Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Corner View - My Dream

I don't remember when it began but for as long as I can remember I've been the go to person for artistic renderings. Need a sign? Susie can make you one.


Need a forty foot mural for a school house in a Bedouin village? Susie can whip one up. Or two. (or five).



Then when I was in business school I had this dream that I could maybe work as an artist (when I got a 65 on my first finance exam). I painted a bunch of funny little figures one weekend and brought them to a wacky little folk art gallery downtown and the owner said she'd display them. She sold every one and gave me 60% of the proceeds. So I built a website and told everyone I knew and we had a little "gala opening".


And I sold enough of those little guys to pay for my husband and me to bike from Budapest to Prague through Vienna for a month after I graduated (but only enough to sleep in a tent).

Then I reproduced a bunch and made them into cards and prints and invitations and what not. Sold some of those too.


But I started getting sick of those little guys. And had some little guys of my own. And by then I had a business school job and a mortgage and some school loans and I kind of lost sight of my dream. Until my friend asked me to paint her ketubah* and that's when I suddenly woke up.


Good morning! I started painting again. A lot. Different things. That's when I remembered my dream. I forgot about all of those reasons why my dream was impossible and started living my dream.

For more corner views visit Dana, who's hosting this week while Jane is globe trotting...

*traditional Jewish marriage contract
Posted by at
Labels: ,

21 comments:

  1. ReneeOctober 21, 2009 at 6:39 AM

    Here is to waking up and living your dream.

    You are so beautiful Susie and your art is amazing.

    Love Renee xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. EmilyOctober 21, 2009 at 7:13 AM

    Glad you've reconnected with your dream. I love the way your dreams involve such COLOR! Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. aimeeOctober 21, 2009 at 7:14 AM

    here's to 65 percent performance on finance exams so you could discover what was really important to you. WOW. i didn't know you did murals too. that is beautiful! and
    impeccable timing on the ketubah pic. i just linked to it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DanaOctober 21, 2009 at 8:09 AM

    You are always so inspiring mo mamma
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. urbaNicheOctober 21, 2009 at 9:43 AM

    this is brilliant!
    im a believer in living your dreams!
    happy dreaming and happy living your dream

    ReplyDelete
  6. Michele at A House Called NutOctober 21, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    Thanks for sharing your story! It's serendipitous and inspiring all at once. And that bike tour sounds amazing. My husband and I love touring, but have never done it for more than a week at a time.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Prairie Girl StudioOctober 21, 2009 at 10:13 AM

    you gave my heart such a lift this morning ... thank you so much!
    i, too love how your dreams are so brilliantly colourful and full of joy and cheer ...
    prairiegirl xo

    ReplyDelete
  8. IanOctober 21, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    I really enjoyed sharing your dream. It's a good one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. aimeeOctober 21, 2009 at 11:52 AM

    had to come back and look at that ketubah again. it is beautiful! love how you separated all the tiles - it gives the piece a light, airy, floating feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  10. lori vliegenOctober 21, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    hi susie! aimee suggested that we all drop by for a look-see at your beautiful ketubah.....and wow, was she ever right about the "beautiful" part!! other words come to mind, too.....like stunning, gorgeous, fantastic......

    i loved reading your story, too. here's to living our dreams.... :))

    ReplyDelete
  11. PatOctober 21, 2009 at 4:20 PM

    Susie, I love your story and your artwork! Thanks for sharing your dream and giving hope to those of us who are still chasing ours.

    ReplyDelete
  12. likeschocolateOctober 21, 2009 at 9:48 PM

    Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  13. jacquelineOctober 21, 2009 at 9:53 PM

    Susie you are soo pretty and i adore your beautiful colorful work! Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational story! Here's a toast to living your dream! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. TheresaOctober 22, 2009 at 4:18 AM

    great story
    keep it going

    ReplyDelete
  15. la ninjaOctober 22, 2009 at 6:14 AM

    here's to dreams come true (and the balls it takes to actually go and do it!) hooray!

    ReplyDelete
  16. lisa mertinsOctober 22, 2009 at 6:59 AM

    sue, this affirmation is exactly what i needed to read this morning. thank you for sharing your story of following your dream. it gives me courage...

    ReplyDelete
  17. ReneeOctober 22, 2009 at 7:01 AM

    The ketubah is so beautiful. I just heard of them recently and I think it is so wonderful.

    Love Renee xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  18. AsjaOctober 22, 2009 at 12:07 PM

    this was a pleasure to read and also very inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  19. LoriOctober 23, 2009 at 7:04 AM

    What a great post. I love hearing how you reconnected wih your dream again. And your murals? wow. You are SO supposed to be doing art. Finance sminance.

    ReplyDelete
  20. thewillowsnestOctober 24, 2009 at 6:21 AM

    What a glorious post! I love the way you composed this.what a cool story, so neat to share it this way! ( with the cool old pics)
    And forgive me for never having heard of a ketubah .. but I think I need one!!!
    ( if it looks like that beautiful one!)

    ReplyDelete
  21. painted fish studioOctober 26, 2009 at 5:08 PM

    i loved reading this!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)