NOMO FOMO!

I've picked probably the worst time to have major changes in my life. Spring is the prime time for all art events and shows around here. I can't participate in any of them, and my FOMO is intense! If you don't know, FOMO is the fear of missing out. Typically you'll hear "FOMO" used in relation to looking at others' social media, which I've experienced, but now, I've got FOMO in a very real way since life is keeping me from applying as an art vendor or participant in the array of art events this spring.

A sketch from my #mentalselfportraits for the #100daysproject on Instagram.

Applying to be an art vendor and participating in shows are a gamble. Booth fees and applications often cost a sizable chunk of cash, and the amount of extra work and time it takes to get ready for these events have their own costs. As artists we hope to make our booth fees back from what we sell, then, hopefully, our overall costs, and maybe a profit, too, to carry us through the leaner months.

Amazing artists, Gustav CarlsonBrenna Collins, Elizabeth Sharp, and myself hawking our wares.

That's a lot of work for something that might not pay off, so what am I so scared of missing out on? For starters, I fear I'm missing out on a lot of opportunities that I might not get for another year--making work connections, broadening my client and fan base, and finding out what artwork of mine works and doesn't work. I worry that the few who know me will forget about me if I'm not there because I want people to think of me first when they have a project in mind. Most of all, I'm scared of missing out on getting paid for all of the merchandise I've created.

Check out my online shop for postcards, prints, and more!

What I'm not thinking about are the things I might miss out on if I wasn't going through upheaval in my life. All of that stuff is unknown, and... this is suspiciously starting to look like I have control issues--the known versus the unknown. Focusing on how I have to spend the next few months missing out on known opportunities belittles any of the unforeseen good things coming up in my life. Hopefully, better artwork comes from the private, more challenging moments in an artist's life, and, well, I'd hate to miss out on that.

Image taken from Giphy.

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