My friend and cartoonist/writer/designer Stephanie Orma wrote an article in the SF Examiner about people who have creative side gigs that their bosses and coworkers don’t know about.
From the article:

"Closet Creatives" - they’re hiding everywhere: the endocrinologist who makes exquisite crafts when she’s not diagnosing patients; the banker who plays foot-stomping, spirit-lifting trombone music when he’s not handling mergers and acquisitions; the pharmacist who writes lyrically, beautiful poetry when she’s not dispensing pills.

I’m mentioned in the article because I’m one of these people. For years, I didn’t tell anyone at my work that I’m a cartoonist. I had a pretty good reason for this. When I was working for another company several years ago, my boss told me, “Your cartooning career makes me question your devotion to this job.” Even though I was reliable and got good reviews, my boss looked at me with suspicion. I think he thought I was going to bolt at any second because of my side gig. Our working relationship wasn't that great.

When I got my current job, I decided to keep the cartooning on the down low. I just didn’t want to be accused of not being serious about my work. Eventually cover was blown. The article explains how. So now a lot of people at my work know I draw cartoons for greeting cards and magazines.

But I haven’t yet told them I also draw cartoon penises and syphilis sores for an anti-syphilis campaign in San Francisco. Baby steps.

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