I've been posting about it on Instagram for what feels like forever.... In fact, my wife and I have been talking about moving for about a year now. After Graduate School, we thought we wanted to set down roots for a good while, settle into a community, find a home. We migrated a little ways north from where we'd been living for 2 years in Boston (I did my Master's degree at Tufts University) to New Hampshire, where I'm originally from & where my wife and I went to college. We've stayed here for almost 2 years.
But it's time for these little birdies to spread their wings again and move on.
Ok, that image was a little much, even for me. But, it's true; we are finally moving. There was a lot of hemming and hawing over how we wanted to go about doing it, and where exactly we wanted to go. Plans have a way of shifting; life has a way of pushing you in directions you never EVER thought it would, or even possibly could! So, my wife is quitting her abusive, horrible job that she h a t e s, is finishing up her masters degree full-time, and we are moving to the rural town outside of Pittsburgh where her family lives so we can afford to make that happen. It's going to be a big shift from the life we've gotten used to, but I'm excited for all the new possibilities.
As I was scribbling in my business journal (yes, I have one of those...), 'I have big goals for this year, and I'm framing this move as a facilitator of those goals!'
Anyways, I am excited, stressed, anxious and READY to get started on this next stage. This move does come just a couple weeks into my 100 Day Project, which I have taken a mini break from but will resume on May 2nd. I'll still be taking submissions for the project however, so if you're a queer woman/femme and would like the chance to be illustrated you can still email your photos to calliegarp @ gmail.com :)
Although I have submitted all my paperwork to the Pennsylvania Department of State to legally relocate my business, I don't know exactly how long it's going to take for everything to be approved and processed. That, of course, is a source of anxiety 'cause this bitch better pay the bills, you know?! So, I'm crossing my fingers, holding my breath and WILLING this transition to go smoothly.
In the meantime I will keep my Redbubble shop open. If you haven't checked out Redbubble before, it's a direct print company that lets artists upload their artwork, select what items it can be printed on, and set prices for a fair margin. If you've ever wanted to get my art on a King-sized duvet, for example, this is the place to go. There are also stickers, prints, tees and more normal-ish things to get there, too.
ALSO I will be taking commissions for portraits! I haven't squared away the details just yet, but if you've been enjoying the portraits for the 100 Days Of Queer Women & Femmes, and you'd fancy a portrait of yourself, you will be in luck!
We're ready. (Well ok there is a shit ton of packing and cleaning to do, but otherwise...) We're set. We're OFF!