One Day At A Time....
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Every day, I am trying to keep it together...
But, each day I am also waiting for a letter to come in the mail saying my electric will be shut off, for a past due amount of $400, and a current amount of around $200....
Each day I am also reminded I have a storage unit that is 4 months behind...
Each day I send out an email hoping someone doesn't choose to ignore and then just unsubscribe to not deal with me anymore.
Each day I hope for someone to just hear me, see me, maybe take a chance on me, tell their friends about me...
Each day I make social media posts on Instagram and Threads, I created a Garage Sale event to repeat every Sunday online, to hopefully help promote my art a bit more...but barely get 2 likes on my posts, unless I bother everyone and send them a message. No one sees my SM posts, like I am shadowbanned from my political art posts. And, it's just been a shit show since the FB buyout 10 years ago. Hence why so many of us are not making the sales or being seen.
I update my website, I try to come up with an email to send folks that hopefully make them enjoy it rather that annoyed by it...
Each and every day I am hustling, but feeling I am reaching no one.
This is my livelihood, and I would be lying to say I am not crying right now as I type this.
Pulling Up My Big Girl Panties & Getting Down To the Facts:
- Have I given up? No, but hounding my CRO-ME's, the 2 friends I do have, and anyone else - is not my idea of "being an artist", or a successful one, at that!
- Do I want to move? Absolutely fkn not. I am SO exhausted, my back is absolutely in pain every day I wake up and go to bed. But, I cannot force people to buy art, to care, or to share my art with folks who might. Ya'all didn't sign up for that either, I am just thankful for the ones that didn't turn their back on me - thank you. It really does matter.
- I only have 20 subscribers now. I had 60. I also unsubscribed many that were just not at all engaging, because there's no point in sending to email accounts that are either invalid, blocked, or whatever the case may be. This means, my reach is very centralized right now - so I am constantly seeking to add to my audience - who truly wants to see my work be sold, so that I don't have to keep living this way.
- I REALLY NEED An audience that is cheering for me, not turning their back on me or waiting for the cheapest deals - when I am already at my lowest. Original priced art would definitely help me not struggle, and I wouldn't need to sell as much art if I just sold 2-5 originals at regular asking price. Is it partially my fault for lowering my prices? Welp, what else are you supposed to do when my audience won't buy at the asking price? (Seek alternative audiences)
- I get times are tough, trust me. I am the spokesmodel. So, I sincerely THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to ANYONE who is still here, who is still reading this - who has shared, sent me what they could, even if they shouldn't have with funds being low of their own! Like, some of you are such good people and I hope that I can create something amazing for you to make up for everything you have done for me. Thank you is an understatement.
Exhale
Right now, I need to generate enough funds for electric and rent to keep it on for at least the next few months until I move out.
This month, I will need $1600 to pay rent, electric, phone/wifi and past due storage unit. That leaves me zero for any miscallaneous items, like gas for the truck, or groceries.. I hope to have some sales from the Garage Sale I posted publicly as an event on FB. So, I have been trying many angles.
If you are able to purchase ANY artwork, and have had your eye on something, or reached checkout and there was some error of any kind - please reach out to me!
I cannot stress how important I need your support right now - and how much I really really want to clean out my CROME closet of artwork just sitting in bins to protect them. They need good homes <3
Exit Plan:
Welp, if/when we obtain rent this month, and hopefully electric/h20 (can't have that shut off) I hope to give my landlord a 30 day notice when handing her the rent on the 24th.
I also received a phone call from NM Legal Counsel and I now have an attorney. I will be calling them back today. Why? Because when Sherry said she was going to come back and ask me to vacate because I refused to pay their illegal $10/day fees, I wasn't sure what to expect and filled out an application instantly. I have heard way too many HORRIBLE stories of how they have treated their tenants. So, I knew this day would come.
I meet with the land owner where my tinyCROME is at in a few days, he knows my situation here, but I don't believe he knows what I am going to propose to him...
He has 38 acres, but only 5 acres are easily accessible, and most is by foot, there are no city maintained roads, so the dirt road is maintained by him, and his 2 neighbors within a 2-4 miles distance.
My plan is:
He has this open field, but the only thing separating is a dried up river bed, however there is this road that forks off to go to his neighbors - but - his neighbor's dogs run up that lil hill from the forked road every day into that field- which tells me I could easily create a road to simply lead up to that field - and get my tiny home out of site and off the main road.
The location it was lead to random hunters calling it in to report it. Yep, that's why the construction had to stop. All because some ass hat didn't want to see that there - and they don't even live there. Sigh. Some people just love to see other's hurt & struggle.
HOW?
I met a pretty amazing creative and their partner, and he has a guy that has a 16 ft trailer that I could borrow. SO, I would hitch that to my truck, and then we would somehow ratchet it and pull together to haul into trailer. I wanted to get some jacks, but I DID make sure to create and have it on a platform to make it more easier to slide off onto something, rather that lift and pull. LIke, it's 44" off the ground. But, unsure of the weight..heh.
THEN?
Continue construction hopefully without any interruptions, heh. We shall see.
Extended Plan?
I would like to see if Property Owner would be up for me being a part owner of the land, since I helped form MANY areas of it that are still there today from 2019....the firepit and land I cleared to live on....I did all of that, and he uses it every day.
I have a lot I could offer, and we could do a lot of work together as opposed to just him; plus his car is not doing well, and I could help get water for us. Ya never know, he may need me as much as I need him right now. It could work, maybe it was all meant to happen this way - I don't know. I am literally just trying to come up with a way to keep going without living in my truck with 3 dogs in 90 degree temps at 6800 altitude with lil precipitation....
Offgrid location is a bit better as far as climate and higher chances of rain.
SO...there are a lot of details to work out in a short amount of time, there is a lot to pack, to clean, and to sort through. And then, once I get there - it's back to square fkn one. I will need to clear an area of land to put the camp site and I hope to also make a shaded area for it.
I have made a wish list in hopes I can raise the money next month to purchase these items.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wish
Found a tent that would work with a pop up canopy tent frame! Genius! Spacious, and my back will be grateful for being able to stand UP! :D
Again, this is all a plan - we shall see how this month goes - and hopefully I can have a few sales maybe sprinkled with a few donations.
Thank you for reading, thank you for caring, thank you.
CROME