Rugs, Reality Checks, and the Road to My Dreams
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August 2025
If someone followed you around for a week — every move, every thought — would they believe you’re serious about your goals?
A few weeks ago, my answer would have been a hard no.
Not because I don’t care about my dreams, but because so much of my time was going toward random tasks, survival mode scrambling, and waiting for some magical alignment of stars that never came.
That question shook me. It made me see how much I’d been hoping my dream life would arrive instead of structuring my days to build it.
And then life, in its own wonderfully ironic way, handed me the perfect training ground.
The Job I Didn’t Want (and Somehow Needed)
I recently started working at Khan Gallery — the same space I left months ago, now under new ownership, a new name, and a completely different vision. The owner reached out a few weeks after I left, and after some deep reflection (and a fair amount of stress), I decided to give it a shot.
We had a great conversation. He asked me what I wanted, and after circling around the question for a while, I finally admitted:
“I don’t know what I want.”
It was uncomfortable, but honest. He offered me a role that gives me Friday, Saturday, and Sunday fully free for my art studio — a huge win. That means I can pay my bills without putting crushing pressure on Urban Muse & Sultry Hues to carry all the weight.
The twist? Within days of starting, I learned that the gallery would be merging with… a rug shop. And not just a couple rugs. We’re talking over 3,000 rugs. Plus all the existing art inventory. And guess who’s helping sort, photograph, and document it all? Yep. Me.
Exactly the type of chaotic, inventory-heavy work I swore I wouldn’t do.
Leaning In Anyway
After a good internal pout, I realized something: as much as I wanted to avoid this kind of chaos, the bigger truth is that this job actually does fit. I’ve got a leadership team who’s engaged and moving things forward. I’m in an environment that values building something. And most importantly — it’s giving me the freedom to show up at my studio almost stress-free.
So I made the decision to stop fighting it. I’m here to work. Tell me what you need, and I’ll do it. I don’t have to decide every “who, what, when, where” — I just need to show up and contribute.
Back to the Question
Which brings me back to that spark from earlier:
“If someone’s watching my every move, will they believe I’m serious about my dreams and goals?”
I want the answer to be YES.
I want my actions to match my intentions. I want to structure my life so that anyone looking in can see — without me saying a word — that I’m building toward something I care deeply about.
And maybe that’s the real road to my dreams: not waiting for the perfect conditions, but showing up in the imperfect ones, rugs and all.
Studio Update:
I’ve been working on new pieces, cleaning up my space, and getting ready for the next wave of inspiration. The studio is open Friday through Sunday for visits, conversations, and connection. Come by, see the art, and let’s talk about what we’re building — together.
If you’ve read this far, you’re part of this journey. Thanks for being here.
Let’s keep going. Imperfectly. Honestly. With our eyes wide open to the work.
—
Daniel
Founder & Artist at Urban Muse & Sultry Hues
Bright Art. Bold Hearts.