Life Update 9th April '24

Hey everyone 👋 This blog has been dead, I know! 🫣 My artist side got so busy last year, it didn't know what to do with itself. It has been resting. Ish! Why? Well here's a breakdown of the basics that's been happening with me:

■ Sometime in 2022, in midst of the quake of a shaky UK economy, I decided to try and change careers, from freelance artist to art or design teacher. I got a part-time job as an After School Club Assistant in September '22 at a primary school - the experience had its pros and cons, but enough pros to give me the sign of "okay, maybe I could survive teaching, let's try!". (I'll tell the full story properly another time!)

■ I started volunteering as a Child Mentor for charity The Kids Network in February '23 (to build towards teacher training experience mostly - more to come on this later!)

■ Started an online GCSE Maths course in March '23 (you need this to become a teacher in the UK. I got an E back when I was a teenager!)

■ Organised my first solo art exhibition 'Who We Really AR', in August '23 at Deptford's no format Gallery | More info: https://voxie.art/Who-We-Really-AR/

■ Finished my Master's degree in Illustration in August '23 (and travelled to Cyprus for 10 days for a friend's wedding, then submitted the remainder of the MA essay abroad! 😵 Thank gosh for the Internet!! Was pleasantly rewarded by Limassol's gorgeous beach straight afterwards, so couldn't complain!!^^ Instagram reel to share that climactic moment here - the tired, lackluster scrawl of words makes more sense to me now lol >< : https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cwld1pPonT0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)

■ Started a new full time job as a secondary school Teaching Assistant in September '23

■ Was the first artist to have work on display at Deptford's Filipino-Columbian restaurant Kilig! This happened between September-November '23 - Instagram video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyMuY-Kq1On/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

■ Went to Paris for the premiere of the first short animated film I worked on in 2021, Salmo! More info here: https://voxie.art/Salmo/

■ Had a surprise second solo exhibition of 'Who We Really AR' set-up in November '23 at the London Illustration Fair at OXO Tower Wharf!! | Video on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Gxj3fKeIa/?igsh=MTZzbW9ibWFneGN5OQ==

■ Failed my GCSE Maths exams in November '23...

■ Was burnt out by December '23!! 🫠

■ Now revising to retake GCSE Maths exams in May/June '24

■ And just last week in April '24, started a Design & Technology SKE (subject knowledge enhancement) course to go towards teacher training

■ Also still working at current Teaching Assistant role 'til the end of Summer Term, before starting the PGCE teacher training in Sept/Oct - assuming I pass Maths...

(And that's just my work and art life, I won't bother going into the personal bits for now, as that's a whole 'nother story/future graphic novel lol!!)

Plans for the rest of 2024 & Social media links: Due to studies, I'll likely disappear (online) again for a while soon, but as I try to balance my work/rest/play better, I hope to update more later in the year. (BTW I actually streamed via PC last night randomly for the first time in a year or so. Hugging random plushies on Guild Wars, of course... 😌😂 https://www.twitch.tv/voxieart/v/2114781331 )

If you're a gamer or want to watch me draw live, follow me on Twitch, where it's announced whenever I'm streaming either habit. Maybe squealing at plushies again (you've been warned lol) 😬🫣😂

Regardless of online updates, I really hope I get to make some art this summer, before my teacher training starts in September/October. 🫠 

Most active social media hubs, in order of priority - Please follow & say hi if you see me! 👇

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voxieart (the more professional social!)
• Twitch: https://twitch.tv/voxieart (the more personal social, if you like random chit-chat!) 
• X: https://twitter.com/voxieart (Major updates & artsy random thoughts only. Newer account - more followers appreciated! 🙏 Alternatively, my less artsy, more inane ramblings can be found on my original Twitter.)

E-newsletter & Future merch: A reminder that I have an e-newsletter that goes out whenever I release new art or merch! So please sign up here if you'd like to hear about those! Alternatively, you can favourite my Etsy shop instead to receive email updates.

And lastly, thank YOU guys again for your ongoing support in even being here or being a follower that appreciates any of my work, no matter how irregular or sporadic my updates are. I can't wait to get back in the flow of things as my teacher training completes. I have so many stories in me bursting, waiting to be told and made, and I really can't wait for the moment when I can finally share them with you all. So thanks so much for all your appreciation and patience with me so far!! 🙏💛✨️

Anyway. Bye for now! 💛 I have a dragon named Maths to go and slay... 😤⚔️🐲💸🧮

~Vox.

[This post is an expanded version of the original post on my Discord server's Announcements channel on 9th April '24]