This photograph from Adam Razvi appeared in my inbox yesterday. It’s one of the most honest photos of me I think I’ve ever seen. For once I don’t mind looking my age… bloody hell life is hard sometimes and yet you just keep on going, always hopeful. I can certainly empathize with so many friends struggling right now, life has a nasty way of throwing up surprises. It will all be alright in the end (fingers crossed).
Thank you to Emma Gannon, author of the Multi Hyphen Method for enabling me to feel proud for having so many aspects to my working life and understanding that it’s ok for work and personal life to merge. Until recently I felt apologetic for not being clear about my career, thinking I was indecisive for not picking one aspect. I’ve come to understand that success for me is providing for myself & my daughter. Unfortunately this is never guaranteed on the road I’ve taken, but then is any job guaranteed? I can still remember the 1st of January of 2000, the day I was no longer in full time employment … I was so scared and living off as little as I could from Dalston market. I soon realised that I had to keep the faith. If I believed work would come then it often did. Somehow here I am 20 years later still getting by. To this day I am living off the adrenaline of not knowing how I will pay the bills and yet somehow I always do. Rather than feel like an achiever I often think I’ve winged it, rarely patting myself on the back. No doubt family and friends have been a major asset bringing work opportunities and digging me out when things go wrong. Always forward focused, believing my next illustration will be the best yet.
These are my current projects not in any particular order :
*Artist
*Maker of woven wall art (holding in this photo) – every._.cloud
*Creator & illustrator for ‘Cherie did this’
*Freelance illustrator / graphic designer.
*Fitness instructor
*Mother
There is no neat ending to this blog post without delving further. I want to keep it light and provide a little insight. Interested to hear your stories of self employment or if you’re tempted to take the plunge.
Cherie Jerrard 