from Ilha de Paqueta, in Rio de Janeiro
Today I write to ask for support from my community. After a few compounded unexpected financial losses in the past week, I am unable to meet my financial needs for October 1st, and am vulnerably and formally inviting you to support me by buying watercolor prints from my website, here.
I wasn’t planning on ending the month this way: In spite of it being a sparse summer season of work, I had been hired early in the month for a group drawing job, and had two clients that were signing off on large projects. But in the last week, each of these projects has unexpectedly fallen through, with my normal cancellation policy unable to be followed. I then had $200 stolen from my wallet, and visit to urgent care with an injured (but thankfully unbroken!) toe that was only partially covered by my insurance.
I can see how even people around me to ask this of is one of the many things I can be grateful for. And I have so much beyond that: I’m grateful for how affordable (and beautiful!) my home and studio spaces are. I’ve enjoyed how my toe has slowed me back to walking the pace of a Brasilian, how I’m taking time to eat with my housemates and see more fully the world around me. A vast and kind human being has come into my life, Evan, and I feel so blessed that even if just for a few weeks, I have been gifted the spaciousness, joy and vulnerability of a great love. I have the creative, humor and deep listening filled friendships and accountability partnerships with my studiomate Ian and soul friend, Mariam. I have the wisdom and support of my coaching community to look at what I need to do next. I have received a short term loan from my housemate and fellow entrepreneur, Dan.
And, even more fundamentally, I am grateful to have within me thefaithfilled-practice of many, many years of artistry to create such drawings to share - I am most proud of this set of drawings, as anything I have ever made. I am grateful for the privilege to be called to contribute the work of my hands and voice to create beauty to a world that desperately needs it.
Thank you for reading this, for seeing what you see in me, and being a part of my path to thrive as an entrepren-artist, a community member, and a creator of beauty.
You can buy prints, here: http://www.melanieidachopko.com/objects/brasil-waterpost-prints
Love,
Melanie