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So many lovely colours being used in book 2 of Faye’s Stories from Story City. #kidslit #childrensillustrator #jezhawk

Heal the soil, heal the soul.

This lovely project has been keeping me very busy for the last 6 months! My first #ChildrensBook with the wonderful author Natalie Faye. You can find out all about it here: fayesfaeriestories.com (Website also by me!) 🧚🏼‍♀️ #kidslit #kidslitart #jezhawk

It’s been such a long journey to get to this point. After she broke her back right leg in April I wasn’t sure if I would see her run so freely again - but here we are. What a journey! #saluki #sighthound

One of the things I remember saying when I was thinking about leaping was "I don't want to regret at the end of my life (whenever that may be) not having at least tried to pursue my dreams." I know for sure, no matter what happens, I will have zero regrets.

I don't have any regrets that 10 years ago I took one of the biggest leaps of my life and pursued my dreams.

10 years on, I'm learning to not freak out when the creative flame seems to grow dim, I've learned that it's ok to take time off and time out, to just putter around the garden, or swing in the hammock even as the bank balance dwindles.

Remembering the amazing gifts it brings, the amazing collaborations and connections I've made as a result of this creative power that is inherent with me (and within all of us).

Being self-employed is one thing, being a self-employed artist - one which most people hold the narrative of "You will starve" - has not been easy. But every time I've thought of packing it in and doing something different I've pulled myself from the brink.

But this time I at least seemed to schedule a 2 week break for my mind-melting - what am I even doing - biannual breakdown.

It has not been easy at all, these last few years have been especially gnarly. When I called my sister the other day and said I was having an existential crisis - she said "Right on time! You have one every 6 month's y'know!" 🤯

I watched my work get inhaled by the AI machines and watched numerous clients turn to AI generated art instead of paying artists for their creations.

I got my business through the energy crisis when the Ukraine war started, and then the tariff mayhem when the orange man decided to stomp all over the economy.

I managed to get my business through the covid years when so many in "safe" jobs were getting fired. With the support of my family I managed to buy my first home and get off the rent wagon.

But somehow I made it work! I spent every last penny of my inheritance on investing in my business, I landed clients I never even dreamed of, worked with people all over the world and discovered an ability in me that had long since been forgotten.

I quit my successful job, left an amazing friend group I'd discovered in Canada, and leapt off the cliff into the unknown moving back to the UK, to an area I didn't know, which career-wise was known for being a bit of dead end - people retired here they didn't make a career here!

If I wasn't doing what I loved - then what the heck was I doing?

This year is the 10th year anniversary of me returning home to pursue my dream of being an artist for a living. Losing several members of my close family to cancer in close succession taught me to go for the things I wanted now, not further down the line. 🧵

It has been criminally underreported but Kelsey Pfendler has just rowed solo across the Pacific Ocean from the US coast to Hawaii in record time. A 2,400-mile unsupported journey in 43 days, 17 hours, and 55 minutes. Notably beating the Men’s record by 9 whole days.

Losing several members of my close family to cancer in close succession taught me to go for the things I wanted now, not further down the line. If I wasn't doing what I loved - then what the heck was I doing? 🧵