Watch out world, I'm graduating (again)

I'm starting this blog as a way to document my entrance into the "real world" aka the grown up professional world. At 25 I feel as if I'm still very naive about this whole business of living on my own and supporting myself through my chosen career of art and illustration.

I always knew that the choice I made to go to University for art might not lead me to the most lucrative job opportunities, yet I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Because I was never sure about how I was going to make a living, I took my time to go through university, did an extra year for my honours degree, and took some time off to travel. So 5 years and countless dollars of student loans later, I emerged from university, educated, worldly, talented, in dept, and jobless. It wasn't long after graduation that I found myself frustrated with how things were going. Still living in my parents house, working at a hotel I knew I had to do something if I was ever going to leave the dead end hospitality industry. So I took a leap of faith, and yet another student loan, and moved to Ottawa to complete a college graduate program in Professional Illustration. I was hoping this program would help me develop my professional skills so that I will finally be able to support myself with my art.

With just a few months left until graduation, its now time for me to start putting myself out there, establishing my brand and marketing myself to perspective clients and employers. I know I'm talented, it's just a matter of showing the world what I can do, and getting the world to pay me.