Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Disclaimer: This months blog post will be more of a personal nature than advice being catered to illustrators. So I apologize if that's not your speed. Dealing with being overworked affects all of us in our lives eventually one way or another, so if you feel similar at times, this might be for you after all.

As I'm writing this, it has been more than week since Prente 2024 came an went. I can honestly say that I feel tremendous pride seeing so many people (artists and visitors a like) having such a good time at an event that Delphine Vandierendonck and I manage to organize with just the two of us. I want to say thank you for all the artists who came out and participated, all the visitors that came from all over Belgium, the weather gods smiling kindly on us and an extra special thanks for our photographer Axel Coppens and the volunteers that help with set up and running the bar. I'll add in a few pictures of Prente to the blog post, but if you want to see more, you can check on the Prente socials .

While the release of the pictures of Prente 2024 rings in a definite end to the event, I have been trying to relax. I say trying as it feels like very much a work in progress. I mean, right now even as I'm writing this blog, I am technically working. The grind never seems to screech to a hold even when I have been telling myself for months that I need to slow down a bit. Not to long ago even I was at risk of burning out while trying to juggle a full time project while also attending multiple fairs almost every weekend and organizing Prente.

For the first time ever I actually considered that I was in fact, doing too much. I had a hard time taking care of myself (i.e. cooking healthy meals, getting enough hard time managing the upkeep of my house, taking carsleep and exercise, ...) while doing my job. Weird how it never occurred to me that I had slowly turned into a workaholic to a point where work consumed about 90% of my day. It has gotten so bad that I started forgetting things: plans I had made with friends or family, meetings I had to attend, putting down my parking card while out running errands (I just got my first ever parking ticket in the mail today. That's 40 euros I will never get back. But I feel like the universe was telling me something haha).

Time to rest!

Looking a bit more disheveled and tired than usual. Laying the last few pieces of the Moomin Puzzle I have been working on.

So I put my brain to the task, to do as little as possible and just relax. I could sleep in, have nice food, relax with my cat and play video games. In the first few days none of that happened. Instead, I woke up super early the next day and went for a brisk walk, thinking about new projects I could do. When I got home I just walked around the house aimlessly, feeling empty and anxious. As the days went by however I managed to take my mind of work a little bit with making a 'Moomin' jigsaw puzzle, went to do some bouldering and playing some 'Professor Layton' on my old Nintendo 3DS.

Yet I couldn't stop myself for booking my hotel and train for next events, doing my taxes, sorting out my studio, researching a new secret project and taking product pictures for my Etsy store. When I write it all down, it doesn't seem I did much relaxing.

This made me realize two things: I probably need to go back in therapy, since it's not normal I experience anxiety when relaxing and I need to look for a proper outlet for my mind and body that isn't work related. This last one is particularly hard as a creative since you can make anything be related to (creative) work. Every new hobby I pick up, a lightbulb gets sparked and I start to wonder if I can incorporate it into my work somehow. Even when I was making that jigsaw puzzle I was thinking I could design one and sell it.

While the days have been trudging on, the little bug whispering in my ear to work work work finally moved out and I managed a full two days of not even thinking about work. Lately I have been engrossed in playing Super Meat Boy with my partner trying to get all the steam achievements. For the hardcore gamers amongst us, you know!

Unexpected stressors are never far away when you try to relax

Eventually some unexpected stressors propped their heads up though, putting my body back in high alert when I noticed my cat feeling a bit ill again.

Ophelia in her little medical suit enjoying the sun

Little side note: A few months ago she had this spot on her leg that she kept licking and scratching at. It took 10 weeks to heal. Since she could still reach her leg while wearing a medical cone, I spend many evenings sewing several variations of little medical suits. This was in the hopes the spot would have enough time to dry up and heal. After 8! different versions I managed to put her in an altered upside down baby onesie. (See the picture for maximum cuteness.) Cute but she hates it.

Anyway, the spot turned up again so sadly, back in the suit she went. At times she still manages to get out of it, which makes for many sleepless nights which hasn't been great for me trying to relax. I hope since I caught it early this time, it won't be such an ordeal like months ago.

Little sparks of joys at the end of a long tunnel

Having a bit of time to myself has given me more room to think about new exciting things coming up though. As much as it's been a struggle, I also realize that taking breaks will be good for me, my body but also for my creativity and work.

Thinking to the weeks ahead, I have a few cute things lined up. I have my birthday in 2 weeks. I'm turning 32 and while I used to not like celebrating my birthday, I want to ring in a new tradition where I practice gratitude for my body for managing to stay alive for another year. In a world that feels so scary lately, it's not something I take for granted anymore.

To celebrate my body I'm planning to take up swimming soon. I want to get more physically active. After my herniated disc a few years ago, I have been scared to get myself out there and potentially hurting myself again. Like I mentioned earlier, I been trying out bouldering. Still don't know if it's my thing though. I'm not a fan of heights so swimming seems like the safer option.

I'll also be starting my new ceramics class in September. I'll be keeping you guys up to date on how that goes as lately it does seem like a very trendy thing to do amongst illustrators. And I'm planning to be exploring more riso printing ahead. So all fun things that I approach with an air of "Alles mag, niets moet!"

And on that very Dutch note I leave you to enjoy the last few days of summer.

Catch you on the flip side,
C.

Relaxing is hard!

September sadness

Why you too should consider running your own fair