The title reminds me of the many kid's board books that I read to my daughter. They would describe something in simple terms, like I say baa and my fur is soft and wooly. What am I? I'm a sheep! Sometimes I wish I could describe myself in such a simple way.
I've been in a quandary about what to say here. The last few months have been a bit tumultuous. Back in October, I was working for a new business, getting it ready to open in the community where I've done farmers' markets for over twelve years. I was going to be running the bakery, and there's no bakery in the town. There would be a focus on local food. I'd be dealing with many of the same vendors that I've known over the years. It seemed ideal, but the reality of it was not. I wound up leaving the job in November, without having an idea of what exactly my next move would be. I'd been working out of my home kitchen for so long that I knew the pros and cons, and wasn't eager to continue doing it. But,
I literally stumbled into another opportunity, still baking out of my kitchen, but with the possibility to expand. This new opportunity looks bright, and I'm working on a new challenge - baking bread!
With this shift, I've been thinking about how I'm branding myself. On Instagram, I'm mainly a collage artist. I post other photos in my stories, but food doesn't make it to my feed. (I'm aware of how that sounds!) Ever since I was in high school, I was aware that my interests were "too much." I didn't have an easy answer for what I liked to do. It became even more obvious once I was in college, for music performance. I played the oboe and loved it. But, I still wanted to do all the other things that I loved. That was unusual for a music major - you were allowed to play different instruments, but you weren't allowed to have serious interests outside of music. Once I turned my sights to art, I found freedom. I could combine metal and paper, or words and collage.
Here I am again, at a crossroads. Do people who follow me for art want to see what I bake? Is there a way to combine bread and collage that feels satisfying to me? Maybe I don't have to answer the question simply, and that's okay too.
I love your art and I find your life as a baker equally interesting. I think ‘you‘ are the common thread…just don’t stop sharing here please!
It’s a real gift to have so many interests and talents, Emily! Go with what feels right in the moment as you never know where that journey will take you and what you will discover. Your only limitations are what you decide limits you. 😉 Plus, it keeps your life interesting!