Be BOLD, Be Brave, Be YOU

This is a blog that aims to do nothing but tell you exactly how I feel at this moment in time…

Never have I ever been so disappointed and full to the brim with inexplicable feelings towards the Education system, the Government and the challenges most of us face when it comes to both.

Having spent nineteen years in education, training to become what I thought would be an employable individual seeking a role within the arts, I still cannot succeed in a role which is undoubtedly suited to my qualifications, experience and skill. During all my years in education I have worked hard in many different sectors in the labour market. From stacking shelves, customer service and sales to book editing, teaching and project coordination. I have a positive approach to everything I do, I remain calm under pressure and offer excellent communication skills. I can plan to cater for any needs. I can teach. I can be an inspiration and I have the capacity to learn fast and well. Yet here I am, twenty six years of age and still desperately seeking my dream job.

Hours of my time has been spent writing the perfect applications to suit roles which I would love to achieve; programme managers for arts charities, teaching roles in a performing arts environment and learning officers or management within growing art establishments. More time has then been spent, after being offered interviews, to prepare project plans, budget materials and perfect answers to their questions, which aim to prove me suitable for their role. But still I am unemployed with a list of sodden excuses as to why I am not good enough.

I am a person who lives for laughter and love. I thrive on positive thinking. I put in 110% effort in to everything that I do. My qualifications range from diplomas to post graduate degrees. I volunteer, I am caring, I am helpful and creative. I work both collaboratively and independently. I am organised, good at prioritising workloads and enjoy pressure and being busy. I have the biggest passion for achieving and doing everything I can to succeed. I dream of becoming an asset to an organisation whose aim is to inspire, particularly young people, through art forms and support these people in achieving things they didn’t believe possible. I want to give young people the best possible chance to succeed in life, because as we all know, it is a tough life that we live.

Art is frowned upon. “it’s a drop out course” “it gets you nowhere” “You will fail” BULLSHIT!
Art is so vast and so incredibly inspiring to not just young people, but all of us. Open your eyes and look around at all the beauty in this world; architecture, gardens, paintings, statues, literature, music. None of which would have been possible without an artistic, imaginative, creative mind. It can support people through difficult times. It can make people happy. It can provoke emotion we didn’t even know we could feel. Yet here we are telling our future that art is unnecessary. Wake up!

My biggest ambition is to make a difference in people’s lives using art as a catalyst. Whether that be as a teacher, a project coordinator or running an art organisation. I have never felt so passionate about something in my whole life and I am being shot down for not having enough experience or the correct skillset. Sue me for not having all these qualities written down on a piece of paper and signed off by some dude who leans back in his spinning chair all day. Give me a chance to PROVE it to you.

Fair play to all those people who attended the same interviews I did and achieved the role. You must have bought more to the table and for that, I congratulate you. Good for you for keeping the spirit of the arts alive and being able to expose all your abilities, passions and experience to the employer. I tried my best. I tried my absolute hardest to achieve. I worked myself to the bone to be the best I can be. I wish it was enough. I wish I could tell you that I have acquired the job that lets me practice all my talents, my qualities my passions and my skillset. I want to make you proud of me. Each and every single one of you. I want my Mum to be able to tell her friends that I am happy as Larry working in the industry I long to thrive in. I want my brother to feel inspired by his baby sister. I want my friends to hear all the wonderful stories I have to share about my working environment. I’d love to report back to my teachers, tutors and mentors that I am ‘living the dream’.

There are so many emotions running through me at the moment. My heart is literally pumping out a different one with each beat. Failure, disappointment, strength, anger, loss, bravery, positivity, upset, passion, determination, irritancy, rejection, pity… the list goes on and on. It is so difficult to sit here and write this, but in the same way I feel more and more relieved after each word.

What am I doing so wrong? What makes me so unemployable in the field of work that I so badly aspire to be a part of? It is hard times. Rejection. Rejection. Rejection. Rejection is my biggest fear and here I am, dwelling in its hand. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going is all that echoes around my head.

To all of you who are working just as hard as I am to achieve, to succeed, to be everything you wished to be when you were young… It is a tough fight and dreams don’t work unless you do, so keep going. At least, that is what I keep telling myself. A dear friend of mine sent me a card once, which displayed the words “Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You”. I try to live by this every single day – through all the best times and all the bad times. Because that is all I have to give this world; someone bold, someone brave, me.

 

 

If you have any questions or comments please do let me know: amieblinks@gmail.com

Make a Change

Make a Change

Let’s do something good, let’s do something kind

Let’s use our imaginations, just sat there in our minds.

In a world that suffers, let’s do something good

Let’s take positive action, bring it to our neighbourhood.

The more often we meet, the more often we plan

To take away negative portrayals, to show everyone we can.

Join us to make a difference, let’s make a change

Let’s become something worthy, make that change today.

~ Amie Johnson, 29/01/2015 ~

~ Inspired by the Youth Action Teams of OYAP Trust ~

As some of you may know, I work for a Children's Art Charity, who are devoted to encouraging arts within the young people of today. It is something I have so much passion for and commitment to and today, whilst working on a project, I was inspired to write this short poem to encourage positive change. 

A Youth Action Team is a group of young people who express interest in using art as a catalyst to make positive changes within their communities. As someone who has always gone out of my way to make people happy, even strangers, this project is the highlight of my job. Engaging young people and supporting them to take creative action within their communities for the sake of others is something I truly love to do. It is something I believe we should all do a little more of when we can. 

This morning a lady greeted me and it made me happy. Moments later I greeted another passing stranger with hopes that they will pass along the happiness and 'spread the joy'. Even something as little as this can spark happiness within someone, so if you pass someone, acknowledge them, say "hello". 

Maybe you want to take it a step further and help create other changes? The Youth Action Teams at OYAP Trust are working hard to make these changes happen, and support is always sought. For more details on our Youth Action Teams and updates of what they have been up to visit: www.oyap.org.uk and check out our projects page. 

I hope they can inspire you as much as they inspire me. 

When?

Just some lyrics/poem I've been working on.

Why did you do this
What were you thinking
How could you do this
Where is this going
Who are you?

A puncture wound left untreated
A burst awakens the night
A compass that has no needle
A frown kept out of sight.

Two hearts sewn together as one
Two minds lay awake alert
Two pictures blurred from vision
Two dreams reenact the hurt.

Anger is rising
Tears are falling
Body is aching
My heart is calling.

Why did you do this
What were you thinking
How could you do this
Where is this going
Who are you?

The jungle is growing darker
The peace is turning to rage
The core is beginning to fail
The processor trapped in a cage.

One more time to see a spark light
One last time to place a kiss
One more look to find a life line
One last moment to stop this.

Anger is rising
Tears are falling
Body is aching
My heart is calling.

Why did you do this
What were you thinking
How could you do this
Where is this going
Who are you?

A mystery is unforgivable
A mind ticks on over thinking
A question will go unanswered
A path is suddenly sinking.

A face, a memory, a painful burn.
A time, a moment, a dream.
A life, a happiness, a unique smile.
A love, a present, a team.

Who are you
Where is this going
How could you do this
What were you thinking
Why did you do this?

AmieJ Crafts

As mentioned in my last blog I wanted to provide you with an introduction to my new project AmieJ Crafts, my crafty and fun hobby which keeps my plenty busy. 

It all started when scrapbooking became my new hobby and passion. I would will away hours decorating pictures and pages, storing away my favourite memories creatively within a book. I have made several now, for myself and others. I just love getting crafty with paper, photos and glitter! After using Pinterest to inspire more scrapbooking ideas and layouts I discovered something else; crafting. 

Crafting is the most varied way to have fun and get creative. I love all things cute and sentimental that I decided I would use my new found interest in crafting to create gifts and keepsakes for people. These seem to make a lot of people happy which, in turn, made me very happy. Crafting therefore became my perfect hobby. 

I was creating keepsakes and other gifts alongside designing and printing my own greeting cards. I began to sell my products on local FaceBook sites and my products were becoming quite popular - as popular as they can in a small town anyway! I was then advised to set up an Etsy account to share my creations with people across the globe. This sounded completely overwhelming at first but now I am all set up. My idea was turning into something physical so I decided it needed a name; AmieJ Crafts was born. (I am sure I don't need to explain how AmieJ was formed…) I did debate a quirky name but felt my products didn't need something comic to make them sellable so I went with a more 'does what it says on the tin' approach. 

This is one of my crafts in time for Father's Day - 

A message in a bottle with a twist keepsake.

I feel really proud and excited to have set up this wonderful world of crafting for myself. I wanted to spread my excitement through showing the public my products and they appear to be receiving great feedback and interest. I am so lucky to be able to do something I really enjoy and share it with the world. 

This is a card design inspired by the small pencils they hand out at IKEA! 

Please check back from time to time to see updates on my crafty creations :) 

You can visit my Etsy shop here: AmieJCrafts

Or stop by my FaceBook page: AmieJCraftsFB