"A Hui Hou"

 

by Sarah Caudle October 1, 2021

Aloha friends,

This isn’t easy for me to say, but already a huge weight has been lifted, which is why I know it’s the right decision for me…December 31, 2021 will be the last day of “Sarah Caudle Art.”

Yep, I’m officially closing down my studio. Don’t worry, I will still be creating (art is part of my soul), but I will be taking time to self reflect, discover, and simply create just for myself. So why shut down my art business I’ve worked so hard to build? Lately I’ve felt a huge push to explore and revisit the true meaning of what art is, but to do so, I need a fresh new canvas. But mostly I am completely burnt out and no longer feel that spark of happiness I need to continue this art business. 

Lately, as much as it makes me happy to know that my art makes others happy, deep down, I am losing my spark. And because I pour my heart and soul into each piece I create, without that spark, there is no art to create. I need to take the time to rest and find new inspiration to ignite my soul again. 

It’s hard to believe it’s only been 6 years. It feels like yesterday when I began experimenting with resin on my tiny apartment floor, but it also feels like a lifetime of how much I’ve been able to create. I will never forget the moment I first discovered resin, went home and bought all the supplies I needed, and covered our studio apartment with plastic. I had no idea what I was doing and never expected to turn my passion into a full-time successful business. I started selling my art simply to buy more art supplies. I am incredibly grateful for how many people connected with my work and enabled me to grow. Over the years as much as I enjoyed doing what I loved, so much blood sweat and tears went into my work and it was never easy. I spent 60-80 hours a week finding inspiration, preparing panels, painting, sanding, packaging, matting prints, documenting, selling, running booths at markets, working with galleries, developing a website, fulfilling orders, managing inventory, marketing, responding to emails and DMs, customer support, dealing with negativity, figuring out how to keep up with my growth, hiring assistants, firing assistants, managing assistants, fixing mistakes, moving studios, surviving a year of COVID lockdowns, giving back to the community, helping other artists, and so much more. I have worked so hard and am amazed at how much I’ve learned. It seems just when I’ve figured things out, I am ending it. 

I know what you’re thinking...why not just take a break? Why not hire more assistants or sell my business? Why not transform my business into something new rather than close it down? If you’ve followed my journey, you know it’s not easy for me to take breaks. I have a hard time turning off my brain from the never ending list of things that need to be done. The only way for me to actually relax is for there to be nothing for me to do. I also have a hard time feeling inspired for something new, when I can feel the energy of what was there before. I can’t simply hire more help, because when your business is your name, it’s more than just a business, it is a part of who you are. It feels like it’s time for me to create more of a separation between myself and my business and I need to do something new. I prefer to paint on a blank canvas rather than on top of another painting. Even when it’s covered, I will always be able to see what was below. I also don’t want to cover up a painting I already feel is beautiful. 

We are taught the idea to never quit, and many people might be disappointed in me for “quitting.” But I don’t think of it as quitting. I feel like I’ve run my race, passed through the finish line, and it’s simply onto the next. I need a moment to recover and find what’s right for me at this new time in my life. If anything, it’s the opposite of “quitting” because I will never give up on my search for happiness. As I’ve always said, “live a life you love” and I’m excited for my next journey in life. 

But before I disappear into the unknown, I want to give you all my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Thank you to my family for believing in me, thank you to my now husband for supporting me every step of the way (and for all of his endless unpaid work to help me out), thank you to my collectors for allowing me to keep creating, thank you for my followers for all the encouragement, thank you to the galleries I’ve worked with for helping me grow, thank you to my Japanese agents for helping me expand my art to even more amazing people, and even thank you to the ones who have tried to push me down because it only gave me more motivation to prove you wrong. Thank you to everyone. I couldn’t have done it without you. 

I hope to live on through my art in your homes, and I’m sure our paths will cross again. So this is not a goodbye, but a hui hou (‘till we meet again). Mahalo nui loa and I wish you all a lifetime of happiness and aloha!