I was recently asked to present to a group of artists on the topic of ‘confidence.’ I led with the statement that ‘Confidence doesn’t exist. It comes and goes. Quit chasing it.’ Well, I ruffled some feathers. Someone immediately posted in the chat ‘confidence most definitely does exist!’ – Does it? How do you know? […]
The Myth of Creativity as a Solo Pursuit
Do you work alone? Do you hide away in your studio or your office trying to be ‘creative’? Are you possessive of your ideas or afraid to let others know what you are working on? You might be doing a disservice to your creativity. Here’s a take on the subject from Chris Bilton in the […]
The shocking secret buried within…
Here’s the thing: you are capable of so much more than you realise. Yes. Even you. Chances are you aren’t even scratching the surface of your potential. Now I’m not saying this to make you feel bad – quite the opposite – I’m saying this to get you excited! I want you to bubble with […]
Are you Frustrated by Obstacles? Be like Water.
Are you meeting resistance? Feel like you’re hitting your head against the wall? It happens to everyone. You set a goal, you come up with a plan and then you start to work the steps. And you meet with resistance each step of the way. What to do? Wail? Nash your teeth? Bitch to […]
Interview with Theatre Artist Michelle Nicole Matlock
It’s a real pleasure for me to introduce you to Michelle Nicole Matlock. Michelle is an actor and theatre artist that I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with through the internet. Michelle is currently touring with Cirque du Soleil in a role that she created in one of their ground breaking shows; but she also […]
Idols, Mentors, Colleagues and Fans – Build a Team in 2015
I have two professional colleagues who are always talking about ‘their team.’ How ‘their team’ advises they do this, or ‘their team’ has plans to do this, etc. Every time I hear it I experience a pang of jealousy. I don’t have a team. It’s me. My computer. My ‘cup of joe.’ And that’s it. […]
Ethan Hawke, Creative Sustainability, and Taking the Long View
You know that old yarn about how ‘life is a marathon not a sprint?’ The same holds true for sustainable creative careers. Days, weeks, months and even a year are tiny markers. You might have good weeks and bad weeks. You might have a year where you do nothing creative. This doesn’t really matter. It’s […]
Sustainability: How taking time off can HELP your creative practice
One really hard lesson that I am trying to learn (rather unsuccessfully) is about sustainability and pacing. You see part of sustainable creativity is how do you pace yourself to avoid burnout. Sustainability and habits (especially bad ones) I have got into really bad habits of working seven days per week. This means that I don’t […]
Increase your productivity (it’s all about deadlines)
The thing about being a creative is that it’s about actually finishing things. Your productivity is directly related to how much you finish. Puttering about, experimenting, learning your craft, testing out ideas – these are all really important for developing your craft, but if you want to start to make a business out of your […]
Sustainable Creativity
I’ve spent the last year studying for an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship through the University of East Anglia. This has been a great opportunity to step outside of my regular realm and delve into the business side of my creative pursuits. I have learned an enormous amount, which I hope to both incorporate into my […]