2020 Vision

Well I remember last year, I wrote a blog titled 'The last year of this decade' talking about the changes, which are due to take place because of technology and the job market which will be facing a massive shake up. Then this year happened, 2020 what a year this has been.

Unless you have been living in on Mars this year, you will have been affected by of Coronavirus or COVID-19 (a new illness that can affect lungs and airways) in some way. The virus has affected everyone over the world killing millions, many have lost their income and we are still all in a state of confusion and shock.

Last year I was actually ready to give up my dream of being successful within the art industry because to be honest, I had lost the original spark that I once had. It felt draining to me so I was going to convert into what "society" deems and normal. I got myself a job in the city and packed up art for good. Then 2020 arrived, It seemed like a normal year but there was growing fear and anxiety in the air. My work involved interacting with customers everyday and the fear of this new disease affecting the way people interacted with each other. However blind to the impact , I refused to accept it and I was sure it was a passing fade.

Corona was not going anywhere, by mid March my supervisor calls me up to tell me that I have to stay at home. "we will let you know when you can come back" were her last words.

Panic sets in, this was supposed to be my year, I am thinking. All those years of being a rogue ninja and finally I returned back to the working environment and this happens.

Instead of watching the news I painted, when we went through some hard time I painted and just stuck to it. I was forced back to doing what I originally was doing all those years ago. Tony Robbins an American author once said (and I hope I am paraphrasing it correctly) When you are in times of trouble you will resort back to the person you are originally. I resorted right back to art because although I tried to deny it, an artist is really who I am.

I have been furloughed for months now, every month I get ready to be called back at any moment, but nobody has called to date. All I have is my art - Is this a sign?

I have fallen back in love with creativity again, but I am also aware that the times we are living in is very unpredictable and uncertain. The Job market has changed dramatically over the passed 4 months, its difficult to say if things will go back to any form of what we called normality.

We all have changed so much, our consumer behaviour patterns have changed, we shop online like never before, small jobs are almost obsolete because of technology and jobs which needed an office can now take place in your home a with zoom meeting are the most normal interaction that we have.

But what does this mean for the creative?

I know there are a lot of opportunity for creatives online, online spaces have opened up and people are participate, noticing and buying for the tech savvy creative. We have a lot of scope develop new things and showcase our talent to not only locals, but international markets as well. In a away we are even more connected then before as we can speak to people all over the world, listen to anything we want and learn from just about anyone.

2020 did not turn out as I expected, however it has been a great learning year for me and for many others.

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