TAMARA ARMSTRONG
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • SHOP
    • Women of Colour
    • Plant Love Originals & Custom Canvas Prints
    • Prints & Postcards
    • Gift Vouchers
  • MURALS
  • FAQs
  • PRESS
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
  • Women of Colour
  • My Friend Can Create

MFCP Headquarters is a real thing!

10/6/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
Well we are just about halfway through 2014 and I have almost caught my breath! 
The first few months of this year saw me taking up residency in the 'slow lane' with pregnancy making itself well and truly known to all of my usual energy reserves. I certainly cannot say that those 9 months were blissful or that I am a fan of being pregnant, BUT yes it was all worthwhile and we happily welcomed our first child in March. I can honestly say that once she was here my energy levels, motivation and MOJO came right on back. Sleep deprivation aside!

After taking 6 months off from my full time job of high school teaching early last year, I was energised, inspired and determined to make the most of my precious 'me' time. I had my home studio set up in the third bedroom of our little Mountain abode and my 'to do' list looked a little like this:

1. Give back to OTHERS 
Declared my head to be shaved and in doing so raised $10,600 for the Leukaemia Foundation along with proceeds from organising the Group Exhibition and main EMPOWERMENT event.

2. Give back to MYSELF 
After shaving said head and committing to mammoth fundraising efforts, by April I found myself feeling like an unfit 90 year old woman. I could barely walk from hip and back pain, I was constantly needing more and more sleep, suffering from migraines, emotional melt downs, panic attacks and just running completely on empty. I had every blood test under the sun only to find out there was nothing out of the ordinary and so my Dr suspected Fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease (that may have hit my nervous system after contracting Ross River Fever 6 years ago) with no known treatment or cure. GREAT! I had promised myself that I would put my health first during this time off and so I looked to my diet. I Quit Sugar at the start of May...as an experiment. By July my pain gradually disappeared, my energy levels soared, my mind cleared, I lost 12kg and I 'fell' pregnant.

3. Stay motivated 
I came up with monthly challenges such as 'Birds of May', 'MAKE-DO-BE' month to create new work each and every day. Happy to say I didn't skip a single day and in doing so my ideas grew bigger and my confidence did as well.

4. Get my website PIMPED 
CHECK....successfully happened thanks to the genius vision by Pixelle Graphic Design. 

5. Have another solo exhibition 
CHECK...Feature exhibition 'Insight' at D'Bar Gallery, Coolangatta in May.

6. Get my MAKE DO BE illustrations published
Did not happen! Despite looking into a few options for publishing, it is still on the back burner.

7. Get my Art Studio designed and built
Did not happen! Boo hoo.

There were many other small and large  goals I had set for myself and some were achieved while others are...well...still waiting to happen! 

I was annoyed at myself for not making them all happen, and most upset with myself for letting my dream Art Studio slip to the end of the long growing list. I had been saving my pennies for so long to make this goal come to life and yet I just couldn't quite get it to happen. I ran out of time and I temporarily had my MOJO  shelved. I reminded myself I was after all growing a life...but I just don't like to sit idle, waiting and this wasn't good enough. I worried that having a baby would mean that I could no longer chase my dreams. What a stupid thought. By having this thought though, I was even more determined to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

So when life was about to change (dramatically) with this little one's arrival, I put everything else on hold and focussed on getting this studio here...preferably before she did. This all happened thanks to my Husband Matt. I do think he knew his life would greatly improve as well if he kept his moody, pregnant wife happy. So he took on the role of Project Manager...and he did it like a BOSS!

So my Dream Art Studio is here! There are a few small finishes to be added before I dust off the champagne glasses  and send out the Grand Opening invites...but it is ACTUALLY a real physical thing.

Here are some progress pics of the MFCP headquarters and its journey so far.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment
    Picture

    Tamara's word

    'Make Do Be' is a place to share my latest ideas, thoughts, works and ventures. My work is contemporary, original and affordable. I can create work for budgets ranging from $100 to $10,000.

    Picture

    Category

    All
    Birds Of May
    Challenges
    Exhibitions
    Inspiration
    Instagram
    Love Life
    No Rules
    Shave For A Cure
    Teaching
    Thankyou
    Visual Art

    Archives

    June 2020
    May 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    July 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    June 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    RSS Feed


​© Tamara Armstrong  |  Website by Pixelle Graphic Design 
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • SHOP
    • Women of Colour
    • Plant Love Originals & Custom Canvas Prints
    • Prints & Postcards
    • Gift Vouchers
  • MURALS
  • FAQs
  • PRESS
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
  • Women of Colour
  • My Friend Can Create