Think of me (short rant with no punctuation)

for years and years I've been seen only as a Fire Dancer
not as a visual performer
or a production designer
costumer
or prop maker
choreographer
or director
or stage manager

even when I stopped fire dancing

I have rarely been seen by my peers as a photographer

even though I have received more grants for photography, published and been included in published work as well as shooting work for advertising and book covers.

or an illustrator
even though I have made literally thousands of drawings some of which have been organized into  books

or animator
or film maker
where I admittedly have some learning to do, but still, it is what I'm in school for

I am more than a Fire Dancer

I work in the visual arts
I always have

I have work that is nearly 30 years old that still holds up as strongly as it did with it's award winning debut.

regardless of what my job is - and I love my job
regardless of writing (which is more about reading - I'd rather think of myself as an essayist and  monologist)

I am also a visual artist