We all say about a billion inane things that don’t really matter in the course of a day.

There’s grocery list additions, refereeing your kids, quiet muttering to yourself when they don’t listen, idle threats.

Endless requests for certain members in your house to put on pants.

Stupid jokes.

But every now and then, if you listen really carefully to yourself, you’ll hear something come out that is nothing short of life changing.

Small Talk and My A-Ha Moment

Last October, when Phil was on fall break from school, I took the kids to The Sandbox up in Hilton Head for a day of messing around with their play areas and mountains of art and craft supplies. Later in the afternoon, as we were winding down before the long drive home, I was upstairs helping my kids glue some jewels onto a piece of construction paper. I chatted happily with my kids, and soon enough started small talking with another mom.

At one point, she asked what I do. And I have zero clue why I answered the way I did… Up until that exact point, I had developed myself into a nice little hodge podge. Web designer, graphic designer, illustrator, small business consultant, professional jackass… I normally told folks I ran Hearts and Laserbeams, which provided web design and other services to small businesses.

When I opened my mouth, “I am an illustrator” came out.

It wasn’t a lie. But from that moment on, it started becoming more of the truth.

I haven’t gotten any flat out upset responses to my telling people I’m not taking any new web design projects so I can focus on my one true love (outside of my husband). But I’ve gotten a lot of surprised reactions. A lot along the lines of I had no idea this was something you were into.

The truth is, when I left my day job behind to be able to work at home with Phil, it was scary. I still needed to pull a full paycheck, how could I make it happen? I hustled hard. I took every possible gig I could. When a potential client asked if I could build her a WordPress site, I said yes and figured it out later. (It wasn’t a stretch – I had a strong html/css background and I’m really good at google.) Five years later, almost all of my work was WordPress based web design.

And it’s not that I hate web design. I don’t.

But my degree is in hand drawn animation.

I’ve got almost ten years of experience as an in house artist for apparel companies like OshKosh BGosh and Mighty Fine tees under my belt.

All I’ve ever wanted to do with my life is draw.

Once I admitted what I really wanted to be doing, it all started falling into place.

The next month, Make Art that Sells had a really good sale on the full set of classes. Since I started the MATS classes last Thanksgiving, I’ve traded in hours of sleep for hours of art making.

A few months ago, I let my clients know that I was taking a new path, and that while I was more than happy to be their go to artist, I’d be unavailable for new web design projects.

I landed with an awesome illustration agent that’s been helping me navigate rebranding so we can start bringing more projects in.

Josh has been amazingly supportive in what’s basically been starting my business over from scratch to focus on the work that makes me happy.

Somehow, the bills are still paid.

This is some of the strongest work I’ve ever done in my life, and I’m the happiest I’ve been in ages.

Because I am an illustrator.