Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
if there is something
– f.e. marie (@f.e.marie)
(anything)
that ignites the fire within you,
please, hold onto it.
hold onto it
and let it set
you free.
About two weeks ago, I woke up to an Instagram notification on my art account, @herglassroom. Of course, I thought it would be a meme from my best friend or a quirky reply to a moody IG story I had posted the day before, because let’s be real – those make up for 97% of the notifications on my phone. I was on my way to work when I learned that I had been invited to an artist showcase in Toronto. For a solid minute, I couldn’t breathe. And for the next ten, I was in shock. I didn’t know how to react. Is this a scam? Who are you and how did you find me?!
I took a sip of my coffee, a bite out of my pineapple bun, and probably a solid hour to recuperate. I read the message again and again, just to take it all in. I was invited to a showcase in Toronto by RAW: natural born artists, an international arts organization whose mission is “to serve independent artists with tools, resources, education and exposure needed to thrive and succeed in their creative careers.” That sounded… perfect for me.
After checking out their website and reading (and rereading) their information packages, I emailed back. I was eager to learn what RAW was about, and as a new (and shy) artist, I was excited to see what would happen next. Could this be… my next big move?
A couple emails later, a phone call was set up to discuss the showcase and my role as an artist. I was nervous to even talk to the team because… well, self-doubt started creeping up on me. – What if I’m not good enough? What if they hate my work… or my personality? There’s going to be so many incredible artists there, who are you to even attend? – I shut those thoughts out of my head and told myself to take things one step at time. The call was two days away… worry about that later. The next step is to share the news of this showcase with the one who matters the most: my mom.
My mom is my best friend. When we’re apart, we call all the time just to catch up. She supports me in everything I do, and I love her so much for her patience and kindness. Although her approval and encouragement means the world to me, I never told her about my artistic endeavours. I didn’t think she would understand.
When I started Her Glassroom in 2017, she didn’t think much of it, but she was supportive. She learned that I liked to write, particularly about personal growth. She asked me why I liked sharing my sorrows with the world; I answered that it helped me heal, and that I was hoping it could help others too.
She follows my Facebook page and reads most (if not all) of the things I write on my blog. But she often misses the point, or wants me to explain further. I love that she’s trying to understand, but who wants to explain their misery to their mother?
I’ve been writing poetry for a couple years now, and I’ve shared a couple on @herglassroom. I always tell people that I love poetry because, like any art form, you can say so much with so little. As someone who loves to use words, I like that in ~10 words, I can tell a whole story, and then it’s all open to interpretation. Stringing those 10 words together can mean one thing to me, and a totally different thing in the hands of a reader.
If my mother wondered about my sorrows in a lengthy blog post, how curious would she be after a vague and emotional poem, coupled with a moody photograph? I didn’t want my family to worry, so I never shared my work with them.
But being invited to an artist showcase was a big deal, at least to me, and I wanted them to be a part of that. I decided to tell my mom that night, about my journey with writing, about Her Glassroom as an creative outlet, and about the showcase in Toronto. She listened, but I don’t think she understood the raw emotion in my work, since she grew up in a different culture – one where you don’t broadcast your struggles. Nonetheless, she told me that I had her full support, and that if I wanted to do this showcase, they would be there for me.
A couple of phone calls, emails, and anxious nights later, I decided to do it.
On Wednesday, August 14, I will be a part of RAW:TORONTO PRESENTS ARISE, and I am still in shock. I like to think that I’m pretty courageous for putting my heart on a silver platter for the world to see, but when it comes down to it, I get super shy and nervous when putting myself out there.
Every night since the confirmation of this event, I’ve been scrambling, tossing and turning trying to think of how I want to present my art and my heart to the world. I am incredibly excited for the showcase, but I am also more nervous than ever – not only because I have never done something like this before, but also because this will be the first time my parents see my creative side.
I hope you will come support Her Glassroom at RAW:TORONTO, on August 14 at the Mod Club in Toronto.
If you are interested in coming, click here for tickets. You’ll get to see the works of many brilliant artists with talents in visual art, music, fashion, film, photography, performance art, hair and makeup, and accessories, all for the price of one ticket.
Thank you for being with me on this creative journey, and I can’t wait for what’s next!
Her Glassroom 