endangers people everywhere.”

http://www.votenowar.org

Fox River Papers day planner

I just received the promotional day planner from fox river papers, featuring one of my illustration.

I have a bunch of agendas to give away for free, thanks to jodi who made this possible…

My obsessions and Klimt art

Klimt is one of my favorite painters of all time. I have an obsession for his art, and the walls of my flat are covered of postcards of his work. The details that cover each of his painting, the color he used, the shapes that he gives to women are just amazing.

I am writing about this because i wonder if i should fly to vienna to see an exhibition displaying his landscape work until february.

* more about Klimt art
* my favorite ones: Three Ages of Woman, L Albero Della Vita, Silhouette II,Silhouette I.

Power

There’s a comic i’ve done in the days following my return from holidays. I’ve been thinking a lot about my life, my ambitions, and the last 12 months. I’ve realized that even back from holidays, i wasn’t feeling ready to start to build all the projects i had in mind. All the courage i once had was now a mere memory, nothing else.

I’ve been thinking about where my courage could have been gone, how could i take back my power and go thru life with my head up. I went to the conclusion that over the last year, I’ve lost my power in many things that i thought would give me power and help solve my problems: books, therapy, and other helpers such as tarot cards, pendulum etc. I always have been a really curious person, and i still am, but i realize now that in all these things I’ve putted to much hopes, and all my self confidence.

So now, i will still read, but less. I will continue therapy, but less. And for the tarot and my pendulum, they will also be of used, but less than before. I have to find balance in between my so called “spirituality” and my free will. Lots of things might help me on my way, but it is by myself that i will find my way. This means, finding back my own power (and my fears!) and use them to build my life.

see the comic

This quote found her way to me this week, coincidence?

* * *

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes
from within. It is there all the time.
Anna Freud

New wallpapers

When I ride my bike { Daily thoughts* }

Today was a busy but nice day. I went to buy art supplies (one of my favorite activities), then i went in the city to visit a small picasso exhibition, went out for bagel and hot chocolat, checked out for books (god knows i have already plenty to read at home, but it is a serious addiction…), and then bought vegetables for a nice green cooking session.

After that, i’ve spent a while updating my website, and added some new wallpapers to decorate your virtual environement: Mouvement-pattern 2, 3 and 4 are there to relax you and bring you instantly in a state of total grace (yes yes, try it for yourself! Also, i just got the domain wheniridemybike.com, so my site and the weblog will be moved under the .com name shortly.

And the rest of the week announce itself to be as busy if i have a look at my todo list. I started to make a plan for the workshops i want to lead here since so long, and i also want to send some portfolios, continue to work on the promo stuff for my friend dan, and i would also like to change the design of this weblog…

Well, we’ll see what i can do…

Tea recipe for bad cold days

There’s a powerful tea recipe that i have tried by myself, and i can tell you that it works! I tried it 3 days before i had to fly for xmas holidays, i was really sick and couldn’t imagine how i would move out of my bed.

So, in the hope that this little sharing can help you feel a bit better next time you catch a bad cold, here’s the bomb!

Support young alternative media!

My friend guylaine pointed me that magazine during my last visit in montreal. I am skipping thru it since some days and i must say that i am really satisfied of my purchase (note here that i am really picky on buying magazines. They must contain at least 3 article that are worth for me to spend time and money on – something else than ‘why should a girl choose that makeup instead of another one’, and well, i just dont wear makeup anyway…).

I would give Utne 3 stars, for their interesting coverage of topics that matters to me (see “Our schedules, our selves – “…we are not living our lifes but merely following a dizzying timetable of duties. Where’s the luxurious leisure that decades of technological progress was supposed to bestow upon us?…), and their brilliant use of illustration thru all the magazine (see Katerine Dunn’s illustration).

“UTNE MAGAZINE reprints the best articles from over 2,000 alternative media sources bringing you the latest ideas and trends emerging in our culture… Provocative writing from diverse perspectives… Insightful analysis of art and media… Down-to-earth news and resources you can use… In-depth coverage of compelling people and issues that affect your life… The best of the alternative media.”

* Utne Magazine

Anais Nin

“Life shrinks or expands according to one’s courage”
Anais Nin