Studio Notes - Hope Outdoor Gallery
This week in the studio I brought my paintings to Hope Outdoor Gallery in Austin, TX.
It was my first art market. I had a couple sleepless nights through the week. Tossing and turning as I struggled to turn my brain off.
Thoughts like these were racing:
What would it look like?
What would people say?
Will everyone be able to tell I don’t know what I’m doing?
My brain kept buffering, looping, and running scenarios.
In fact, it was okay. I did do it. I sweat and worked so extremely hard.
I found this showing to be a crash course, the valuable experience of trial by fire.
I sold one painting. Enough for me to cover my vendor fee. Sometimes enough is enough and that’s okay too. In fact my booth was positioned in front of a mural that read:
“NEED LESS GIVE MORE”
What a beautiful message to take away. I left wondering, how can I give more to my community?
My studio notes are a bit delayed this week as I struggle to find my footing during this transition period. I’m in this exciting phase of my life where there’s so much tension between my current reality and the vision I have for my future.
One piece at a time, things are falling into place. However, there’s resistance as I continue to evolve into a version of myself that I and others haven’t met yet.
I’m working hard to give grace as I discover what she’s like. How she moves, her boundaries and capacity.
I loved showing my art at Hope Outdoor Gallery. One of my favorite parts was seeing my friends show up for me. I felt loved, considered and cherished.
I’m riding a high as I head into my 26th year of life. Opportunities feel bottomless. My heart is full of gratitude.
I have had huge resistence to write this entry. Some weeks are like that.
They don’t feel deeply inspired and profound. Sometimes they feel stretched thin. I find the strength to continue to document though as I find consistency is the key to building trust during this process.
My perfectionist side dies a little bit as I hit “publish” knowing this isn’t my best work I’ve ever written. Afterall, does every piece need to be exceptional?
This week in the studio I proved to myself once again that I can do hard things. And that I am surrounded by beautiful souls, cheering me on along the way.
My car still isn’t unpacked, and I have no idea when it will be.
With uncertainty about the future,
Sierra Koch
8-15-26