Monday, February 11, 2013

Notes

This past weekend I was at the 38th Annual MAVT Convention.  I became a certified veterinary technician in 1997 and worked as a tech until we had our youngest and I became a stay-at-home mom.  I find myself feeling like I am between worlds now: I can't take my pets to work with me anymore and have to go to the vet as a civilian, and I still consider myself a new illustrator and am trying to learn and grow and enjoy the journey without having any expectations...  My hope is that my love for animals is evident in my work and that it also informs it. Even though it can feel pretty weird sometimes, the upshot is that I have been very fortunate to work in fields filled with compassionate, intelligent, and amazing people. For that I will always be grateful.
Posted by Nina Crittenden
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4 comments:

melinda beavers said...

I had no idea you were a veterinary technician. How fascinating!! If I had gone to school for "equestrian studies", who knows where I would have ended up… but I'm guessing I'd still be involved with the arts. Thanks for sharing!

February 11, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Anonymous said...

you are amazing, nina!

you are a talented illustrator, no doubt about it. you should do it. gifts to all who see your work.

your work with animals is also a gift to th world... to animals + those who love them.

thank you!

as a graphic designer, sometimes my work seems fluffy. while i was raised to give back [+ do what i can to make th world better], my time with red cross + at local free clinic help balance th fluffiness. balance.

follow your heart...

:-)

karen @tusenoch

February 12, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Jenn Bower said...

So funny. We are so similar. I've often considered Vet Tech as an alternative career path. At least once a year I look into the course work. I've loved more pets than people so I tend to draw them with a greater degree of love...and those dang hooves. I have to study ref photos every time which is so silly because I am constantly picking mud and crud from them. I should know their mechanics like my own feet. But I guess those are hard to draw too. I love the last two lines of your post and have found the same to be true about the illustration community. You are going to do great things in your career *funny - I never knew you were 'new' at this. I always thought you were a seasoned pro* SEE, you are already there and I am thrilled to follow along.

February 12, 2013 at 7:14 AM
Nina Crittenden said...

Melinda, your love for animals is so evident in your work! Thank you kindly, Karen! Seeking balance is something we all strive for every day, I guess. Friends will contact me with questions about their pets from time to time, so I feel like I can still be helpful then, which is nice. Volunteering up at my kids' school helps me feel helpful also. Jenn, I loved working as a tech. I have a worker bee mentality and love to be helpful, so it was a great fit for me. We do have so much in common, it cracks me up! Maybe I am not as "new" as I feel like I am... still learning every day! Lucky to have nice friends like yourselves who inspire and support! xoxo nvc

February 12, 2013 at 8:17 AM

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