In November of 2019 I left an 11-year career in law enforcement to pursue my passion and expand my prop-making activities at Mynock’s Den. To leave a life of financial stability and guaranteed paycheque/benefits/pension, and subject oneself to the fickle whims of the Muse as an artist is not for the faint of heart. It was the most difficult decision of my life, but I felt I needed a change, and my intuition told me this was the right move. With the blessings, support, and encouragement of my loving wife, I stepped away from a career that taught me discipline, responsibility, but most importantly, enabled me to do what I love both financially and by way of a great schedule. Despite my decision to leave, I’ll forever be grateful for having had the opportunity and privilege to be a part of that career path for almost a third of my life.
Part of the decision to leave my job had to do with the Recon helmet design, which I created and made available for sale as a resin kit through my Etsy shop in early fall of 2019. The overwhelmingly positive response from the cosplay community made me become the busiest I’d ever been as a prop-maker. I took this for a sign that maybe it was time to reorient myself, and set my life along a trajectory that was better suited to my nature.
As I write this in late 2023, I believe that leaving my professional career was one of the best decisions of my life, and the White Recon - my very first casting from the very first silicone mold - sitting quietly atop a living room shelf, continues to remind me of how one idea can change your life.
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