Art, Change, and Tarts: Navigating a New Path and Exciting Announcements
Art thoughts, a tomato and goat cheese tart, and save the date for POST
If you've been reading my Substack, you know I've been working in the corporate world for a long time and recently burned out (for background see the May and Burnout posts below). I've been struggling with my identity as an artist and balancing work, side hustles, and what a career means for an artist. Is my job my job and art my side hustle, with cat sitting as my side hustle's side hustle? Or is art my job, my job my paycheck, and cat sitting my side hustle?
Yesterday, while finding a painting spot along the cove, I climbed down a muddy bank to the water's edge. The climb back was steep, with only a patch of thistles for a handhold. Instead of grabbing the thistles, I took big steps, lifting my foot to hip height, stepping up without holding onto anything. As I did this, I thought, "This is why I do yoga every day."
We think of art as cerebral, but it's also very physical. I haul painting supplies to hard-to-reach areas. I work for hours in the hot sun, covered in protective clothing. I paint standing up, with brush movements starting at my shoulder. My step counter often shows 2,000 steps just from moving around while painting. Somehow, the physicality of painting made art as my job seem more real. This morning, I'm sore and stiff from yesterday—standing on uneven ground, staring into the sun, and climbing steep shorelines. This brings me back to my identity crisis.
While doing this morning's yoga, the idea/question popped into my head (all the best ideas come in the shower or in down dog): Is this my job now? Is being an artist my job? I'm a little worried about income—the steady paycheck from corporate jobs is comforting. But maybe it's time to embrace some discomfort and make art. I'm still going to cat sit, though.
I've been really happy with the work I've made this summer. I've experimented and stretched as an artist. I've rested and feel like the grip of burnout is receding. I was very happy with both the Pressy Cove painting and the Inner Harbor painting. I felt I successfully applied new ways of seeing the landscape in these paintings. I look forward to sharing more work with you.
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
I use the America’s Test Kitchen Fool Proof Pie dough recipe but do what ever pie crust you like to make or buy.
4 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
Additional grated parmesan for sprinkling
2 to 3 tomatoes (depending on size)
Fresh basil and chives
Black pepper to taste
Roll out dough and lay in a pie plate or on a sheet pan if you don’t have a pie plate.
Smear the room temperature goat cheese in an even layer on the crust. Artfully arrange thinly sliced tomatoes and feta cheese on top of the goat cheese. Sprinkle on some chopped fresh herbs like basil and chive or oregano and liberally dust with black pepper.
Crimp or braid your crust edge and sprinkle the parmesan over everything so you get some cheese on the crust edge.
Bake at 400 for 30 to 35 minutes
Save the date! October 26 and 27
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours
I'm hosting an Open Studio event in Philly, and you're invited! Admission to the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours is free, so come see my South Philly studio, chat with me about my creative process, and enjoy a day filled with art and inspiration. I might even have a tomato goat cheese tart for you to sample.
"Is my job my job and art my side hustle, with cat sitting as my side hustle's side hustle? Or is art my job, my job my paycheck, and cat sitting my side hustle?"
I so relate to this except where it says cat sitting, I have nothing as of yet but may need to find something soon.
I call it "attempting to thread a needle with a very frayed thread." 😁
Also recovering from a corporate existence except through abstract photography.
Certainly not going back again (on 3rd career sabbatical from it) but feel like I'm running out of time as I wonder how to make a living as an artist.
I'm not struggling with my identity as an artist but certainly struggling with what life and career means as an artist.
The Open Studio event sounds interesting.