Love the questions, even though I don’t feel I am an ‘artist’ I don’t paint, draw, potter etc - but perhaps here lies the reason I am not ‘feeling’ like I am feeding anything, especially my soul! Thank you
That may be something to consider, then. What do you think would feed your soul? What feels interesting? Art, craft, writing, cooking/baking...experiment and see where you land!
I love this, Shinjini. 10 years of monetizing every ounce of my creativity in service of my business resulted in feeling like I’d factory-farmed everything beautiful and green into oblivion. I’m sitting with these questions as I re-learn what it feels like to create for the sake of creating.
It’s such an important question, isn’t it Emily? Especially when everything around us tells us that it isn’t enough to create for the sake of creating. Your art business, from the outside, was THE dream, but reading your story exposed the reality and logistics of running a huge business that no one talks about, or blithely glosses over.
I really appreciate this post. I have gotten caught up in the hype that I can make "easeful" money through on-line offerings, plied to me by a lot of people who are asking for A LOT of money from me to supposedly help me pull this off. And yes, the "abundance mindset" is bantered around like it is a magic wand for bringing unlimited $$$ into our bank accounts. I need to unsubscribe from these lists and just let myself play with my art supplies for the sheer joy and nourishment that comes with it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your process.
I have different impulses that compel me to write. The most romantic is when a phrase passes through my mind that sounds beautiful. The most prolific is when I hear a voice outside of myself speaking to me. The most frequent is frustration, straight up fear, or anger. And the most practical is from a research standpoint.
For me, the drive to create is like an internal fire that can't be contained within me. Success, in my eyes, is about the personal satisfaction of bringing an idea to life, the joy of seeing my creations evolve, and the connections I make with others through my work. It's about the journey, not just the destination. I find solace in solitude, in nature's beauty, in the stories of people, and in everyday life's small moments. These experiences replenish my creative spirit.
What depletes it? Often, it's the pressure to conform, to meet external expectations, to be forced to judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.
I have Stockholm Syndrome with Instagram too! Sometimes it’s like feeding a monster and pulls me off course into making things just for likes, instead of making things because they have meaning for me. Thank you for this post!
I really enjoyed this read. It’s hard to reframe the success of your art from the capitalist lens, but I’m working hard to do so. Sometimes I make art for myself - to process the world around me or to self regulate. In those terms making the art is all about the process. The main reason I share my art with others is connection. So I find success in sharing my work when I have comments and feedback from people who resonate with the work.
That makes sense, Sarah. Art is most often about the process for me too, and the urge to share I think stems from a desire to connect. Instagram and my blog used to be lovely for that, until they weren't -- now it's Substack. I'm really enjoying the connection and sharing that is taking place here.
Love the questions, even though I don’t feel I am an ‘artist’ I don’t paint, draw, potter etc - but perhaps here lies the reason I am not ‘feeling’ like I am feeding anything, especially my soul! Thank you
That may be something to consider, then. What do you think would feed your soul? What feels interesting? Art, craft, writing, cooking/baking...experiment and see where you land!
I love this, Shinjini. 10 years of monetizing every ounce of my creativity in service of my business resulted in feeling like I’d factory-farmed everything beautiful and green into oblivion. I’m sitting with these questions as I re-learn what it feels like to create for the sake of creating.
It’s such an important question, isn’t it Emily? Especially when everything around us tells us that it isn’t enough to create for the sake of creating. Your art business, from the outside, was THE dream, but reading your story exposed the reality and logistics of running a huge business that no one talks about, or blithely glosses over.
I really appreciate this post. I have gotten caught up in the hype that I can make "easeful" money through on-line offerings, plied to me by a lot of people who are asking for A LOT of money from me to supposedly help me pull this off. And yes, the "abundance mindset" is bantered around like it is a magic wand for bringing unlimited $$$ into our bank accounts. I need to unsubscribe from these lists and just let myself play with my art supplies for the sheer joy and nourishment that comes with it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your process.
I hear you, Judy. If only our mindset would bring the money rolling in, I’m pretty sure we could eradicate global poverty! 🙄
I have different impulses that compel me to write. The most romantic is when a phrase passes through my mind that sounds beautiful. The most prolific is when I hear a voice outside of myself speaking to me. The most frequent is frustration, straight up fear, or anger. And the most practical is from a research standpoint.
Ah, that romantic phase; I think that makes all the more challenging phases more bearable!
Yes! 🥰 romantic of you to say... 🥀❣️❤️
For me, the drive to create is like an internal fire that can't be contained within me. Success, in my eyes, is about the personal satisfaction of bringing an idea to life, the joy of seeing my creations evolve, and the connections I make with others through my work. It's about the journey, not just the destination. I find solace in solitude, in nature's beauty, in the stories of people, and in everyday life's small moments. These experiences replenish my creative spirit.
What depletes it? Often, it's the pressure to conform, to meet external expectations, to be forced to judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.
That so closely mirrors my own experience, Winston. It really is about the process, the journey, and the connections!
I have Stockholm Syndrome with Instagram too! Sometimes it’s like feeding a monster and pulls me off course into making things just for likes, instead of making things because they have meaning for me. Thank you for this post!
I feel you, Nanette! Feeding the monster sounds just about right!
I really enjoyed this read. It’s hard to reframe the success of your art from the capitalist lens, but I’m working hard to do so. Sometimes I make art for myself - to process the world around me or to self regulate. In those terms making the art is all about the process. The main reason I share my art with others is connection. So I find success in sharing my work when I have comments and feedback from people who resonate with the work.
That makes sense, Sarah. Art is most often about the process for me too, and the urge to share I think stems from a desire to connect. Instagram and my blog used to be lovely for that, until they weren't -- now it's Substack. I'm really enjoying the connection and sharing that is taking place here.