I woke up with thoughts again—wild realizations and dreams of experiences yet to come. It’s funny how fast 30 years can go by, yet how long it feels at the same time. Just 100 years ago, I might have had a house and four kids by this age. Despite this, the inner child in me remains, just in a different way. I can feel my priorities shifting. I'm becoming more determined to trust my creative abilities to figure things out. Recently, I've realized that almost everything is “figureoutable.”
This realization leads me to my photo show and why I decided to do it. I wanted to bring my community together and promote my work, but in hindsight, I see that I also did it to prove to myself that I could overcome this challenge with little help.
From the inception of the idea to the date of the opening, I had only three weeks. That left me with very little time to curate my photos, edit everything, assess my budget, decide how to hang the pieces, find sponsors, set prices for prints, and figure out how to deliver the prints to customers. The list of details you have to consider when having a show is seemingly endless.
One of the most challenging aspects was hanging the prints on the walls without frames and without damaging the prints. Faced with this challenge and just a few hours left to hang the images, I figured out how to make a template using plastic and a Sharpie to know where to place the nails in the wall for each print size. I used nails and magnets to hold the images up without puncturing the paper.
These challenges were the most rewarding part of the entire process of having a photo show, more so than people seeing the work. It was a bit of medicine for my self-esteem at a time when I needed it most. Overcoming these self-imposed challenges reminded me of the strength and creativity I have within me.
Now, I ask myself, what other obstacles can I put in front of me that I can use my creativity to overcome? There is immense satisfaction in facing challenges head-on and finding ways to overcome them. What challenges can you impose on yourself and face with determination?
