I'm sick and I haven't painted in a month. :(

Ok, I'm just venting because I feel like crap, so I apologize... feel free to ignore this!

I know winter is slow for alot of people, but it's starting to really bum me out. I have only had one paying gig in like two months! I've done two tv shows in the last two months and haven't gotten any good bites off of those either. I do think they'll pay off in the spring and summer because I've already got calls for May and June from people who saw me there, but seriously.... throw me a freaking bone here!

On top of not getting paying clients, I'm now on my second cold in like two weeks and it's killing me. I've had to travel alot for work lately and it's been rough to find any time to just rest at all, let alone find time to break out my paints and play. Honestly, I have a hard time making time to just play anyway, and I think it's starting to really get to me. I feel really rusty and the idea of picking up my brush is getting intimidating.

And my head feels like it's going to burst from the giant blob of snot that is eventually going to start shooting out my ears because my nose is so plugged up. UGH.

Ok... end of rant.

Hi Amanda, just wanted to send you a little "Cheer me up"
Hope you feel better real soon! Spring is coming soon, well that's what the grounhog said lol
Take care!

PS: If you have vicks vapor rub at home lather your feet up with it an put some warm socks on. HTH

I'm sorry you are having a rough winter. I feel you though, it is slow this time of year and if I get another cold im gonna go crazy. Try Affrin for your sinuses. It will clear right up. You just can't use it for more than 3 days straight. Also a humidifier helps since the heating in your home makes your sinuses worse. Also, some Emergen-C is good to boost your immune system. Hang in there.

Cheer up spring will be here soon and we can all go out and paint
and play get well soon

barb

well wishes being sent your way!!! i know how you feel, if its not me its one of my two kids....we can never be sick at the same time its one after the other so it never stops!!!!

Hope you feel better....this must be a bad winter for lots of people...I have been fighting something on and off since Christmas, this week its been sinus and pneumonia.....missed all week at work :0( But on the road back now...hope you get some rest soon!

Amanda - i feel for you. I'm always sick in winter - seems like I just go from one cold to the next...... at the moment here it's summer but I know when winter comes it will start all over again. If i'm not picking it up at gigs then my little one is bringing it home from school or my man from the construction site.
I know a lot of the chilly Americans at the moment are using the flower thread to cheer themselves up. It would seem painting a flower a day, cheers them up and keeps them from getting rusty in the quieter months..... sounds like a good idea to me.
Bis does slow in the winter but I'm guess I'm lucky cause compared to some ( like the Canadians) our winters are very mild. Mabye the lowest it gets is 12 degree centergrade ( srry convertion not available at this time)..... but it's not that cold.... never gets even close to snowing.
Instead we have hail storms, electrical storms, floods, drought, and more recently cyclone ( hurricanes to you lol) and a week long heat wave of 40 degrees......... can't work in that heat any more then you can in the snow!

Don't worry babe - you will come out of it, and it's probably better if you aren't booked at the moment so you can get plenty of rest. You would feel a lot worse if you had to cancel bookings as well as feeling like crap!!
Maybe look at boosting you bis from your computer - like with free adverts and upgrading your website - or emailing prospective corporate clients, building a FB page yadda yadda. When you feel better I'm sure your inspiration will come back. Hang in the kid!

Hay Amanda, I'm praying for you! It will pass & the sun will come out(there's a season for everything!). Winter is slow in our line of work(even in FL... which I don't get:-)
On the medical side, the Netti pot is gross, but wonderful(Netti spray does just as well & is easier to tolerate than the pot). It really helps clear up the sinuses.
On the painting, that is how I felt after 2 wild gigs in Dec(so much for Christmas money) & only 1 paying gig in Jan(I did a few freebies for advertising trade) & have my month finally filling up in Feb. I was feeling very rusty. All artists go through seasons of not painting, not feeling like painting. It's part of the art process & when you take that rest it often helps you to break into the next level of skill. I always say practice, practice, practice, but there is a time where you can over work something & you need to step back, & take a break. When you get the paint brushes going again, you'll find a whole new level!

Wow... you guys rock! Thanks for all the encouragement... it does make me feel alot better! Well... that and 12 hours of sleep and the last few hours I spent vegging on the couch in my fluffy robe.

I think I'll try to take some of my sick day today to be productive on the business end of things... I definitely have some calls I've been meaning to make, and I want to update my business card, and have a logo for our guild I need to work on. I can do all of that without leaving the couch! Yay!

All this support is so fantastic... I don't know what I'd do without you guys!