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Afterwards - original art by Andy McNally
The Earth was saved shortly afterward.

I’m not good at asking for help, but one of my yoga teachers once said that  if you need a hug(or anything) then you need to ask for it.  People will not know that you need something if you don’t simply mention or ask for it first.  So here it goes,  I’m struggling through no one’s fault other than my own.  I’m not asking for charity, but I am asking for leads, work, and passing my name on to someone you know.  If you could use graphic design, web design, or training then great. Contact me and we will get started.  If you know of someone who needs one of these services, then please let them know about me.  If you like my artwork and want to be a patron of the arts, that would be great as well.

Why am I asking?  I don’t want to get to personal, and everyone is facing tough economic challenges right now.  A quick summary is that I bought a house in-between Nashville and Memphis, in the country.  My youngest daughter moved in with me.  I want to be here for her in a new town and place, and work from home.  I thought I could make a comfortable living, not extravagant, by selling my artwork and doing some consulting.  My primary consulting client, a former employer, basically stopped returning my calls.  They wanted to find someone cheaper, and chose to ignore a 10 year working relationship.  I’m sure everyone out there has a similar story.  The one thing I know is that it is temporary for all of us.  I will make a living from my art, and the economy will get better.

So I’m asking everyone for help, but what am I going to give back?  I’m going to kick off a series of online tutorials about setting up and creating Etsy and Zazzle shops, selling items on eBay and any other resource for artists and craft lovers out there.  Many of these tutorials will be aimed at beginners, but hopefully there will be some information in there for everyone else.  I want to show others how to make money selling their artwork or crafts, and to follow their passion.

Now the online stores are pretty obvious, but eBay honestly may not be the best place to sell your creative endeavors.  Ebay is, however, a great place to get rid of some of the clutter in your home and studio.  One of the things that has helped me stretch my funds over the years, is by selling things that I did not want or need.  Why not get rid of some of the things that you don’t really need?  How bad do you want to live life on your own terms?  How much does making a living from your artwork matter to you?  Good.  The stack of DVDs, those old comics collecting dust, and anything else that is not essential can be turned into money to buy art supplies, food, or pay bills.  Now you get the picture.  If you want to take living with less to the next level, I recommend checking out Minimal Lifestyle blogs like RowdyKittens.com by Tammy Strobel, and FarBeyondtheStars.com by Everett Bogue.  They will give you the insight and tips you need to live a life to the fullest with less clutter.

I mentioned change in the title.  I did ask for help and I could sure use some.  I do not however want to be insulted or lower the opportunities of other people in my field.  Employers and employees need to both take action.  Employers need to stop trying to hire professional  artists, graphic designer, web designers, and coders for peanuts.  If you contact me with a job for $7 an hour to design your graphic, website, or whatever, I’m going to turn you down.  Yes, I could use the money, and that is what you are praying on, but I will not lessen my profession or harm others abilities to get work in the process.  Designers out there who take these jobs are hurting all of us.  By accepting sub-standard pay, it makes it difficult for everyone to get paid.  It is a downward spiral.  I know some of you will adamantly disagree with me, and that is fine.  Demand to be paid what you are worth.  Explain the values of working with someone who knows what they are doing.  If the employer or client does not listen, say thank you.  It may hurt to turn down money, but it will hurt you more in the long run.

I also mentioned that no one would notice in the title.  Sadly, this may be true.  Many studies show that Twitter users only notice about 1/3 of all tweets or take any action.  Most people will read this post, if they have even made it this far, and maybe silently agree, but take no action.  I’m not asking you to change the world, but wouldn’t be fantastic if we did.  Know that it would mean a great deal to me, if you reTweeted this post, liked it on Facebook, mentioned it in your blog, or told a friend.  If nothing else please stay tuned in the weeks ahead as I show you how to set up your own shops and make money from your art, creativity, or passion.  I’m not saying you will get rich, but it is possible to make extra money and even your income from following your passion and doing something you love.  The world would be a much better and brighter place if we were all free to do something we love.

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PS. The illustration is my entry for this week’s IllustrationFriday.com theme “afterwards.”

4 Replies to “Help, Suggestion for Change, & Why no one will notice”

  1. I like your illustration, reminds me of an older version of my son, I tried to share your post on Twitter, but it came out all wacky, so then I went back and said hey, go visit Andy’s blog (sorry, but I only have 8 followers, but a couple of them are professional illustrators).

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