Dealing with Compliments

A few days ago, I received a pleasant email from a stranger inquiring about this Audrey Hepburn & Louis Vuitton Design Mashup I did nearly 3 years ago. I forget—and at times, can't believe—that I still am an artist and that I have design work out there that's floating on the web. I think that, because I'm living in the "Now" and that I'm at a phase where I'm more trying to figure out "Why am I the way I am?" rather than "Who am I?" that I forget... I am an artist (maybe in my own rights). I am a designer (by profession). I actually produce work that people like.

I read the email and I'm very flattered. I'm taken back and I'm actually more accepting of this compliment, even though I have a side that loves to discredit any appraisals:

My name is E and I'm starting my own company targeted at accessories for LV and Longchamp

I really love your mashups with Audrey Hepburn. Would this be something you'd be willing to license to me?

After getting through the initial "omg, wow, ok, wow! This person likes my work" thoughts and feeling. I started to raise a lot of questions. What does she want me to do? Why does she like my work? Why me? Really?

**I drifted off in my own thoughts... I got off onto another tangent**

For a moment, I ran off with another thought. I'll have to post that another time. Back to my initial topic...

This was my response:

Wow :) I'm always flattered when someone runs across some of my design/artwork on the web. I appreciate the comments about the LV Audrey Mashup. 

Are you selling the Mashup/Artwork itself? Or is it more along the lines of using the artwork to promote/represent your company accessories?

[Copyright and Creative Commons verbiage]

Sorry for the detailed explanation, but you can use this as a form of agreement.

If you do seek any art/design work to be produced, then that is a service I can offer. If you're ever interested, my portfolio is listed below.

Again... thanks for the email and your comments.

I left her with my contact and portfolio. I was more than surprised when I received a call in the middle of the day. I did recognize the number, but I wasn't prepared. I didn't know what I would say or what she might talk about. I let the phone call go straight to voicemail. It took me another 10 minutes to finally listen to the voicemail. It took me an extra 15 minutes to decided if I would call today or not. It took me another 10 minutes to play around with my phone and call.

I did end up calling her. It was a pleasant conversation, but it was met with a lot of mumbling and this need to always explain myself. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant and inquisitive conversation. I now have a few opportunities to collaborate and work with this person. I'm pretty excited, but met with a lot of nervous anxiety and trepidation.

Somewhere along this entry and the off topic thoughts I had earlier in mid-blogging, I'm finding myself. I remember who I was (in terms of skills and abilities) as an artist and what I'm still capable of. Yes, I'm still very self-doubting about myself, but I appreciate compliments more rather than discrediting them.

I do have a lot of time on my hands. More so than others. I have more flexibility with my career, but I would also like to think that I set myself up to be in this position. Today has been filled with reading, writing, thinking, and self-realizations. I would say it's been overwhelmingly productive, in the sense of personal development.