Trying Something New

Rusty Roost is my attempt to chronicle my time in Chicago spent making things and creating a home for myself, my boyfriend, our two cats, and our dog. We are a motley crew, all in a two bedroom apartment. Since moving to Chicago in 2009 from Oberlin, Ohio, I have been struggling to figure out how to continue making the things that made me so happy in school. It's easy to lose touch with one's creativity when it doesn't seem like a viable lifestyle, especially when entering the "real world" in the middle of a recession. I've been living "on the fringes of the economy" (to quote my dad), holding jobs in restaurants or nannying. Recently my position with the family I nannied for ended, and I took it as a sign that it's time for some real change and if I'm going to do this art stuff, I have to stop screwing around and get down to it. I didn't come to this conclusion all on my own though, without the support and encouragement of my family and close friends I doubt I would be writing this now. So here goes, I am embracing my unemployment and will be spending time every day experimenting, making, getting frustrated, sticking with it, having fun, and getting dirty. Wish me luck, and thanks for reading!