Good Night and It's Not A Farewell

On today's episode of catching up with my old artworks...

Hi! This is my artwork of a girl wearing a helmet at nighttime. When I created this piece, I was working as a store staff. I used to operate at the store for 6 hours a day, 6 days a week. At one point, the store opened a branch outlet, and I was directed to operate there... 12 hours... 6 days a week. The store was heavily affected by the pandemic, so it had no other staff, and I am not going to expose what kind of labor that I went through. I can tell you that one of the things I had to do was work at the branch from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Despite the exhausting hours, the biggest advantage I could gain from my situation was the opportunity to create more illustrations, write blog posts, learn how to operate a small business, and face customers. Of course, my time and energy were extremely spent, if not wasted. But considering what I could take (and ignore) from this situation, I thought I could still stay. This is where the inspiration came from for this artwork.

The girl wearing a helmet at nighttime symbolizes resilience and determination. Just like her, I had to keep moving forward despite the long hours and the strain. The nighttime setting reflects the long, tiring days that often extended into the night, while the helmet represents the protection and strength I needed to endure this period.

The branch outlet was closed down for good after operating for 6 months. I was returned to the main outlet for the following months, including operating at bazaars. I worked there for about 2 years. Through this artwork, I can remind myself that whenever I face a low point (if not the lowest) in my life, I can decide when I should end being there, and what I should do afterward. Every cloud has its silver linings.

Looking back, I'm grateful for the lessons learned during those difficult months. They taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of knowing when to move on. As I continue my artistic journey, I carry these lessons with me, using them to fuel my creativity and personal growth. Thank you for following along with my story and my art. Your support means the world to me.