My name is Mandalin, and I am obsessed with birdcages, painting things gold and making things with my hands. Aside from a one night stand with Political Science, I have always known that my life path will lead me to being a professional artist of some kind... but how? I dropped out of Middle Tennessee State University in July 2009 and started working full time as a server in Fort Myers, Florida.
From food service to freelance professional is a journey from possible to probable. Now, a year and a half later, I'm sitting in my studio at Dream Your Ink tattoo shop with my best friend Kelly Londot. We met at the Bubble, a restaurant we both worked at when I first moved to Florida. Kelly gave me my first tattoo when she was still working out of her spare room at home.
Kelly just celebrated her one year anniversary as a professional tattoo artist at Dream Your Ink, and is about to unveil her first solo show of oil paintings. In November 2010, I won the People's Choice Award from the Sydney Burne & Davis Center for the Arts for my installation 'Curious Life', and 4 days ago I sold 'Curious Mind' the second piece of the series.
We are Imminent Artists, striking out into the wilderness of the world with portfolios and business cards. People say being a freelance artist is one of the toughest careers to break into, much less succeed in... Well, I know its easy to do what I want and damn, I want it bad.
Confucius said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so Kelly and I have decided to document our steps in hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter how improbable they appear.
So for tonight, I bid farewell to the crickets of cyberspace... cuz I have a commission to finish and a proposal to write. I'll tell you about it when I'm done. ;)
XOXO
Mandalin (Kelly says Hi)
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