Doing what makes you happy

Ok, now I think I might be sick, it's only from nerves though! I have just about made a pretty important decision in my life. I don't think I am going to continue my education at least not now and at least not in the graphic design field. Come to think of it when I attended The University of the Arts a billion years ago, in my freshman year the only class I didn't enjoy was graphic design. It really isn't my bag and although this experience has been a rather costly mistake it's probably better to cut my losses now. Going another year and a half would be another $12000.00 plus books and stuff. And I could be doing what is in my heart. 

So I bit the bullet, I listed my first painting on Etsy and and think I'm gonna puke. No but seriously, my friends have told me to do what makes you happy. What makes me happy is art. I am going to look up local galleries and see if any of them have any special events for new unknown artists. I should see if there is anyway I can get a grant of some sort. I could take a class at University of the Arts for around $500. The class is about 3 months and would further postpone the student loan people jumping on my back. I have also been looking into getting grants in order to start my own business (that being selling paintings). Just since making that decision I feel like  a huge weight had been lifted, I feel so much lighter and happier. I guess doing what makes you happy really is the way to go. Just the way that I feel should tell me that it is the right decision.

Now for the obstacle. In order to make a go of this wonderful dream I have, I have to have faith and believe in myself. Plenty of other people have taken the "not so popular" path and done well.  Maybe the world does think that you'll be nothing without a college degree, I have to believe that they are wrong. Any classes that I take should teach me how to paint or draw better not do something with computers that I have no desire to do.

So...as I'm sure you can see, I am still convincing myself that this is the right thing to do. 

In regards to the painting above, it was inspired by a philosophy class I took a while back. This is my idea of Heaven. You can see the sun and the earth from there. In the center if what used to be the Garden of Eden is the Tree of Life which is now a Wisteria tree rather than an Apple tree. If you look closely though you can still see the apple on the ground with two bites taken. I plan to do a follow up to this piece that will be Hell.  The scene will be of the same place but the tree will be dead and rotting, the apple will have a worm and the there will be fire.