Oh, y’all.
What a few weeks.
In case this is the first you’re reading about this:
I took a desperate leap a few weeks ago and ran an art sweeps to save my dogs’ teeth and the biggest thing I received wasn’t the money, it was hope.
I have a small following: 255 on IG, almost zero on Facebook, and about a thousand free subs here most of whom are family and friends.
My goal was/is $2k. My money vibration has been really really off for a long time, probably my whole life, and I had come to feel paralyzed. My confidence was at an all time low. And frankly, I’d come to feel like no one cared about me in a big palpable, devastating, heaving cries sort of way. I knew it wasn’t true, but as it is that doesn’t really matter to the inner parts in pain.
Now mind, I’m a practitioner of meditation. I’ve had awakenings. I’ve watched every manifestation video and tried every healing modality. I’ve landed in depths of self-love that I have never experienced or knew existed. I might be an expert.
But for some reason, I was paralyzed in inaction, fear, and becoming more and more destitute by the day money-wise. Stuck in a belief that in order to earn money, it had to hurt and that I didn’t have support.
There’s no way I could be an artist if no one liked me enough to buy my works, or, um, liked my works enough to buy them. In came you all. Old friends, new ones, with the support I needed to finally feel like holy shit, there are people out there who might like me. I know, I know, it’s devastating to feel that way. Believe me, I know. So thank you.
I’m still rocking the toward the goal, but I received enough cash to get rolling, I’ve got a few ideas to be more visible, and new followers and subscribers are filtering in, too, so there’s potential here.
Thank you. <3
But people love the logistical results, so here they are: I sold five pieces of art and several people registered for the sweeps entries, I received $500 between the two (less some fees).
It was my birthday last week and I received $125. Less some noodles and a few household items I need.
I booked Copper’s dental (which had $100 deposit, it’ll still be months before the surgery) and refilled his pain meds.
A friend has hired me to design a poster for her!
I gained a cheerleader who sent me FB groups for neurospicy artists and started posting my works in them!
And I’ve received new followers and new subscribers steadily the last couple of weeks. (Maybe strangers will buy my artworks someday, y’all!)
Deadlines and hype aren’t a pace I flow at easefully, so I needed some time to recover and reorient. Was quite literally unable to complete thoughts for a few days after. Then it was my birthday! I had cake and pizza!
Here’s the sweeps drawing! I have to tell you, the excitement in my voice is real, real. I was hella excited and nervous! I’ve already notified the winners by email and heard back from most about where to send their works. So check your spam folder if you’ve been drawn and don’t see an email from me earlier this week. Or respond here.
You can follow artist Rikki Horvatic and artist Catherine Arnold here on Substack. And artist Mike Renner on Insta here.
In other news I had so much hope this week (plus I saw an artist on the internet who went door-to-door selling prints and zines and made $95 in 30 minutes), so I went to the mystic shops yesterday to ask of they’d be interested in carrying my reiki-infused art cards, and unfortunately it was a “these are cool, we like the concept, but people just don’t buy art, unless you’re here selling them.”
This was useful info! It told me that I’m doing everything right. Being visible, showing up, talking about more than just art. I’m not 100 committed to selling in stores, but I might try a couple of art places with prints. Call me crazy but if I were shopping for art and saw my works, I’d be into it. (I don’t suffer from hating everything I make. That’s probably the thing that’s given me the confidence to this point. I hear some people can barely look at the things they make. And that sounds devastating.)
So… thank you. From the bottom of my big dog heart. The sweeps is over, but you can still donate to this goal, buy art, or commission a piece. <3
Sincerely,
Libby
PS. Are the midterm slander and propaganda ads just like at an all time triggering level or is it just me? I saw three or four on YouTube in a matter of 20 minutes just now. I have to mute them. I truly don’t know what’s going to happen whatever way the midterms go, if they go. And there’s a big part of me that feels like the whole system needs to collapse and be rebuilt. But —
Oh and there’s another one. Apparently AI generated children are selling AI generated lemonade to raise money for their school because some official (democrat) up for election cut funding in favor of corruption or money laundering or something. You know. Like certain other officials do and they totally care about kids’ well being… Shrug.
Though I’m rather amused by one of North Dakota’s slogans: Don’t California our North Dakota.
LOL. Gets me cackling every time.
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I'm so glad you got some hope! And that Copper is on his way to feeling better.
PS if I saw those little art cards somewhere I'd totally buy some!
So glad to have connected with you and sending healing energy 🙏🏻