Thank you for scanning the code!

Unfortunately, this may not be what you’re hoping to read.

Usually, artists do these shows in hopes of selling the art, they do little price tags and everything. Sometimes a bit about the piece, sometimes just a price tag.

All that work, boiled down to a single tag with one number on it. All that work neatly monetized.

Must be nice.

I’ve been trying to do that for a while now, “the make the art, then price the art, then sell the art”, way of business and I’ve got to tell you, I’m really no good at it. I’m good at the “make the art” part, and then that’s about it.

But here’s the thing, I make the art because I have to, I don’t really have a choice. It’s not something I get to decide to spend time doing. Without these pieces, I would have lost my mind a long while ago. You see, I’m sick. Not the contagious type, but the “it’s gonna be a awhile before I feel like I’m not sick anymore” kinda sick. And I’ve been sick since I can remember, no feeling of going back to before I was sick. I’ve only just learned that I’ve been sick most of my life, childhood abuse can be tricky like that; you can feel this deep anger at being treated so poorly, but the guilt that can come with it can weigh so much and you just can’t tell anyone. Somehow you think you deserve it and it’s yours to bear.

Here’s the thing. It’s not.

It’s not this great burden and you’re the martyr, you’re a human and feelings are meant to be felt, not locked inside.

So, find a way to let them out, and don’t let the annoying part of making it convenient for someone to own the art keep you from making the art…

but that being said, I’m sorry to say I don’t believe any of the art is currently for sale.

I sold a few pieces, and I miss them dearly, so I’m not sure I can let any of these ones go yet.

Please understand, this art, it’s not just a small part of my life, this is my life. Each piece is a small self-portrait, each piece holds something dear that I’m too afraid to talk about yet. These pieces are my therapy, and the idea of boiling them down to a number so someone else can have them, well that’s just down right terrifying.

If you absolutely must have one of these, email me a bid and I’ll think about it.

When making offers please remember, these are hand-stitched taking anywhere from 50-100 estimated hours to complete, they are one-of-a-kind, and they are well done (if I may toot my own horn). A well-trained professional artist should make about 25$ an hour, minimum.

If you’re still here kudos.

If you’re interested, here are two resources that have helped confuse me on this topic:

Hi Ren is a moving video that does a painfully accurate depiction of mental illness and some of it’s struggles.

Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins is a work of art. Deals with all kinds of topics, but one is, does an artist have a choice, do we get to pick art or are we fated to be artists forevermore?

Be good.

Be kind.

Be well.

Love,

Sam