Make Pretend Collection: Little Max, Still A King

[original post December 31, 2021] Make Pretend Collection: Little Max, Still A King. Oil on panel 12x9”. After Where The Wild Things Are, M. Sendak.

👑I want you to know: There is a fairytale left in all of us. Believe that good things can still happen in spite of… everything.

Sometimes we just need to see a happy ending. Even if it isn’t our own.
When we see people facing their fears, triumphing over adversity and succeed, we feel lifted. It inspires us to think: “If they can do it, why can’t I?”

I hope you don't let
anybody tell you you can’t,
or to not be afraid. It's okay to be afraid
because you can't be brave or courageous
without fear.
The idea of being courageous is that
even though you're scared, you just do
the right thing anyway.
As an art world outsider without any formal training, I was elated getting invited to have my work in a gallery. I ignored so many red flags and warnings from those around me. I just didn’t know better. Until I did. Until so many things went awry I cannot even speak on them without crying.
So in November, I walked away from the first gallery to show my work after learning some incredibly hard lessons. The following week, I got picked up by not one but two amazing galleries and just invited into two more.
So here I am, enrolled in
this journey : I will show my work but I will tell people when I was wrong.
I will be just as eager to give away
credit when I was right -
because if I do those two things
relentlessly
I’ll get more chances to do it again.

I’m not always going to be right, I’m not always going to land on my feet.
But when I’m wrong,
I’m still in the game.
And here’s the thing with games:
You can lose, and you still get to play again tomorrow.
This moment is the time to do the work that matters.
No one wants to get hustled, but all of us want to make something better.

Tell your stories.
Do the best work you possibly can while you’re here to do so.
Here’s to another year in the game.