From Freelance to 3D Studio: Gina's First Convention

When I was 7, I knew I wanted to be an artist. To create things people would want. To give people things they would cherish. When I was 15, I started freelancing. Friends, family, schools, and strangers across the globe, and up & coming companies and online media personas hired me to create everything from logos, character designs for shows, and cover art for books and more. When I was 21, I picked up some clay at the store and decided "How hard could it be..." and started selling commissions making hand painted sculptures. Every time I handed my work over to someone and I saw how they not only enjoyed but were surprised by my work, I felt something bigger than joy. I felt a belonging. I connected with those people.

Now I'm 30, and after 15 years of building a freelancing career from the ground up all while trying to balance impossible bills and school loan payments working part time; I'm ready to take the next step. For the past few years, I've been doing endless research on how to turn my freelancing business into a 3D design studio. How to go from selling commission of sculptures to selling my own line of toys. The opportunity has presented itself but I need support to get the last push I need. I have everything most of what I need on my end: most of the materials and all of the skills and research to make appealing and dynamic designer toys. What I need help with is some fibal materials, some help getting into the space, and the polish to give my work a more official and professional presentation.

$950 is what I need to get me there. Every cent towards that goal gets me that much closer to joining in on Collected Con, Chicago's largest designer toy convention of the year, without hindering my ability to move apartments and keep up with my monthly finances (and plan for my wedding next year!). This would go towards the cost of the event itself, as well as odds and ends materials like a new air compressor for my airbrush to help streamline my painting process, and a table sign to stand out from the other tables. The deadline to sign up for this event is July 9th. If you can help at all, it would mean the world to me. I've been working and studying for 15 years to take my next step. Help me get that final push to take another leap forward.

- Gina (Known online as PizzaLacroy)