I'm in debt due to the rising rates of living in Houston in comparision to the non-rising rate of my living wage. That and the effortless swipe of using a credit card when any financial situation created anxiety in my mind--a silly excuse that has now multipled my anxiety due to maxing out my credit card.
It took me a year and a half to find a job in my field after I received my BFA. For the time being, I took a position in organic grocery just to live pay check to pay check. Two months ago, I found a job as an administrative assistant to an art school that allowed me to get my foot back into the local art world, but doesn't allow me any creative output. I'm content with the financial aspect of the job--I can pay my rent on time now--but the reality is that the constant growth of Houston and the rising living rates hinder my ability to create any savings.
Living with any amount of debt is a constant struggle and stress in regards to trying to pursue my passion of painting. Every paycheck, after paying the chunk of money to pay for rent and bills, I struggle with where to allow my money to be spent: towards my growing debt, towards food to eat, towards art supplies? As a result, I've been branded a "poor credit holder" as I neglected to make those payments over food or supplies. I've also began to loose weight as I've neglected to spend my money on food since the little I have left goes towards my art supplies. As a watercolor painter I struggle being able to afford watercolor materials so throughout the years I've shrunk my watercolor paintings to be able to utilize the little materials I could afford. Interesting enough, this is this worked to my favor as the public prefered the small paintings to the larger ones.
