September was a month of hectic, in both personal and work life.
In my personal life, I experienced some ups and downs -- some hurt feelings here, some getting horribly taken advantage of by a mechanic there, some awesome people helping me move most of my stuff into my new apartment over somewhere else. I'm currently waiting for the Verizon guy to come give me internet, hoping he can find the place and has no problem getting here and installing my internet and everything works like it should. This is the first time I've ever done all this stuff on my own and it is a little frightening.
Work is also frightening and exhilarating and stressful right now. A couple weeks ago I got pulled onto a high-profile project-- something my company was working with a client to develop has certain seasonal and regional relevance and the local news has decided to do a story on the project and the various stages of development. This meant that the company wanted something a little more than the simple, to-the-point packaging, something that would look a little flashier on TV, and decided to put me to work on making something snazzy. It was exciting and thrilling doing stuff like actually speak to other people involved with the project and bounce ideas off each other, and of course, to know that what I designed would be seen by the public (oh, and terrifying. Did I mention terrifying?), but there were also the expected stressful aspects. For example, after spending one afternoon designing packaging, the next morning it was decided that we would build a Point of Purchase display instead, and that I needed to come up with all new designs for that. Then there is the woefully underpowered computer I use at work...I was seeing red when my boss yelled at me for not being finished yet at the end of last week, when Illustrator crashed on me each time I tried to work with the necessarily very large files. (On Monday I gave up and just did it all on my laptop.)
That, of course, was just the first stage design, though. I didn't hear anything for a few days, and this past Wednesday the president of the company called my boss and I into a meeting to discuss rebranding for the blanket line that this product would be under, and the direction in which we will go. He sent me off to spend the rest of the day doing sketches (the style he is looking at is retro pulp art, so, FUN!) and then, an hour before we went home on Thursday, nabbed us for a few more minutes, discussed what he wanted and asked me to have a completed illustration ready by the end of the day Tuesday. So, no pressure.
This is, as mentioned, stressful. This is also exciting. I'm getting to do illustration (and a really fun style at that!). I'm getting to work on something that will be available for public consumption, rather than something that is just going to be seen internally at companies to give a potential product verisimilitude. I'm doing work for the advertising agency that works WITH my company, so who knows what contacts and/or opportunities I might acquire?
Secondarily, this weekend, I am finally getting the chance to meet with the company for whom I did the Irish Festival illustration. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a future project that they would like me to illustrate, which is very cool. I'm slightly concerned, as, when we first spoke, back in June or July, the idea was to have this project completed in time for Christmas...as it is now one day short of October, however, I'm not confident that I actually would be able to complete the required illustration by then. I am hoping that they will be flexible with their timetable. However, I WILL be getting one of the mugs on which my illustration for the Irish Festival was printed, about which I am VERY happy. (I will post a photo when I get it.)
Thirdly, I was contacted the other day by a previous classmate from AiP who wanted to know if I was interested in joining him and a few other people in an art show they were putting on. I eagerly replied in the affirmative, and later learned when reading the email he sent with the full information, that the show is intended to display art created only after learning of the show. He did offer me leeway, considering that I found out rather late, but I want at least a couple new pieces to display. And, I'm in the process of moving. So, I intend to get everything into some rough semblance of order in my apartment, then paint like a fiend (oh yes, I decided I want to work with traditional media as well, because I'm nuts) and get a couple new pieces done in time for the opening on Oct. 28. We'll see how that goes. I haven't painted in ages.
And then, there is of course, my personal work. I have a piece I'm currently working on with a sexy Aztec priestess lounging in a sexy, uncomfortable position on the steps of a temple ('cause I'm deep that way) and I desperately need to do something autumny, and something Hallowe'eny -- Plus I promised my mom LAST Christmas to make Christmas cards for her...I need more hours. I need a way to cut out sleep and retain sanity and brain matter.