The expiration date on my “one year sabbatical” is a few weeks away. I’m not doing the things I expected to be doing at this time, and honestly, I stopped feeling like this was a “sabbatical” a few months ago. That word implies a return to where I came from, and I know now that I am not going back to that place.
Calling this a ‘sabbatical’ has felt easy - it puts this chapter in a box that’s simple to explain. But I’ve taken a distinct turn: from ”I’m on a one-year break from my corporate career” to “I’ve left my corporate career to become a creative entrepreneur.”
Let It Come To You
During my travels this year, I let myself enjoy each place without pressure to make something bigger of it. I wasn’t searching. I was doing my best to let it come to me (whatever “it” may be).
What came: deep conversations with people from all over the world, making and discovering art, being active - biking, snorkeling, running, hiking. The clarity I had about the joy these things brought came with a question:
What would a life built around these things actually look like?
I started making lists of business ideas (it’s just what I do) and creative projects - and the one thing that never strayed too far from the center of my thoughts was this concept of Art Camp that my aunts and I have played around with for many years.
What is Art Camp?
“Art Camp” is a term my Aunt Betsy - a former art professor and lifelong artist in New York City - coined years ago, for the playfulness and real conversation that shows up when people make art in community. Many times over the years we’ve made art side by side - stopping to see what the other’s working on, commenting, brainstorming, expanding each other’s ideas. Between the music playing on the speaker, the paint hitting canvas, and supplies moving in and out of drawers, she’ll quietly say, “Art Camp!” and we glance at each other with a knowing grin.
I very much envision Art Camp as a physical place one day, and I’m in the early stages of building this (stay tuned!). But Art Camp is also a feeling, it is something that follows me wherever I go.
During my travels, Art Camp took the shape of a travel sketchbook. I’m not a trained artist, but I can frame a scene, observe the lines, perspectives, and shadows - and, with enough patience, which was heightened in my relaxing travel state - I could bring a scene to life with a pen and a few random colored pencils. Beyond the joy of simply creating, I noticed that my sketches prompted questions, comments, and conversations from strangers.
In other words, art connected me to myself, to others, and to my world.
This felt like a thesis for my life, more than a sabbatical takeaway.
What this means for me today is that I’ve turned my energy away from getting back into a corporate role, and pointed all of my energy at dreaming, building, and launching this thesis instead.
Sketchbook Inspiration
I’ve built and launched dozens of software products in the last couple decades as a product leader. A business grounded in human connection and tangible art is new territory for me - and while I unpack that gift, I’m leaning into the connection I felt in my travel sketches. I’m making them available as fine art prints, and helping other artists do the same with their artwork. (more on this soon)
Courage
Throughout this past year, I’ve heard more than anything else from others, that I’m brave. Leaving my job was brave. Traveling solo was brave. Not knee-jerking back to a corporate job is brave. Moving out of my apartment and into another temporary home is brave. And building a business in an area where I have few connections is also brave.
None of this feels like courage to me. It feels like the most natural next thing that needs to happen. It is not easy, and I’m trying to make sure it feels fun along the way. I indeed have moments of panic about “what if this doesn’t work out.” And all I can tell myself when I get into that spiral is that I always make it work out.
My 25-year corporate career gave me so much - financial stability that enables me to “be brave” right now, skills and experience of building and launching products, and a network of supportive colleagues.
Being an Artrepreneur
To do research for building my own Art Camp, and to continue to feed my creative practice, I started applying for artist residencies around the world - places to make art, get outside every day, and work in community with other creative people.
In this process, I built a personal portfolio website (cortneyjacobsen.com), where I struggled to call myself an “Artist” - not because I don’t believe that I am one, but because I am more. I considered “Solopreneur,” the label some independent consultants reach for, but that’s not it either. I want to build with others, not alone.
The term “Artrepreneur” popped into my head, and it is sticking.
I define it as: an artist or creative professional who uses business skills, marketing, and commercial strategies to build a sustainable, self-managed career from their work.
This is what I do. Sketching is my art. Painting and writing and collage are my art. Building businesses and launching and selling products is also my art.
I’m filled with so much hope and conviction about this next chapter and can’t wait to continue to report to you about the building of Art Camp.
Stay tuned here! and Follow @art.camp.world on Instagram for news and updates.
I love it Cortney!!! Thanks for writing! xoxox
I can’t wait to hear more next month Cortney! How exciting!