First of all, take a deep breath and realize how close you are to reaching a goal that you began four years ago. Some people may disagree with me but I’m a firm believer in completing what you’ve started when you’re that close (and have invested a good chunk of time and money). If you were only a year or two into your studies, it might make sense to pull out but you’re almost there!

Maybe I’m a bit more traditional in my career views but here’s what I think: For now, being an architect will allow you the opportunity to earn a great living until you figure out your next move. If your goal is to be a fine artist, you don’t have to jump in with both feet first (remember, many artists aren’t solely artists for a living). Perhaps it makes sense to work full-time out of school and see if you even like architecture (who knows, you might fall in love with it once you’re doing it professionally!) And then, maybe you can set a goal of cutting back your hours to part-time within a specific time frame so that you have more time to dedicate to your art. Your decision doesn’t have to be all or nothing right away unless you’re fully comfortable with that prospect.

Your passion does not have to be the same as your career.

Consider this: Your passion or hobby doesn’t have to be the same as your job. Fine art is something many of us do as a creative outlet but it can take awhile to establish yourself and earn a great living as a fine artist. Tangling your passion with your profession can also be tricky. Once you’re creating art to make a living, the focus of your work may also start to shift. What happens if you have bills to pay and a commission comes along that you’re just not comfortable with? Do you take it or leave it? In that position, would you wish that you’d stuck it out with a steady paycheck a bit longer so that you could turn down certain opportunities that didn’t fit within your artistic vision or goals?

Do both.

Have you considered doing both architecture and fine art? Here’s the thing: It’s hard to make a great living right out of school as a fine artist. Yes, it’s possible! Yes, some people have all the charm and talent and make it look easy! But often, unless you’re an illustrator that’s willing to do commercial work or perhaps a painter that does commissions and murals, it can take some serious time and commitment to gain momentum (i.e. a distinct style, solo shows, steady clients and representation). Do you have a plan in place to support yourself in the meantime?

I, too, wanted to be a fine artist. I ended up going to school for design because like you, I felt it was more practical than art. Art was a huge passion of mine but I found a happy medium by becoming a designer which provided a much steadier income and then came home from work and set aside a few hours each night to work on my series. I had a solo show at the first agency I worked at and later, my collages were used on a line of snowboard goggles and helmets! Working as a designer actually helped me open up more doors for creating fine art. Architecture may do the same for you in very unexpected ways.

If fine art is for you, make a plan.

Be smart about your decision. Do you even need another degree to be an artist? Do you have a specific style and medium established? Is your work only accessible through a gallery or do you offer a format and style that would do well on a site like Etsy? Do you have social media set up to promote your artwork? Making a clear plan of what you hope to accomplish will make the transition into fine art as a career a lot less stressful. If you’re looking for more advice about a fine art career, I highly recommend reading Taking the Leap by Cay Lang. This book was recommended to me by another artist years ago and is full of practical advice on how to build a successful career, promote your work and put together contracts.

In Closing.

Remember, life doesn’t have to be about either / or. Fine art vs. architecture doesn’t have to be a black and white decision. If you do decide to use your degree to earn a living, you don’t have to continue down that path forever. How will you know if architecture isn’t right for you if you don’t try? You can always change your mind. Follow your gut. It’s always okay to make a change when something in our lives just doesn’t feel right.

Readers: What do you think? Have you been at this crossroads with your career before? How did you decide what to do next?

Remember last week how I shared the sentiment that everybody should like everybody with the accompanying Warhol print? Well, it seems that the über hip design and decor flash sale site Fab.com read my mind and is offering a gazillion affordable brightly colored prints from this same series! *Please note that Fab.com is membership only so you’ll have to join to view the sales.

I know that many of you weren’t able to make it to the opening of My Cross To Bear so I set aside a stack of oversized postcard flyers (5.5 x 8.5 inches) just for you. If you’d like one, all you have to do is send an email to art @ nubbytwiglet.com with Art Show Flyer as the subject line and your address in the body. EDIT: ALL GONE! Thanks for your support, everyone!

This offer is completely free, no strings attached! The first 50 respondents will receive a package in the mail in early 2012. Happy holidays!

My Cross To Bear opens tonight at Sequential Art Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Please stop by and join me from 6 to 10 pm!

Five years ago, I used to spend every night after work and school working on art. I was doing a few solo shows a year and art was my passion. But then, a week after graduation, I was hired full-time at an agency and my life became all about design. In the years that followed, I never had much of a break. Between freelancing at multiple agencies and working with a huge amount of personal clients, art was put on the back burner. Also, let’s be honest. We all need to earn a living and design, especially when you have constant work, pays much better (and more consistently) than art. The longer I put off making art, the harder it became to jump back into the process. That all changed when I set up a new show with Sequential Art Gallery; it was just the opportunity I needed to start creating again. When you have a deadline, there’s no procrastinating allowed. I knew it was time.

When you sit behind a computer for 10 hours a day designing for other people, stepping away and sitting on your floor with a pair of scissors, glue and a stack of scraps with no brief or precise goal, it’s incredibly therapeutic. Tonight, I’m super excited to meet some of you in person and to get back to sharing something that’s very personal and incredibly fulfilling: my new series, My Cross To Bear.

Below, you’ll find a list of available pieces from the collection. If you see anything of interest, please contact Sequential Art Gallery directly at sequentialart @ gmail.com. They’re based in Portland and can ship anywhere! Each piece is signed on the back and wired for hanging.

1.
Full Circle, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
18 x 18 inches

2.
Type A, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
18 x 18 inches

3 & 4.
My Cross To Bear and Drown, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
18 x 18 inches

5.
The Arch, 2011
Collage and resin on ceramic
9 x 9 inches

6.
Dark Truth, 2011
Collage and resin on ceramic
9 x 9 inches

7.
2, 2011
Collage and resin on ceramic
9 x 9 inches

8.
19, 2011
Collage and resin on ceramic
9 x 9 inches

9.
Well Heeled, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
7.5 x 13.5 inches

10.
After Dark, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
11 x 17 inches

11.
Black Beauty, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
8 x 11 inches

12.
B, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
11 x 8 inches

13.
10, 2011
Collage and resin on wood
17 x 11 inches

Artist Statement

My Cross To Bear is a collection of 14 all new collage-based art pieces by Portland-based graphic designer and internet personality, Nubby Twiglet. After a three year hiatus from art, Nubby’s return is most notably marked by an abundance of black and white pieces which feature motifs bearing her trademark graphic style.

A visual continuation of the acclaimed 2007 series Black & White Graphic Insight, My Cross to Bear presents a more refined artistic direction, featuring typographic elements seamlessly woven with fashion magazine mash-ups. These themes are often merged with self-portraits to create a modern collage style that walks a fine line between graphic design and fine art.

On the surface, My Cross To Bear is an homage to the symbolism of the red cross which often plays a starring role in Nubby’s design work. On a deeper level, it also delves into the transformation that takes place when a shift from obscurity to notoriety begins to take hold. With much of our lives now splashed across digital mediums without a second thought, the line between what we consider our private and public selves is consistently blurred. In this evolving social landscape, nothing is considered sacred. This is our cross to bear.

Each piece of art is a Nubbytwiglet.com original and will be available exclusively at Sequential Art Gallery in Portland, Oregon beginning December 1, 2011.

My Cross To Bear:
Sequential Art Gallery, Portland, OR

Opening Party:
First Thursday — December 1, 2011, 6 to 10 PM

Show runs from December 1st through December 29th.

A very special thanks goes out to Joey for custom building my large red crosses and being there during every step of the process.

19 is the fourth and final ceramic red cross in the My Cross To Bear series. As with the others, this piece features collage coated with a layer of epoxy resin.The show launches on Thursday and I’ll have a full listing of available pieces here at that time.

Type A is part of the My Cross To Bear series which opens at Sequential Art Gallery this Thursday, December 1st in Portland (full details here). Like the rest of my pieces, it features a layer of collage that’s sealed in resin. These 18 x 18 inch red crosses (which were custom-built by Joey) are my favorite pieces in the show; in the future, I hope to turn them into a full series.

Most of my extended Thanksgiving weekend was spent wrapping up art details so the print portfolio post will be shared next week instead. In the meantime, I’m off to start a new adventure today and also getting very excited for Thursday.

My Cross To Bear is a collection of 14 all new collage-based art pieces by Portland-based graphic designer and internet personality, Nubby Twiglet. After a three year hiatus from art, Nubby’s return is most notably marked by an abundance of black and white pieces which feature motifs bearing her trademark graphic style.

A visual continuation of the acclaimed 2007 series Black & White Graphic Insight, My Cross to Bear presents a more refined artistic direction, featuring typographic elements seamlessly woven with fashion magazine mash-ups. These themes are often merged with self-portraits to create a modern collage style that walks a fine line between graphic design and fine art.

On the surface, My Cross To Bear is an homage to the symbolism of the red cross which often plays a starring role in Nubby’s design work. On a deeper level, it also delves into the transformation that takes place when a shift from obscurity to notoriety begins to take hold. With much of our lives now splashed across digital mediums without a second thought, the line between what we consider our private and public selves is consistently blurred. In this evolving social landscape, nothing is considered sacred. This is our cross to bear.

Each piece of art is a Nubbytwiglet.com original and will be available exclusively at Sequential Art Gallery in Portland, Oregon beginning December 1, 2011.

In addition to the art series, t-shirts and screen printed posters from my archives will be available for sale. And, if that’s not enough to entice you, free stickers and postcards just might! For everyone outside of Portland, I will be compiling a post of all available pieces before the show with the gallery contact information. I’ll also be mailing special edition jumbo show cards to those of you that are interested; watch for an upcoming post in the next few weeks.

My Cross To Bear:
Sequential Art Gallery, Portland, OR

Opening Party:
First Thursday — December 1, 2011, 6 to 10 PM

Show runs from December 1st through December 29th.

Today, I have two more pieces from the My Cross To Bear series to introduce to you. Both, as with my other larger pieces, are collage on wood and coated in epoxy resin.

My Cross To Bear is the signature piece of the series and will also be making an appearance on the front of the show flyer.

Drown features the shoes that have made multiple appearances in my branding as well as this blog’s header.

More details about the show will follow soon!

2 is the third ceramic red cross in the My Cross To Bear series. This, along with a handful of new pieces feature neon yellow accents. I love how this color adds a modern edge to the stark back and white compositions. The three pieces below are composed on wood and also feature a layer of epoxy resin.

I also just finished two larger pieces that I hope to share later this week. Thanks for joining me on this fun new journey!

Full Circle is the third piece in the My Cross To Bear series which launches at Sequential Art Gallery in December. Though I shared a progress shot last month, today I want to show the finished piece; this is the first cross that I’ve ever done in this size! Measuring 18 x 18 inches, it’s custom-built out of wood (thanks to Joey’s handiwork) and features a collage-covered surface that is sealed with a layer of epoxy resin.

Thanks for tuning in as this series progresses! And thank you for all of the recent questions submitted to the Ask Nubby column — I’ve been very busy making new art and redoing my web portfolio but I wanted to let you know that read each and every one and hope to have some time to begin answering a fresh batch very soon.