I hate my Boss; well not really

I hate my boss, she keeps asking me to do stuff I don’t want to be responsible for.   

Well, that isn’t really the truth.  I have a small part time gig that pays for my framing.  Any artist can tell you that one of the most expensive parts of doing art is mounting so this is a god send.  The gallery where I work, also does art restoration.  At one point, my boss decided that I might be pretty good at it and so she started having me do small projects.  You know how that goes, if you do something well; yep, now I have done bigger ones.  (There was even one on display at a museum that I worked on!) 

Sometimes, she gives me things that I don’t feel like I should be doing.  She will give me a project and say, “Just do your best, I’ll be here if you need me” and off she goes.  I have touched up oil paintings, photographs, original abstracts, prints… and everytime, I am afraid that I will mess it up worse than it came in.  I did one thing where I could see everything I had done but the client was amazed by what was accomplished.  It makes me nervous to be in charge of people’s memories or originals. 

She just waits for me to come find her, I guess she knows better what I can do.  I think we all need that push sometimes.  Not like parents shoving their kids at me demanding I tell their children that they could be professional.  No this is like your boss training you to do something and they know that you can do it.  This isn’t like your immediate family member, this is someone who has trained you and knows you are capable of doing it. 

Really when it comes down to it, I am glad that she pushes me to do things.  After I have done the project and the client leaves with it, I feel like I am getting better and maybe even worthy of her confidence.  Don’t be afraid to stretch yourself into an uncomfortable area, it is a way we build self confidence.  If you see me with a secret smile in the museum, don’t ask; I can’t tell you anyway.