Diary Entry 256. "Pouncing" ( 2:2 with Erika Lalita)

[00:00:00] Hello diary listeners! Welcome back to our time with Erika Lalita. This week's second piece of her diary entry I am calling Pouncing. And you'll see why. I think it's a neat word and I think it has an allure and a mystery to it. But we break it down, we talk about it, and there's no malice. I will say no one gets pounced.

[00:00:29] So that I can dispel fears with. But I hope you all enjoy our second half with Erika Lalita of Sylph Art Studios. Welcome to The Apprenticeship Diaries where raw meets refined. Let's be real, we're still working on refining. What it took, what it takes, and the stories that are made. Join us as we learn from professionals about how their stories begin.

[00:00:59] Yeah, you have a very different, because they get darker and you have this harsh contrast. So, I'll mention that. But I love cracks. Oil spots will never be okay. But cracks don't bother me at all anymore. Because when you zoom out, it's hardly noticeable, number one.

[00:01:28] And number two, it adds an element of like, it looks like a Renaissance painting. It's cool. Yeah. But in direct answer to what you asked, the most challenging thing to me now is, and as the years progress, because I'm not getting younger, I just turned 39. So, I keep fit specifically so that I'm able to do what I do.

[00:01:57] But I do know there's a whole generation of artists that are retiring because their body can't handle it anymore. Their knees, their back, like they just, they're tapping out. Right. So, it's kind of a finite profession anyway in that regard. But for me, I've learned that I'm on the autism spectrum and I always have. Mm-hmm.

[00:02:22] And I'm now entering a period where my sensitivities from childhood are coming back, but they're like enhancing. And a lot of that is sensory for me. Mm-hmm. But also the, like I said, I like talking about what I do, but like Choktoberfest, tens of thousands of people are coming to this. It's wild. Yeah. You wouldn't know it.

[00:02:50] But by the time I'm finished on that Sunday, I can't go around and look at everyone's pieces without walking through like the center because you cannot move. It's just people. Yeah. And I can't do that. Right. So, I'm learning as the years go on that I get really dysregulated just from the overstimulation of the thing. I'm our, I, you, I'm also not good at taking breaks.

[00:03:17] Like when I get in the zone, I have to force myself to like remember to drink water. If I can go through lunch, I will not do lunch. I'll just like, I think I just learned through you that I'm on the autism spectrum. Yeah. I'm like, I'm like, I have to get it to a certain point before I take a break. And if I'm not there, I'll ignore all of my needs. Mm hmm. So by the time I'm done in a day, I have like a migraine.

[00:03:47] I have to do a bunch of self care just to get myself like geared up for the next day. Yeah. And then I'm usually pretty burnt out. So it's been really difficult with working. Yeah. When I come back from these trips, like I have to go right back into normal week. Yeah. And even though it's something I love to do, there's just a lot of activity that I'm exhausted

[00:04:16] and I really need an appropriate amount of rest time to kind of reset myself. Yeah. And some of these summers it's weekend, like July, it's every weekend. I'm flying this place. I'm going this way. So the one summer I was just like completely losing it out. I had to go outside and take breaks. I was working with people with disabilities. And I was just like, I can't be fully here for you.

[00:04:46] I need to like have some space. And it was affecting my work and people didn't understand. And it was just like, oh, not so good. So the biggest challenge now is to just really advocate for myself like what I need. Yeah. So while we, the chalk family, we only see each other when we're doing these festivals and it's for a season and then, and then that's it.

[00:05:07] And there's a lot of, I'll say self pressure for us to all hang out, to go do things, to kind of be in each other's company. And I was happy. Like, I love all of that. I was happy to do that the first few years, but these last couple of years I've had to just excuse myself, get my own hotel room. Like I'd have to request no roommates, please.

[00:05:36] I'd like you can dock my stipend, but I need my own room. I'm going to get a chocolate pie and I'm going to put on friends in the background and scroll on TikTok until I fall asleep because this is what I need. When you have a son too, like I'm laughing because I just take it out on my husband. Yeah. I just yell at him or like, I mean, he is definitely my child and my husband in one.

[00:06:05] Cause he has major ADD. I mean like, yeah, major, he is the test of all patients, but like everything you're saying 100%, like I love all these events. I will. I feel the same way. I am. So I know I'm an extroverted introvert. I know that I'm that way. I can, I can definitely turn it on. Like right now, like this is fine. Yeah. But I'm going to need tea and TV after this. Dude.

[00:06:34] That was me last night when you were like, I'm really sorry. I'm like, Oh, praise God. Yeah. Yeah. So I was like, I didn't know if I could get it together. That's been the biggest lesson is just now I know like rest is so important. Like it's really non-negotiable. I have to balance out the hustle with nothing. Well, and the travel sometimes compromises time zones too.

[00:07:00] So people don't really realize that, you know, even though it's a weekend, if you're missing a couple hours back, that is huge, man. That's true. Yeah. Huge. Yeah. That is true. I mean, that there's a reason why I think it's 25% of heart attack rates go up with daylight savings just for an hour that you never heard that. Yeah. And they decrease when you gain it back. Oh, interesting.

[00:07:28] It's very, was the meme that goes out. It's like some native American guy. He's like, of course, you know, of course they'd think that you could make a blanket longer by cutting off the top and then sewing it back on the bottom. You know, I love that. Oh my gosh. Well, yeah. And then flights, like even if it's a, when I go to Georgia, it's an hour and a half fly time, but you're there all day. Yeah.

[00:07:56] Well, I am because I like to be two hours early minimum just to spare any possible worry crap. Yeah, exactly. That's great. Um, so, but it sounds, it feels like an all day thing. Um, and then, and then the next day, yeah, you have to perform and it's like, okay, here we go. And then you have to do that again as an end cap to the whole thing. And now, um, yeah, back to life after that. Do you get it?

[00:08:25] Do you get any stops in your travels? Like, do they inquire a lot about your year? Like, is there any kind of hem hop? I know that we have like a lot of gear and a lot of weird stuff that they're like, what is this? And it was like, you mean like in between each other? Yeah. Like going through, um, security and stuff like that. Do you ever be like, what's this? Oh yeah. I didn't even think that for you guys, but of course, yes.

[00:08:53] Occasionally I'll say at this point more rarely, but yeah. So I'll have at least one stop for a season where they just have to go through because it's mysterious powder. And like people don't know what they're looking at. Um, but it always ends up being a really lovely exchange because they get to explain. I'm a chalk artist.

[00:09:23] I do this thing. They're like, what? That's a thing. I'm like, yeah, look what I do. And they're like, oh my gosh, it's amazing. Um, so it's, it's not a problem, but I always am prepared for that to happen. So I never check my chalks, um, unless, you know, room runs out and then I'm like, oh my gosh, please. Thousand dollars worth of slay. It's thousand dollars. Yes. Otherwise I I'm always, it's a carry on.

[00:09:52] It's my carry on is my chalks. Um, so I just make sure that I don't have anything other than the chalks in there. And it's like the kit is the kit. And, um, like I said, it's usually pretty easy. Um, that's good. Yeah. That's funny. Random powders. Yeah. Like they'll swipe with like their special, like padded thing and make sure there's residue here. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

[00:10:20] There was a comedian and he said, I get a lot of acid reflux and I found the only thing that helps me is baking soda. So I always carry like a little thing of baking soda with me. And he's like, you know where this is going. Oh my God. Yeah. He's gotten stopped before. And he's like, can I borrow that for a second? And of course they like go, yeah, sure. And he's, he's like, so my dad's a scientist. And if you notice if this was cocaine and he'd like dribbles it out, I wouldn't be doing this. Yeah.

[00:10:50] Right. And then he blows it. Yeah. It's really great. There is, there's a method for starting like mapping out your piece called pouncing, where it's basically perforations. Like you make your outline and then you have a spiked wheel and then, and it's on paper. So that's your template.

[00:11:18] And when you lay it on the ground, you rub chalk powder into it. And when you lift it up, you have your outline. Um, so I always use brown, like orangish brown when I do a pounce, but some people just use baby powder or chalk powder and same, same thing. That would be very fishy. I was going to ask about that. Cause the only thing that I would think to do would be a grid pattern and just grid it

[00:11:46] is my, um, even after all of these years, I've done both the pounce and the grid and grid is by far my favorite, but I have something new to try this year because I learned it from up. The future is here. The future is here. And it's really cool. I haven't even taken it out of the box yet.

[00:12:10] It was my big, um, uh, tax return investment for myself this year. It's a, a meta quest three virtual reality set. And if you get the contour app, um, you can fix a picture anywhere that you want. So it's going to be great for murals too. And everything. Um, and you can just do your outline. A mini projector. Yeah, exactly. Um, but all in here, um, change the opacity.

[00:12:40] So, um, you can see what you're actually working with. Whoa. Yeah. I'm excited. That's cool. That's going to shave off like two hours of time. Yeah. I think the reason why I like grid is because I am a little autistic. I just love solving puzzles. I'm like, Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, and again, it definitely is more of a challenge. Like I am going to feel like a cheat when I do this to be clear. To be clear.

[00:13:09] Because I have been a very, not that anyone cares, but I have been a stalwart traditionalist. Yeah. That's even the pouncing was like, I'm like, Oh, it's a little bit, but everybody for as long as there have been artists, they have been using these cheats, these tools to get the effects that they desire. And I feel like I'm at a point in my career, I've already proven myself.

[00:13:36] So if I can shave off some time, I'm gonna, cause I know I can do it the other way, but right. I probably am going to miss it for one reason. And one reason alone is that when you're doing the grid, I mean, I do a dot grid, so I don't like having firm lines because then you have to, what are you going to do? You have to get rid of them. So my brain works in a way where I'm able to connect it with just the dots. I don't think it works for everybody, but it works for me.

[00:14:05] But there's also an intuitive element that can go into that too. Um, so like, you might not get the most accurate effects, but it's part of the challenge. Right. Um, but it's also, it's very interesting to see, like, I always think that it's, uh, well, I'll picture that as my mother or, or the person that I'm working on.

[00:14:31] Like, um, I had, let's see, I've had a couple of pieces of people that are no longer on this plane. One of them was Hedy Lamarr, Hedy Lamarr. Sorry. Um, one of my favorite pieces I did. And as I'm mapping out her face with the grid thing, I, I sometimes it's just automatic. And I'm like, it looks like it could be here, but I'll go a little bit deeper somewhere. And I'll, I'll think that it's fun to think about that.

[00:15:01] Like there's a whisper or some kind of connection that's happening. That's guiding my hand in that moment. And I'm not going to be able to have that with the meta quest three. Correct. But, um, that's what it's called. The meta quest three. Wow. That's interesting. Um, very cool. I, I like, I like the exploration of that idea though, of, of the technology that's meeting your, your profession, even, um, that's really cool.

[00:15:29] I mean, you know, uh, I, I get you. I do. I actually just, um, reverted. I used to do all my work because I did watercolor, uh, tattoos in the beginning and I used to do them all longhand. And I have one of my friends who's an incredible tattoo artist. Now he's like world renowned. He makes me sick. He's awesome. He's so good. And he's like doing these whole legs that are like with multiple people and they're all good.

[00:15:59] They're all good. Yeah. Like you're like, I feel like embarrassed to go work with them now. I'm just like, am I good enough? Still like, but I know I'll only get better if I'm around him. But I remember one, one time I was doing one of my, my things and I'm up early in the morning to just do this watercolor because I'm pretty efficient too, but he was like, do you ever just like, I mean, isn't there enough like times that you could do watercolor that it would just, you could just fake it.

[00:16:28] And I was like, no, no, not with water, not with water. It does miraculous things. That's what makes it awesome. Just like you said, like my eye and the, and the immediacy of handling that, that material is so pure and so fun. And yeah, no, but for the past few years, they have these watercolor stamps that you can

[00:16:54] use and you can manipulate and you can cut up and do all these digital things with that that have really helped, um, expedite it. And they look, they look way people think about it. Yeah. Just recently I, I had a piece where she wanted a watercolor piece and it was of Ariel. So how many, how many times has Ariel been done? I mean, so I could take all the things that have been stamped and round and I was just like,

[00:17:22] you know what, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna do it. And I did, I did both and I, I did the raw mapping of it, but the things that I was like, yeah, I'm going to screw this up if I go on this and complete it right here and there. So I, I scanned it in and did the rest, but for the longest time they, it has been an expediting tool and it still is, but I don't want to take away from, you know, our eye, you know,

[00:17:50] like the, the rarity of what we see, what we bring to the medium. Yes. And, um, I also feel like in a world that's so saturated with things that, you know, like there's so much of it that you kind of have to go back to that eventually. Yeah. Um, when there's like AI, everything is just like, there's so much and it's like the only way I'm going to have something that's yours.

[00:18:15] I think that's a great point is that if everybody starts using the same thing, there's going to be a standard, it's going to be standardized and art is not meant to have that. No, no, no. I think that, uh, I really want to now like go onto a parking lot, just randomly to like a big oil slick stain and like start dropping oil on it and then fucking around. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:43] Like, cause I think I would like, if it were that for me, I would probably bring a thing of oil with me. Yeah. Just so I could put it in other places and use that as my way to like offset it. But I liked the idea that you said of like, just these challenges that you have of like what you're given and you have to work with it. Um, that's what makes it really fun. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:19:09] You'd still be with these, with this headset, you still be confronting all of those variables too. That's true. Yeah. And timeframes that it's just for the outline. I'm not, you know, rendering, you can have the most flawless outline in the world, but if you don't know how to render correctly within that space, it can look all sorts of sideways. So yeah. And if you don't have good color theory or any of that, you're, it's not, it's not going to look great. Um, I'm going to throw it out there.

[00:19:38] Um, I think it's called world's best portrait artists. It's on prime. I think. I know all about it. Yeah. Rico has been like obsessed. Yeah. Yeah. Do you watch it? I haven't watched it probably be because I'll just get really jealous. Um, that's what it does to me. Yeah. Yeah. He puts it on and I'm like, can we just not watch this? I know. Why can't I get on this show?

[00:20:07] Also, why are they so good? Also, why is Andy circus? Like the last person that they have to draw because I would literally die. And that could be me, but it's not me. Instead. I have to watch these people. No, I can't do that. Um, is it, do you know, is it part of the BP national portrait? I think so. Contest. So they just like made a show. Okay.

[00:20:35] So I've known about the BP award and have been, it's been bookmarked for years. Um, but here's the thing is that doing what I do and also managing life around that. I have no, I have all amend that. I have almost no original work because I'm always making it for other people.

[00:21:00] Like I, I make my income commissioned based and event based. So in my free and then in my free time, I need my rest. Yes. It's been really difficult. I have ideas. Yes. Um, but it just. It makes fun of me because I'll start them. And then he's like, what are you. Oh, I'm like, I don't know. I'm a nut.

[00:21:27] I have so many single pieces that were meant to be the start of a series, but they, they're they're not, they have nothing between them. They're on a canvas. His whole workout area is a bunch of unfinished pieces of mine. Mm hmm. Yeah. They don't look bad. They're not, they're possible as art, but they're not, but they're not BP portrait award ready. Yeah, exactly. Well, and that's the thing is it gives me a lot of stress.

[00:21:56] It's what I do already. It's like, yeah. Yeah. You have to be on. Yeah. Um, sometimes we don't want that. Well, yeah. And in our free time, most of the times I'm looking to be turned off. Exactly. I really want to watch like a story or like, I don't know anything else. Yeah. Really anything else. Something I don't have to be in control. Honestly, trash is great.

[00:22:25] Uh, you know, just like trash TV. Like what is this? What's your guilty pleasure trash show? And I'll give you mine. Oh man. They're not that bad. I mean, I, I'm not as bad as some, like, I like, I like, like the bank theory and things like that. Like they're not trash, you know, but they're just, they're not, they're not deep. They're fun. They're not cerebral. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:22:51] No, I don't go as trashy as like real housewives or Jersey shore or anything, but I've watched it. I guess I am not on the real housewives bandwagon, but I will say back in the day. And even sometimes still, I will, I will, I will go back to flavor of love. Yeah. Yeah. You know, which one I loved was the, um, the beat what it was. It was like a beast where it was a beast shading show and they would do this full makeup

[00:23:20] on. Yeah. They would date. What was it called? Something beast, you scary beast or you ugly beast or you something beast. But it was like, I don't know that. Dude. I thought you were talking about face off for a second, but no, no, that into the mix. No, this sounds wild. It's like trash relationship meets, meets like awesome face makeup where they make them look like, like a bird, like a full bird.

[00:23:50] And they got to go on dates together where one's a lion and one's a bird. You've got an element of creativity there, but flavor of love is pure trash. Like there's, there's no way around it. It's rotten and it's dirty and it's fantastic. Mm hmm. Yes. Yes. No, I've, I've definitely, I think before when I smoked a lot of pot, I could easily

[00:24:17] say it was a Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I mean, you've got to kill a lot of brain cells before you're like, Oh, I don't remember a thing of Aqua Teen Hunger Force other than I would smoke pot and watch it. It was the pot smokers jam. Yeah, it sure was. But no, that was, and I would draw while I was watching it. Oh, there you go. It's a good background show. That's what I'm saying. It's like, I need something that isn't. That's what he doesn't understand too.

[00:24:47] I was like, I want something I can listen to and occasionally look up at if it's a show like that, like a portrait show. Absolutely. You have to focus in. Yeah, I get you. I get you on that. He doesn't understand. He's like, this is so relaxing. I'm like for you. Yeah. I just, um, I just found a good kind of background show. Have you watched High Potential? It's current now. Okay. High Potential. I like it.

[00:25:16] The D from Always Sunny, Caitlin Olsen. She's the lead. Oh, that's awesome. And if you want to get into it, it's, it's a good one to like track because there are like puzzles that she's figuring out. But if you want to just zone out and have it kind of be there too, it's awesome. I find it delightful. Very cool. It kind of reminds me of, I like the new elementary. Elementary. Um, was pretty good. Oh yeah.

[00:25:46] Abbott Elementary. It was, um, no, I don't, the whole, the thing was just called elementary. That was the name. And it was Lucy Liu as Watson. It was like a new modern spin on Sherlock Holmes. Oh, I know what you're talking about. Yeah. Yeah. That one was pretty cool because it was like solving puzzles, crime, whatever. Yeah. High potential. Okay. I will check that out. Is it on? What is it on? I think it's ABC. I'm watching it. It's on Hulu. Okay.

[00:26:15] I'm going to see if I can get to it. I don't have Hulu, but I'm going to see if there's other ways. That sounds good. Yeah. That sounds really good. Yeah. Oh man. So, um, what, what other commissions do you do? I I'm sure there's other things that you also do. So I actually started self art studios, um, doing pet portraits, um, acrylic portraits. So I still, I don't like doing those anymore.

[00:26:45] I have. What's your, okay. What's your least favorite about them? Cause I've found that I love them, but what I don't like is the deadlines. Yes. I don't, um, I'm currently doing a commission that is a landscape and it's big, but I have the best client in the world because there's no deadline. And I'm like, okay, I'm starting this. And this is back in January. I'm like, I think I can have it done this weekend.

[00:27:15] And here we are in March. And I'm like, so I think I can have it done this week. So deadlines. Definitely. Um, no, pet portraits are fine and they're sweet, but they're not. Mine. Yeah. I think is why. And. I don't know. I see it more as like a chore to get through when I have like an assignment like that. Yeah.

[00:27:40] Um, if it's a memorial piece and I know that even that little switch puts a little, it infuses a little more purpose for me, but otherwise it's just, it's not a subject I would do on my own. It's, it's not, it's not challenging for me. Like it's really just something to get through to get the meat, some means. Um, and it's, it's kind of a little bit soulless. So I'll, I do them though.

[00:28:08] Still, I'll do them for friends only these days. Like it's very much that, but. Uh, again, I love portraits because of the challenge of it. And, um, so my favorite commissions that I'll do now are, um, there are chalk pencils, pastel pencils. Nice. So I'll do pastel pencil portraits of people's kids usually. Um, and that's.

[00:28:37] Like, again, that's a magic for me. So it doesn't feel as much of a chore because I, I know I can do it in eight hours if I really wanted to. Um, and it's just on paper and bada bing, bada boom. Um, kind of a thing, but it's really odds and ends here and there. Um, I prefer getting commissions for chalk work for things, but in the off season, income is great to do art.

[00:29:06] So it's usually a painting of something or other that I'm busting out for somebody. Right on, right on. That's very, very cool. Awesome. Would you, um, would you ever teach? Is there like a, an avenue? I know that's part of the apprenticeship diaries, but a lot of it's about your path into this. I, I have taught and I'm technically on a roster for an, a nonprofit community art school

[00:29:34] in Ohio called smarts. Um, maybe I shouldn't have put the name out there for what I'm about to say. So I, I have been seeking to teach for a very long time. Um, what I would want to teach, which is portraiture mostly stuff. I know the things that really lit me up was I discovered them. I want to pass that on.

[00:30:00] Um, and then I would love to teach street painting and chalking because where are you learning that unless you throw yourself into it? It would be really helpful to know. And I feel like I have a lot of knowledge to pass in that avenue. So I've been trying for years with different, um, art clubs or art councils and different like our community art schools to be like, Hey, I have this module. I have it all typed up.

[00:30:29] It's all, I have all the supplies. I have, uh, this day and this day is this thing and this thing. Like I'm ready to go. Count me in. And for some reason it just has never come together. Wow. Um, but when I started on with this art school, the director was really positive about having something like that.

[00:30:52] And here I am still not in the catalog for like no reason or some reason. I don't know. It's just, it just is something that I've put out there to the universe and, and it has, yeah. And it just hasn't caught and that's fine. I don't know if you'd be down with this. Yeah. Cause as we were talking and as you were telling me about how you do things, um, uh,

[00:31:21] I haven't put this out yet to the great masses and there'll be a little bit of delay of when I post your podcast. So it'll be all right. But, um, my family recently, um, let me take over their commercial space, which is right now a salon, pretty big. And they're like, we're not really cool with you tattooing out of here more than you. Cause we trust you.

[00:31:45] But, um, if you want to teach art or whatever you want to do with it, um, we'd support that. And so it has a lot of bare bone potential, but what it also has, and this is what I was thinking about was it has a concrete sidewalk right in the front of it that is covered. Oh, wow.

[00:32:10] It's, it's, it's pretty much, I mean, it does have lighting kind of fluctuations, but yeah, does have that kind of cover and it has some, I mean, it's very pock Marty. I might have to like redo it just to make it sure it's nice, but there's, there's potential. I mean, asphalt's not ideal, but it's a huge parking lot and stuff. As long as there's no oil spots. I don't think so. I don't really think so.

[00:32:35] Well, and I think if we close out the day, you know, let actual drivers or people park in the parking spot and then use the great, you know, shut it down and just make it something that like, there's a whole community in the back of it where people can walk to that actual relocation and check it out. Um, but if you want to teach portraiture, especially, um, I, I would love my dream for this is it's too big a gift for me to hold for myself.

[00:33:07] Um, my family doesn't really care other than they just don't want to own the building anymore. They don't want to deal with it. They don't want, you know, they want me to maybe make it into something. And I have this awesome opportunity to really utilize it and make it something really cool. So I know a lot of artists. I know a lot of amazing creatives. I have my own ideas about what I'd want to teach out of there. Um, of course, but I don't see any reason why it would have to be me alone.

[00:33:35] Um, yeah, so, uh, it's nowhere near ready for this. It's very new that my cap, but you're not far and you're already used to travel. I mean, Pittsburgh isn't too bad. So, and I'd love to get Caitlin down here. We haven't actually met in person yet. Oh, really? No. So I'd love to like, you know, give her a huge hug. She's so lovely. Doesn't she have the biggest heart? Oh my God, dude.

[00:34:02] She is, she is such a kind, beautiful person. And, um, and I, and I think that, you know, the, the amount that we'd be able to share with each other, and that's what you get when you really combine artists together. Yeah. That's everybody up an extra notch when they get to, you know, talk to each other and share with each other and yeah, great secrets and all that kind of good stuff. And I can just start for that kind of a thing. Yeah.

[00:34:30] I mean, I've been craving community for a long time. And like I said, with the chalk family, it's like you're in and you're out. Yeah. Yeah. Like we have social media, thankfully, but, um, it's, uh, like where I have planted myself here in gross city.

[00:34:50] Um, it's pretty rural, which I grew up with, but we didn't grow up knowing anybody because there aren't really neighbors. I mean, I live right in town here, so it's a little bit of a different scene than, than all that. But, you know, I'm a transplant and, um, it's been a tricky thing to find tribe at this stage in life.

[00:35:17] It's something I've, I always have felt like I've craved. Um, in the meantime, like I said, I'm a loner. I'm I, I love my own company, but as far as it's, it's not very vivacious. So like, as far as feeling like I'm, how vivacious would it actually get? I mean, let's figure, cause I know what you're talking about. Like my girlfriends are like, okay, I'm done now. And I'm like, great. I was getting tired of you too. Yeah. Yeah. Irish. Goodbye.

[00:35:46] How do you say it's a good thing? Very natural. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Um, so that, that sounds great. So I have, I've taught two classes with, um, this school. I just got off of my second one and I knew after the first one that it wasn't going to be for me. And I'll tell you why, um, this was, first of all, I don't think I was communicated to

[00:36:15] or, or even if it was meant to be communicated about, but I was under the impression. I'll say that this was a class for, um, high schoolers specifically interested in advancing in art. Okay. It's on a Saturday at 9. A.m. That they signed up for. So I was under the impression that they wanted to learn. Yeah. And, and really elevate. Really elevate. Like what they wanted.

[00:36:43] That is actually a class that I really want to host because in the Carroll County area, there there's not. Yeah. There's not a lot of that, especially figure drawings. I was exposed cause I went to a magnet school for the art. So when we would roll up with our portfolios, they hated us. They were like, these fucking kids, but they're awesome portfolios. Fuck them. And we were like, we're like, Hey man, like what are we supposed to do?

[00:37:07] But I really wanted to offer that for people who just had a normal art education that did not be expansive. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I think that's a great class. I don't know. And I, I have a bit to expound on that. Um, but going back to this class, they were very much not that, um, there were maybe four out of 20 students, by the way, I was told they were 12.

[00:37:36] And I was going to say, I wouldn't go over maybe 11, honestly. So there was also that I was like, okay, I am, I'm not prepared for this. I thought I was teaching a two hour class. I was only teaching one hour. So I had to like, I had so much planned for these kids that I thought were ready to learn something. Um, but only a couple of them seemed interested at all. I had kids who I call them kids.

[00:38:04] They aren't really, they weren't participating at all. They're just talking to each other. It was really disheartening. Cause I went in there thinking I was going to change lives. I like, I put my full self out there and I, I didn't have an expectation, but I had a hope. Right. Um, and a goal. Right. And both of those were dashed. So I was like, oh my gosh.

[00:38:27] And then again, I had learned with the autism that I'm on that whole time. And also overstimulated stress. It's not going the way that I want it to. I want to get out of there and let go plan that is unrouted is just like, everything's on fire. Failure feels so bad. It's just disappointment is the worst feeling for me.

[00:38:56] It truly is. So like my world blew up, whatever. Um, but I was contracted for one other class with the same group of kids. So I had to kind of rethink everything. And I only did the second class a few weekends ago. And it turned out because I had very low expectations at this point. And I was like, I just need to get through this hour. It is what it is. I scaled things way back and it went better.

[00:39:26] Oh, good. Not to the point that I would want to do it again. Yeah. But, um, it, so I, it's a good thing to know that that isn't for me, but I feel like if I really had a group that was there to do the thing, they know the course and they want to learn this thing. I, I think that would be a good match for me. Um, but it would be good for that. Yeah.

[00:39:56] Because hear me out. I'm, I'm really good at gathering information about other people. And also, um, I'm, I think if there's one thing and I've actually taught this, it's, um, the front end work that allow for a great back end process. So I'm pretty good at organization and screening and doing consultations and stuff.

[00:40:21] If I were to do it, I've already thought about this because I, I'd need you to submit, uh, an online portfolio as a student. And I'd need to actually audit you and communicate your level to the teacher and actually do. I've, I've thought about class size. It could not go over 11. I mean, 10 feels great, but 11 is like pushing it. I don't know why. I just kind of want to let one more. No, no. I get you.

[00:40:51] Just one more. Yeah. Um, I feel like that would be the max. Um, but I also, um, I like setting people up. I like setting up systems because I'm feeling you like a hundred percent. I think I am autistic. Um, yeah, I'm like, I'm definitely being diagnosed here. Um, but I love, I love systems like that and I love setting them up for people for success and like kind of giving that.

[00:41:17] So, um, you know, if, if it was something that we worked together, um, those are great things to, to have as a, um, an audit of what your experience has been just for anybody who does go into teaching and stuff, because there's so many variables, particularly if you're working for an organization who's setting up the venture for you and contracting you to be a teacher, um, which gives a lot of, you know, empathy to educators because they're stuck.

[00:41:47] Absolutely. I actually, a few weeks before the first class, it was back in October. And I think actually Chalktoberfest was the weekend before that I was going to teach this class. And one of my chalk colleagues, um, fantastic artist, she had just quit, um, her dream job of being an art educator for that reason. Um, she's according to like, it kind of, I was like, well, no, I'm not listening.

[00:42:17] Um, but once it happened to me, I was like, Oh, um, and she said that after COVID a very clear something happened with these children where they're just disinterested, um, and unfocused. And if you put, if you put hopes on instilling something in these kids, it's just gonna tear your heart apart.

[00:42:46] So she ended up bowing out of it because she, her heart couldn't take it anymore. And I can see why now for sure. Yeah. It is disheartening. It is. It is. And I'm sure that no matter what the class body is. Yeah. Well, and no matter the subject, I mean, you mentioned having empathy for educators and I certainly do. So my son, Finn, he'll come home and describe something in class. And he's like, Oh, the kids were throwing erasers today.

[00:43:15] And, and, um, I actually took it as a teachable moment to share my experience. And I was like, you didn't participate, did you? And he's like, well, they threw it at me. So I threw it back and I'm like, well, let me tell you when I was teaching. I was really, really, really hopeful that I was going to like, get through to somebody. And if that kind of stuff was going on for my class, I would feel pretty darn rotten.

[00:43:44] Um, so think about your teachers and he's like, Oh, that would feel pretty bad. And I'm like, yes. Yeah. So be mindful of like, uh, cause he has attention variabilities. That's actually how I got on the trail of learning that I was autistic is he has some identifiers and have since early childhood. So he has, um, um, a system in place for himself in school.

[00:44:13] And, uh, he knows that his attention is a thing. And, um, I mean, a lot of it's not their fault. I mean, we got machines now that everything's very quick, very expedited, and they're being inundated with a lot of information and it, it speeds everything up. Yeah. And so it makes it so hard for educators at least. Yeah. Well, he has an awareness of it.

[00:44:35] And then now I think humanizing his teachers a little bit more, I think has helped the dynamic. Yeah. That's good. The other thing is great with, with our, um, profession too, is that we have those, those moldable like gum erasers and stuff. So yeah, a lot of that, you can be like, listen, you can, you can play with them. You can like stretch them and stuff as long as you're paying attention to me. And that's fine. Feel free to do all of that.

[00:45:02] You know, they're really, you know, they have wonderful dexterity and stuff. Um, I'm a good cheerleader. Like I'd be a good, like, I can tell that about you. Be like, Hey, Hey, yeah. I'm a good on. I'm a really good on. I don't have my own kids, but I'm like, Hey, stop that. Yeah. Yeah. And they're like, like when you have an outside adult. I needed that in my class for sure is well, for the second one, um, I mentioned that there

[00:45:31] are up to 20 kids. I started the class with four and then the rest of them trickled in 15, 20 minutes later. And I, I, I didn't wait this time. I was like, I only have an hour. Like, and I didn't have anyone to catch them up. And so they're, they really signed themselves up for it. I don't know. I can't like, I'm now thinking that it's a more generalized class described to them.

[00:45:59] Um, and it's something that they've signed up for some kind of credit towards college. And I think that they're treating it as like, I don't know. I, I had a lot of parents in my life that confronted me as, as even just an artist, but then a tattoo artist be like, Hey, my kid's really into this. Like how do they, and the parent is the one taking the lead. I said, well, the first thing is your kid has to ask me, like, you need, you need to vacate this. Yeah.

[00:46:28] Like, or it could be something nice on a resume to see, Hey, my kid was an academic achiever. So you could be right. Yeah. There's some, there's that. I mean, that's the thing is that like, I know a lot of parents, they're just like, my kid has a lot of talent. My, even my brother, he came to me and he was like my son and his son had a lot of talent like, and he still does. He's brilliant. But, um, I said to my brother, I said, you know, Jared, all kids are amazing at art because they're experimental.

[00:46:56] They don't have attachment. They're playful. It's, it's a lot like that. I said, but I'm a professional artist and I'm going to teach in a professional art capacity. So I need a heat and a hunger to it. That is beyond. And I love that. Yeah. I need that. I said, so when your kid wants to pursue this, I God willing, I'll still be here. I'll still be his aunt, you know, I'll still be a professional, but when he wants to pursue this as a profession. Yeah. Yeah. I will be there.

[00:47:25] And he wants to be a physicist. Yeah. Great. That's good. He still is brilliant. He still has a great, I mean, his color, color. I is incredible for a male to like his color theory and, and ability to use pattern. And I mean, incredible. Yeah. But like, he's brilliant on so many levels. And I'm like, you know, that, that passion is going to morph into a million different things. Sure can. Yeah.

[00:47:52] I think, um, one of the best drafts men work, uh, that I've ever seen in some New York galleries that I don't know the name anymore, but, um, he was an engineered, like that was his main hat. But, uh, it's crazy, man. Like some of these people and they're just like, Oh, I also do this. And you're like, yeah, that's nice. Yeah. My nephew started drumming. That's more his passion.

[00:48:22] Now he just stays up all hours drumming. I'm just like, yeah, that's nuts. But yeah, like there, I, that's what I think is that like, and that's how it's kind of come to me in some ways with kids has been. Um, I mean, I would even say that probably the number that you probably would most be apt to get in an area would be four or five kids. Because I think that's the average mean for the all-star.

[00:48:48] Well, and PS those four or five kids were the ones that were actually into it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I kind of tell you that they showed up on time. That's what I'm saying, man. Like, um, and that's the thing about what we do. And I'm, I appreciate everything you've said about like how it wears on your body, how it wears on your, you know, um, sensory perception and things like that. And, and it is a performance when people see any form of art, they find it cute.

[00:49:18] You know, like they're like, that's novel or that's like energy. And of course it is, but it takes so much grind. Yes. It looked like that. Oh yeah. Yeah. And you need that passion. You need that, that heat and that, that to it. Um, the thing that I just always tell parents, I'm like, do they draw? Yeah. Do they draw a lot? Yeah. Give them art supplies. Yeah. All the art supplies.

[00:49:48] Like if they're not asking for every single holiday for more art supplies. Yeah. They're not going to pursue it. I'm sorry. Yeah. Yeah. It's just, I mean, it might be something that they're decent enough at, but they don't have that. It like, they need it to breathe. Right. Yeah. Um, if they, if they do, yeah, really cool. Yeah. It's really cool. Your work is fantastic. Thank you. Thank you.

[00:50:16] I didn't lead with that, but it is, it's phenomenal. Thank you very much. Yeah, dude. I see why you went a lot. Thank you. Yeah. Do you ever like, um, is there a lot of experimentation with, uh, beyond the, the tempera and stuff, but is there neat, like loose powder meets certain like liquid bases or something where

[00:50:43] people blow on it or people do certain things or they scatter certain liquids and then play play with that? So it's, that is a great question because in my own mind, um, I also have a part-time job at Michael's. Oh, nice. And, uh, getting that discount. So I, I'm always eyeing up these different kinds of products and being like, what can I

[00:51:08] do with that or like, wouldn't it be interesting to incorporate, um, this into chalk art or try to, and, um, I've thought about cause there is charcoal powder and you can do subtractive work instead of additive work. Um, so that's something to play around with or, or playing around with the water instead of seeing it as your enemy is turn it into something.

[00:51:37] Um, I know that there are some artists who they, they paint with the invisible water that like it only shows up when it rains. Hmm. That's something that's always kind of like. That's pretty fun. Yeah. That's a form of street art is there. There's some kind of, some kind of liquid that it activates with the rain. So you can't see, it blows my mind. It's like, how can you see the image?

[00:52:06] Um, cause these people that they don't have like a drawing beforehand or anything. They're just like making a dolphin. I'm like, how, but I, yeah, I always have it in my mind that like, what else could be done? Have I done anything about it? No. Do I see other artists doing anything funky and experimental? I do not. And I think it's because I think that the artists that are striving to be better artists are all

[00:52:35] ready. I think that they're already focused on wanting to find the standard of what's good now. Like what are the professionals doing? And then they're wanting to learn their techniques and adopt that because in their mind, that's, what's going to make them better. Um, so, and then the professionals, this is an opinion slash observation. They, well, you're one of them.

[00:53:02] So, so you can say whatever you want, but I'll say, I'll say the professionals that are more that do more commissions for, um, like venues or corporate, um, like logos and things like that. And 3d, like a lot of 3d cells. Oh yeah. Yeah. So the people that are doing that kind of work, I think are more interested in getting it done.

[00:53:30] Um, and collecting the check than they are to be, um, as correct as possible or have it be like outstanding because, and, and I've seen, I am guilty too of this is like, sometimes if I am done and drained, I see your cat. He's like, please, please. Um, that's popsicle by the way, fantastic cat. Um, I am guilty too, where like, I'll just already be at burnout.

[00:54:00] It's a commission. It's not really a design that I chose and I just want to be done. So I want to be out there as soon as possible. And I know now that you don't need to be perfect because nobody is seeing that. But you, and you can get away, but there's a lot of lead. You can get away with a lot of stuff. You can get away with a lot of stuff, um, and just fudge it and it's enough. And, um, I know that I have done that.

[00:54:28] And, but I also know that some of these professionals that are mostly being hired to do stuff probably have that mentality. Um, so I'm not sure that they're passing on a lot of wholesome material to be. Grab on to, because I'm not sure how much soul is. Yeah. Still there. When, when you really are just doing it for, um, the follows or the likes or the paycheck. Yeah.

[00:54:58] Um, but I've had to learn, maybe this is going back to your question about the greatest challenge. I did have a time there of like an identity crisis because these days, the measure of success are follows and likes. And I know for a fact that I have, um, been passed on for paid commissions because I didn't have those numbers that they wanted me to have.

[00:55:23] Um, and it's challenging because again, I have, I am such a small, I have such a small world. It blows my mind that I have like almost 1500 followers because I know maybe 15 people. Um, but to want to get to like 15,000, of course, everybody wants to go viral. I don't, I think the most views I've ever had was 2000 something, which is like a lot for

[00:55:53] me. It is a lot, but it's actually not a lot. No, not in the, not in the social media world, but it's probably far more than I've ever had, to be honest with you. Well, yeah. So like that was a big feather under my cap, but, but like you said, in the bigger world of, of what matters, it's like, that's not enough. Um, so I had a, I had a pretty difficult time there where I had to really figure out where the value was for me anymore.

[00:56:21] And I came around to the beauty of like, it's the moment and it's the joy that it brings me doing the thing. And I've had to put all like, whatever happens after the piece is done, I really have had to put out of my mind. Um, I'll, I'll post it. I'll say what I have to say about it. I keep it short and sweet these days. And it's like, here it is. If you like it, cool. If you don't, I did it and it's out there and it was yours. Where's yours? Where's yours? That's my whole thing.

[00:56:51] Where's your fucking shit. Let me look at yours. Oh, it's just your food. Oh, it's just a million things of your cat. I mean, they're cute and all, but like, yeah, yeah. Um, I can draw them. Yes. Yeah. Uh, I think you have people who ask for you again and again too. So that's also really wonderful. Yeah. It's, um, it's more a business portfolio for me at this point.

[00:57:20] It's something for people to reference. Cause once they discover me, they'll go, Oh, okay. Like she's the real deal. Cause, cause I am, I'm small, but I'm mighty.

[00:57:30] Um, but that, so I think, I think what I'm trying to say is that, uh, the, I've had to reconcile the, the value of the work as being, um, what it does for the soul more than it does anything else.

[00:57:54] Anything grounded societally or physically materialistically. I've like, none of that really makes me feel good. If I don't have enough, but if there is any amount of soul in it, it's already enough. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. No, that's a really great thing to put out there.

[00:58:20] Um, because it, it does come down to that passion and if, if, if you're not just driven to do it just because then. Yeah. I can't honestly, at this point, like I really can't with a lot of stuff, like I'm only 43, but I just look at things and I'm like, Nope, no, I could, I would hate every minute. Yeah. I don't want to do it. I'm not that hungry.

[00:58:50] Yeah. In fact, I would probably rather scrub your toilet. Uh huh. A hundred percent. Yeah. And people don't get that. And it's like, it's not the same if you're not, if you're not passionate about it and if you can't put your heart into it and it has zero interest. I would much rather be doing a manual labor task. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Because it does, it takes a part of your heart away. Yeah.

[00:59:18] It's really, it's a great thing to put out. I find that too. And maybe this will be helpful for some people who don't know how to monetarily value their work. I still struggle with that. I, I know that I am cheap, even still, but I've made a point every year. I do increase my price point a little bit and I always find people and they don't bat an eye at it. Yeah.

[00:59:46] But then, then I'll have people who will want me to show up to their thing for exposure. You get the exposure thing. I'm like, listen. I don't need it. I don't need it. Uh, I don't think, I don't care about it. I don't, I put myself out there and it's gone as far as it might go.

[01:00:08] I don't know what, how you're going to contribute to that, but I think that it is a little bit, um, like it sucks the life out of it. Uh, when you, when it's in your face that you're not valued enough, even to your own low standard. Yes. Yes. So it's not even that it's just that like, it feels better. Yeah.

[01:00:35] Feels better when you're confronting somebody who truly values it because that's the kind of person I'd want to give. Yeah. Discount to put more heart into it. Right. Cause they're meeting my soul. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But if you're just expecting that, that it's something cute or frivolous to you and, and you want to deal. Yeah. No, no, no. You'll actually be the person I charge the most for. Yeah. Yeah.

[01:01:02] Cause I know you're going to push every boundary I have every single one, including my sleep, including all this other stuff that like, it's like the class, man. Like all of this could have been pre planned. Like this could have all been discussed and been so much better. And yeah. And it's not even about, and that's what people don't understand with me is that you can't buy it. Yeah. You can't buy it from me. Like I will never work for you again. And it doesn't matter how much money you throw at me. Yeah.

[01:01:32] No, it was miserable. Yeah. Miserable. Yeah. I think there's a, there's a lot of power in, in just knowing when to say no. Like if you don't want to do it, don't, if you don't need, you don't need it that bad. It doesn't even matter. Have you heard Neil Gaiman's commencement speech to, um, it's like a 2012 commencement speech. I probably have. Yeah. Closer back to 2012.

[01:02:02] Yeah. Yeah. I don't remember it. You should listen to it again, because that's about when you started. At least you think. Okay. Listen to it again, because now you've reached a lot of what he was talking about. Yeah. That. Before you would have heard it from a place of like dreaming and thinking about it so far to the future. But now you're going to be like, yes, that'll be interesting. I will do that. And it's an incredible 20 minutes. And I listened to it over and over again at different moments of my life.

[01:02:32] And it, and it always resonates and hits differently. Like a good art piece. Like your mom going in and seeing that. It just. Every time you get this new. Yeah. Beauty to it that you didn't get before. Yeah. Good art. It's good art. And that's what, that's what it's called. It's like, make good. It's called make good art or do good art or something like that. So it's all about that. Yeah. Right. I remember that. It's really good. It's super good.

[01:03:00] Um, again, how can people, if they want to work with you or if they want to commission you, um, how, how can they contact you? This has been awesome. I'm so excited. Thank you. This is so nice. Um, I can be, I have a website, so my, I, my tag is still art studios. That's my professional name. Um, it's spelled S Y L P H.

[01:03:29] Um, it's a fairy elemental. And, uh, and that's where that came from. So still art studios it's at that everywhere. Cool. Um, and then I, my website is www.sulfartstudios.com. I can be emailed at self art studios at iCloud.com. Um, DM me, email me. Those are fast and sure ways to, to get me to reach out to me.

[01:03:57] Um, and I love covering new territory and going new places. So hit me up. Yeah. I'm very reasonable. I, I want like a family venture. Yeah. Yeah. And Caitlin and her children and your, your child Finn, which great name. Great name. Thank you very much. I'll have great names. Thank you. Thank you. We try.

[01:04:20] Um, and then I'll say if anyone is in the Pittsburgh area, my first event this season is in Pittsburgh. Um, the river walk. Uh, I think it's called river life chalk fest. Now it's on Isabella street, right by the pirate stadium. Oh, very cool. Um, and that'll be Memorial day weekend, Saturday, Sunday. Um, so come on by. Oh, that's very cool. Um, it's really good surface. So I always get really good pieces there.

[01:04:49] That's exciting. I'm excited for you. That's really awesome. It's like that perfect buttery skin. Oh, it's so good. Yeah. Yeah. I have certain festivals and venues where I'm like, I can't wait. I get to do the best. Memorial day is a great day too. Like, that's awesome. That'll be really fun. People will be, um, in a very reflective and kind of, I don't know. Do you feel that's a, that's another question.

[01:05:14] Do you feel like, uh, uh, these festivals bring in very particular crowds and stuff and like, uh, no, I'd say not really. Cause usually, uh, there's something else on in tandem with the chalk festival. I think I've only been to one chalk festival, but that's it. And even then they have like vendors, you know, just to keep the crowd. Yeah. Yeah. Entertained.

[01:05:43] You got to feed them and water them. It's like a necessity. Yeah. Yeah. All of that. Um, so. I had somebody say like, I think we just should have a festival, which just start. And I was like, nobody will come. Yeah. Right. Yeah. No, I don't want to come. Yeah. Oh, wonderful. And then, um, uh, what was I going to say?

[01:06:10] Um, do you have any closing remarks that you'd like to give everybody? Like if there was either something we missed or something that you could put out there in the world that you just think, I don't know, I guess. I, I guess I'll reiterate. I touched on it a little bit how in the beginning I was really focused on correctness and precision.

[01:06:37] And, and we talked about how you, you don't need to do all of that. Um, I started making the best work when I took that pressure off myself and I allowed things to be more intuitive and it's, it's going to be what it's going to be. It's going to wash away. Like once I leave, it's literally gone to me anyway.

[01:07:00] Um, so it's really tough when I see other artists like really stressing out and crying and, um, and they'll look at other people's progress compared to theirs. Cause I've been there. Cause I've been there.

[01:07:18] And so I just want to tell everybody out there that just listen to your own body, your own brain, your own needs, pace yourself, take all the rests that you need. It's going to be there waiting for you. Um, and you don't need to stress so much about it and you don't need to aim for perfection because.

[01:07:43] Even though that is, uh, a worthy goal to get as close to perfection as possible. And, um, enhancing your skill to go that way. It really is. It feels a lot better to just take the moment for what it is and embrace the fact that you are adding beauty into a space that it wasn't there before. Uh, and start from there.

[01:08:13] And I think some magical things can happen. That's a wonderful thing to leave everybody with. Wow. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Awesome. Well, uh, if you do get an opportunity or if you want to ever do this again, it's called a diary. So yeah, in a few years or we might have actually some interactions that are physical. I hope. Yeah. In between. Right. That we can really keep shouting this out, but this is one of my passions.

[01:08:42] So I really appreciate you being on the show. And this has been a fantastic time. Thank you so much for moving back around. And, and, and, and share. Of course. Of course. Yeah. You guys are fantastic. I absolutely adore your family. And, um, I'm very happy that I get to put a little attention on you because it makes me thrilled. Thrilled. So thank you. You're wonderful. Thank you. You're wonderful. Ah, hope to see you soon.

[01:09:14] All right, listeners. That wraps our time with Erica Lolita again of Sylph Art Studios. And we did, we did touch a little bit on the name. Um, I didn't go into it very much, but it's a fairy elemental. So that's pretty cool. Uh, her work is very dreamlike and wonderful. But as this podcast, uh, touched on, there is lots of real things that our bodies and our

[01:09:41] being needs in order to create such magnificent work. And so I hope that everyone learned from this podcast and we certainly learned what pouncing was, um, God bless you all for joining us and listen to this awesome podcast. I really hope that, uh, the future does hold more in store for all of us where we get to meet and hug.

[01:10:04] I've been so fortunate to have such a great, um, time here doing this podcast and the connections that I've made via this and learning about everybody. I have to say that it has, it has made me so much more, um, connected with, um, other artists

[01:10:28] and my profession and it really helps know what's next and, um, kind of gives you wings and support in some way because, you know, you're not alone. You know, you don't suffer alone. You know that the people who are out there hustling it and pursuing their passions are kind of wrestling and struggling with the same things, maybe even worse. So it's really cool to know that you have a group of people that you can reach out to in

[01:10:57] moments of, uh, indecision or just frustration. So I am so grateful, uh, to this podcast, to this, this exercise and in communication and all of it, transparency. But I want to thank Erica, uh, definitely her sister, Caitlin, the entire family for giving, uh, me that time, uh, of theirs and all of you. I, I am so grateful.

[01:11:24] So God bless you all and have a very powerful week. Thanks for listening. You can find the apprenticeship diaries on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Our I G is the underscore apprenticeship underscore diaries. If you would like to offer constructive criticism or an interview, drop us an email at theapprenticeshipdiaries at gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from our listeners. Bye. Bye.