Pause & a respite

After weeks upon weeks of just getting pummeled upon with an ungodly amounts of storyboard work, I finally manage to squeeze out a split second to catch my breath. Not only are some of my students graduating in a few hours, but I'm also off to attend a graduation over the weekend as well.

I've been at school most of the evening helping my grads hang their senior shows. While I'm dismayed at their procrastination, I completely understand their reluctance as well. As they hang their show, it's their last obligation to the school. It signals a new unknown chapter of their lives. A few will go off to graduate school whereas the rest will slowly meander out into society and try to make something of their degrees. Some have already found success, some are interviewing, some will take some time to find their niche and I'm sure some will get disillusioned and not go into the Illustration field at all. I wish them all well. I sincerely hope each and everyone of them finds some measure of satisfaction in their lives. And for their brief time in college, I hope they had as much fun as I did when I was there as well.

I hope that I was somehow testimony to them that it can be done. And as hard as I work, I also take the time to kick back from time to time and enjoy life as well. I hope that maybe a few of them will be brave enough to take the eight weeks off to go explore; I've lectured endlessly on this point as it was my only regret after leaving college. For some of these people they've been in the academic cycle for over 17 years (come next Fall when they don't have to go back to school for them will be strange indeed). Most of them have struggled to a certain degree and have reaped the rewards of their hard work.

As I get ready to catch my breath for a split second (and do the meet & greet with their families), I hope that my students will take a chance to catch their breaths and reflect upon their accomplishments as well. As a visual artist, the journey never ends- but it never hurts to slow down, step back just to see what you've accomplished.