“Honest poverty is a gem that even a King might call his own, but I wish to sell out.”  Mark Twain

A bright young artist I met on the beach yesterday was concerned about “selling out”.

She’s fortunate enough to get commissioned work from local buyers in her her community, but the subject matter that some of her clients ask her to paint worries her.

I was impressed when she told me that she quit her job waiting tables so that she could paint full-time.

She took a loan to get her business started and she’s taking the leap into being a full-time artist.

That kind of committment is what leads to success.  I have no doubt she’ll go far, as she works to figure out the rest of pieces of the puzzle.  She had a lot of questions.

“Am I selling out when I paint what they ask for?”  She was taking her career as an artist very seriously, and didn’t want to make big mistakes that might hurt her future.

Every now and again the Big Sell Out Question emerges, and I’ve written about it before, on a different topic, as well as on the question of Should an Artist be Paid for their Work?

She mentioned that a lot of people wanted her to paint dogs and particular landscapes and other subject matter that she isn’t drawn to.

I pointed out that many people paint dogs and love it, because pets are their passion; but she said that’s just not for her.

I asked her what she is drawn to, what would be her preference to paint.  She said she’s working on finding her niche and her own style.

The one thing she’s sure of is this:  her passion is painting, and she’s good at it, and that’s why she has no problem getting commissions.

In the hot South Carolina sun, sand blowing in the wind, we talked about what it means to “sell out.”

Selling out is not what a lot of people think it is.

Selling out is when you agree to do something that goes against your personal values, just for money.  For every single person, selling out is different.  We all have very different personal values.

For example: a person who doesn’t believe in drinking alcohol would be selling out if they accepted a commission from a liquor company.  A person who abbhors corporate America is selling out when they accept a large grant that’s funded by Microsoft.

Painting subject matter that isn’t your favorite isn’t necessarilly selling out.  I look at it like this:

An emerging artist, still working out their niche and their style, will benefit from the opportunity to paint in different styles, mediums and subject matter.

They may be asked to paint something they normally wouldn’t, only to discover a spark of energy, one that wakes up a part of them, and through that exercise they discover something that they love!

Experimenting can open an entire new world of possibilities for an artist.  And at the same time, you don’t have to go back to that old job that doesn’t do anything for your art career.

Waiting tables vs. Painting dogs:  At least with painting dogs (or any subject that’s not your favorite), you’re getting time in the studio, practicing dealing with clients, learning the business, working with colors, getting paint on your hands.  Waiting tables contributes little to your art career.

So what do you think?  Should an emerging artist abstain from painting what she isn’t drawn to?  Is it selling out?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Maria xxoo

Pin-up girl image above courtesy of http://www.zazzle.com/pinuppro

PS:  I’m on vacation here in South Carolina, beaching it every day, and writing a book that will help artists with art licensing contract langauge.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress!

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Screen Shot from The Paint Shop Episode 2

“I hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I can’t stop eating peanuts.”  Orson Wells

Usually I write articles that are helpful to the creative and the self-employed.  This time, though, I’m going to share with you my latest project, The Paint Shop TV Show.

I came up with this crazy idea for a tv show based on the happenings in and around the studio of my husband, Drew Brophy.  He was not excited about it at first.

I distinctly remember Drew saying:

“I don’t want to be on tv and look like a goon!” or something like that.

But, he’s a smart man, and he eventually gave into me and agreed to give it whirl.

It’s ironic that we have been without television for six or seven years.  I just got tired of the tv being on all the time, so I cancelled our cable.   Our son has grown up without it, which I admit is very strange.

But, I understand the power of media.  And so I pursued the making of The Paint Shop.

It was about three and a half years ago when we first started working on the production of this show.  We knew nothing about producing a show, so we felt it was best to team up with someone who did.

We found producer/director Brian ILL, who was a big fan of Drew’s, and the three of us formed a plan for The Paint Shop.  Brian had a lot of experience from working on The Discovery Channel, and he was a work-aholic like we are – so it was a perfect match.

When our show first hit the airwaves, it was surreal. Drew and Dylan and I had to go to a friend’s house to watch it on the night it premiered.

Recently Brian and I were talking about how amazing it is that we got this far. Then Brian said to me,

“Do you realize that most people are not crazy enough to work this hard to do this?!”

Looking back at all the sweat and tears (and money) it took for us to make this show a reality, I had to agree. But it was all worth it.

The show has evolved quite a bit over the years, and now that we are on air, I see so much that could be improved on it!  I am my own worst critic – however, it’s what keeps me wanting to get better and better with each episode.

You can see a big improvement in watch-ability from Episode 1 to 2 and then from 2 to 3 in the quality of production.  We just keep getting better.

I am very proud to say that we air in 4.2 million households in California and Arizona!

Above is a link to Episode 3, which is in full HD on Vimeo.  I hope you’ll watch it, and if you have a Vimeo account, leave us a comment!

Maria

PS:  Visit The Paint Shop Facebook Page and Like it if you like it!Similar Posts:

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“ART IS WHAT YOU CALL

the thing an artist does.

It’s not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it.

What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.

Art is not in the eye of the beholder.  It’s in the soul of the artist.”

Seth Godin, Author of THE LINCHPIN Are you Indispensable? and a dozen other best-sellers.

I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s blog and books for awhile and so I was quite happy to meet him in person last year.  I asked him to sign THE LINCHPIN, his latest book release, to Drew for me.

When he signed it, I realized just how brilliant he really is; he wrote:

“To Drew, listen to what Maria says.”  He’s incredibly insightful.

I’ve reprinted Seth’s blog post above because it speaks to me LOUD & CLEAR.

There are so many important projects that I want to complete – write books, e-book series, teach classes, speak at colleges, produce my own tv show, etc.

And it’s scary because I’m going to suck at it the first time I do anything.  It’s hard.  And who the hell am I to think that I can do big, important things?!

I just got my own tv show on the air, and you would think I’d be over the moon happy.

But I worry that it’s just not wonderful and perfect. It needs to be sharper, move faster,  suck the audience in a like Dyson Vacuum Cleaner.

And I’m scared that “they’re all gonna laugh at me!”

I keep reminding myself, though – this tv show is my art.  I can’t draw or paint.  But I create in my own God-given ways.

And the only way to get good at anything is to keep doing it.  Each episode will be better than the one before.

I need to continue creating my own kind of “art”.

Get past the voices in my head that say “you’re not good enough.”  And “people will criticize.”

Seth Godin’s writing’s drill this point over and over again.

One day he’ll brainwash me just enough that I’ll stop giving into what he calls “the resistance” and continue to do what he encourages: “shipping”.

And I encourage all of you, too:

Kill the resistance.  Create your own form of art.  Ignore the voices of doubt.  And put your art out into the world.

Tell me, in the comments below, what is the resistance holding you back from?  What big project or dream have you not yet started, for fear of not being perfect at it?  Let us help break the walls down for you….

Maria xxoo

PS:  Click on Seth’s Head Above and you’ll be taken to his blog.  Sign up for his daily bits of wisdom.  It’s a great read first thing each morning!

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Let’s say you had a baby.

Congratulations!  Your baby is the best human ever!

You love your baby. You celebrate as it starts to crawl. You delight in this baby’s every new adventure.

Then, one day, the baby stands up on her own. “Yaaaaay!” you cheer.  You think, “Wow. She’s gonna learn how to walk. Isn’t that great?”

One evening, your perfect child stands up again. She braces herself on the coffee table. Your partner grabs the movie camera. You call your parents in Idaho so they can listen to the play-by-play.

Your child lurches forward.  Then, CLUNK. She falls onto her butt on the carpet.

“Awwwww,” you say.  ”Dang,” your partner says.

“Well, I guess that’s it. This one just wasn’t cut out for walking,” your parents say from their home in Boise.  ”Oh well,” you say. “It just wasn’t meant to be. Bummer.”

You hang up the phone. You turn off the camera.  Tomorrow you’ll begin the search for a bigger stroller because your kid’s obviously gonna have to get through life on wheels.

Get the idea?

And yet, how many of us are already acting like this with our plans for the coming year or with our own new beginnings?

Your project, your dream, or your goal is your baby.  If we all gave up on our kids as much as we give up on ourselves, then we’d have a race of humans with big calluses on their knees!

The Best Way to Create Anything: Baby Steps

Every big project or goal can be broken down into baby steps. Little lurches forward. Sometimes they’re clumsy. Sometimes they don’t even seem to make an impact. But this is how anything gets done.

• Years and years of built up clutter get sorted and thrown away one drawer at a time. (Plan for 30-minutes a day in one zone of the house – not “Get rid of clutter.”)
• Years and years of reckless eating and unhealthy habits get shifted one work-out at a time. (Plan a 45-minute work-out 5 days a week, and a once a month visit to an acupuncturist for a year – not “Lose 50 pounds by June.”)
• A song gets written in fits and starts. Hour by hour. Moment by moment. A flash of an idea. Then an edit. (Schedule in an hour of writing time in the morning. Start with scales to warm up. Not “Write Lots of Songs.”)
• A coach builds her practice one client at a time. (Schedule a daily system for authentic marketing. Not “Get 50 new clients by March.”)

That’s how it works.

Stinks, doesn’t it?

Actually, no.

This is the good news that no one ever tells you.

When you get this concept, you’ll never be afraid of failure again. When you learn how to break a goal down into baby steps, and how to complete something fantastic using this method, then you have the key to doing anything.

When you understand that everyone falls down and gets back up again (some of us on an hourly basis!), then you need only to trust in your strength to get back up again.

The only block is your ego.

Your ego wants it to be done now. Your ego wants to move through life risk-free, foolish-free, discouragement-free, mistake-free, tired-free. And the best way to trick your ego (and yourself) into letting go a little bit is to take baby steps.

I’m in the middle of coaching people in my Uplevel Your Business Program & Blueprint. These entrepreneurs are the most courageous clients I can imagine having. That’s because they are taking the biggest risk of all. They are taking Baby Steps!

Baby steps take courage. Baby steps are a huge risk to your ego because they are so easy. SO easy! The ego wants big deals, major accomplishments, huge weight-loss, and fast results. In other words, the ego likes adjectives, not nouns. Those adjectives guarantee that you’ll stay stuck and never try anything new. Over time you’ll get that deals, accomplishments, weight-loss, and results feel pretty good — even without adjectives.

Now, try this:

Take a goal you want to accomplish by the end of this year, and ask yourself, “What is one baby step could I take every day to complete this goal?” And then (and this is the big challenge) get out your calendar and schedule it in there daily for the rest of 2010.

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World.   She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success.  Her weekly Live Creative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? Visit Christine’s blog at ChristineKane.com/blog.

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Starting big projects is so much easier than finishing them.

In the beginning, we are excited at the idea of creating something that others will love and enjoy.

The excitement comes from visualizing what the finished project will look like, how it will affect others, and ourselves.

We begin with vigor and energy! And at first, it flows out of us like running water.  We are energized by the thought of “what can be”.

Then, partway through, it’s gets hard.  The excitement turns to sheer grunt work of getting it done. We have trouble staying focused and hit a wall.  For me, it’s the halfway mark when my editor mind kicks in and kills my creative side.

I’m having trouble finishing two big projects, and it’s making me crazy.  One is a guidebook for artists that I’m partway through.   The other is a free e-book meant for everyone who signs up for my blog posts.

In striving for perfection, I’m stalling. I want my books to be perfect, like Martha Stewart’s peach pie.  But I’ll never get even close to perfection if I don’t finish what I started.  After all, Martha’s peach pie probably wasn’t perfect the first 5 times she baked them.  It was the 6th or 10th that was the winner.  But she had to finish and taste and share the first ones before she could find her perfect recipe.

I had a symbolic dream last night that made sense of this dilemma.

The dream was vivid and lifelike.  I found a horse, and it became my first ever real pet.  (I’ve never been an animal person.)

In my dream I thought to myself  “This is my first pet – I never thought I’d have one” and I marveled at the immense beauty and strength of this large animal.  I was also very scared of it’s power.

At first I was afraid to get on the horse.  It was so much bigger than me.  I hesitated and questioned what I was doing.  Then my feelings of fear slowly transformed to excitement and exhilaration as  I got on the horse and rode it.  It was shaky at first, but then I gained confidence and grew to LOVE it.

Now that I’m awake, I have to ask myself, what was that horse a symbol of?

• My book project?
• My blog project?
• My life?

Or was it just a horse?

Now a question for you: What big project are you putting off because it’s big and scary and maybe you want it to be just perfect?  And would it be better to finish it less than perfect, or never at all?

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Anza Borrego Desert in Bloom

“Writing a novel is like making love, but it’s also like having a tooth pulled.  Pleasure and pain.  Sometimes it’s like making love while having a tooth pulled.”  Dean Koontz

Nothing exceptional ever got completed without sacrifice.  Books can change the world and the people who write them deserve a medal – because it’s just hard.

It’s comforting to know that even the most gifted authors of our time had poured blood, sweat and tears into their masterpieces.

Then broke and single mom, J.K. Rowling, wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in coffee shops while her baby girl slept.  From beginning to end, it took five years.  She typed it on an old manual typewriter, which required her to re-type any page in which she made changes.  Once it was finished, she had to re-type the entire manuscript, because she realized that it needed to be double spaced!  After twelve rejections from publishers, she finally got her book accepted through Bloomsbury, a small publishing house in London.  And the rest is history – she is now the twelfth wealthiest woman in England, thanks to her Harry Potter Series of books.

My alarm went off at 5:00 a.m. this morning.  I want to finish the non-fiction book I’m writing for artists, and waking up before the rest of the world is the way.  I have to be at the office by 9:00, and in between get my son off to school.  Besides weekends, the crack between darkness and dawn is my only time to write, and if I oversleep, I’ve missed my window of opportunity.

There are many stories about authors who wrote books in the 20 minutes before going to work in the morning, or in the late hours of the night while their families slept. These are the success stories that inspire me to keep going – if they could do it, then so can I.

Harsh sacrifices are required to write a book. Just last week I had a nervous breakdown when my husband dared to suggest that we have fun camping in the Anza Borrego Desert for the weekend.

“But I was planning to work on my book!”  I complained.  I was already frustrated at how far behind I was on the progress.  Just thinking about it makes my chest constrict.  If I don’t get this book finished, I’ll hate myself. I’ll feel like a quitter, a failure.

And at the same time, it is just so hard to make the time to get the work done.  I run a business full-time, I’m a mom and I like to exercise.  Writing a book means a lot of important stuff has to give. And all of it is important.

My husband was a little irritated with me.  “But you need a break.  We should do something adventurous this weekend.”  He likes to do fun things and he manages to always make time for it.  He’s tired of me holing myself up in the house writing every weekend, and I don’t blame him.

I started to well up with tears, something I do when I feel helpless.  I wonder if I’m being a bad mom and a boring wife.  But I don’t want to be a failure!  I’m stuck in between the driving desire to create something great and the maternal need to spend time with my kid before he grows up.

And that is the dilemma that every writer faces.  You just can’t do it all.  Something has to give.

Since I started this project eight months ago, I hardly cook anymore and the house is never cleaned unless my darling husband does it.  I snap at my son if he dares to ask me a question while I’m writing.  And then I feel horribly guilty.

Writing a book has many overwhelming requirements:

• You need to invest large chunks of time, consistently, sometimes for years
• You have to practice extreme focus and commitment
• Organization and Efficiency is necessary
• You’ll sacrifice time with family and friends, and your family may resent you for it

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.  And the “hard” is why it’s such a big deal to pull it off.

I keep thinking about the line of Jimmy Dugan in the movie A League of Their Own, where he’s telling the top player in the league why she shouldn’t quit:

“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great. “

I feel that my book is very important and can help a lot of artists.  I also see it as another stream of income, you know, where I can actually get paid for my writing!

Eight months ago I started the outline for this guidebook for creative people that will show them how to actually make money doing what they love.  It was pouring out of me in the beginning.  And then life got in the way…

My in-laws came for a visit which was distracting enough for me to put the book down for two weeks.  And then, just when I was hitting my writing stride again, we took a three week trip across country.  I lost all momentum for a few months after that.

When I saw that I wasn’t getting as far with my book as I’d like, I hired a writing coach to help move things along.  Katie has been helpful in keeping me on track, and sobering.  She taught me that if you plan to get your book published, before you even finish writing it you need to get your proposal nailed down.

The book proposal is more work than the actual book itself.  That’s because a proposal requires you to follow guidelines and do research and actually read competing books.  In short, you have to do a lot of things you don’t really feel like doing.  But they are necessary.

Seth Godin has written twelve books since 1999.  He must have a housekeeper and I wonder if he has any children…  I know one thing he does have: the ability to focus on a project and get it done.  I envy that gift.

Sculptures in the Desert

My hubby convinced me to go to the Desert this weekend after all.  I didn’t bring any writing materials and we had a great adventure seeing sculptures in the Desert, visiting the dead fish on the shores of the Salton Sea and seeing the once-a-year wildflowers on the cacti in the blooming desert!  Yes, this is our idea of a good time.

On the drive home, I was feeling peaceful but mentioned that I’m still trying to figure out how to write this book while juggling all of my other commitments.

My husband leaned over and lovingly patted my hand.  He reassured me that I’m going to get it done, and reminded me of this simple truth, “You aren’t doing anything wrong.  It’s just hard.”

And he’s right.  I’m not scared of a little hard work.  I’m more excited at the thought of getting this idea into written form.  And that’s just what I’ll do.  Every morning at 5:00 a.m.!

Maria xxoo

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"Walters Wave" Mixed Media on Wood by Drew Brophy

I’m very excited – this week we’ll get our first copies of a new book that my husband, Drew, and I created.  (Truth:  It’s mostly Drew.  I just put the deal together and wrote a few things.  But I’m proud to now be able to say that I”m a published author.)

We were fortunate to get a book deal with one of the largest art book publishing companies in the United States, Walter Foster Publishing.

The book is called HOW TO DRAW WITH DREW BROPHY and it is a fun, slightly edgy book for creative kids and teens.

It’s a 48-page paperback sized 9″ x 12″.

It shows kids how to draw beach scenes and surf elements as well as flames and skulls (friendly skulls).   There are bonus pages in the back that show a kid how to paint their own skateboard and surfboard as well.  And that’s what makes it really cool, I think.

Artist friends have been calling all week to congratulate us.  And they are asking “how’d you do it?” and following up with “why didn’t I think of that?!”

The quick answer is – we filled a need. There’s a really long answer, too, and I”ll get to that.  But first, about the need.

It’s hard to please young kids these days.  After age 7, Sponge Bob and Spiderman are just not cool anymore.  And parents aren’t going to buy their 10 year old a tattoo-oriented book or something considered completely inappropriate.  Our book has cool stuff that boys and girls will love, but it’s not so edgy that parents won’t approve. It’s a fine line, walking that tight rope.  But we pulled it off.  The sales numbers will tell in the end.  (I’ll keep you posted.)

HOW WE GOT OUR BOOK DEAL:

It really helps to focus your efforts in a small niche.  Drew is known as one of the top surf artists in the world, and he’s known globally for his surfboard paintings.  He also creates artwork for cool stuff like skateboards and skimboards.  That gave him a lot of credibility to be able to create a “HOW TO” book that kids would actually want to be seen reading.  (It doesn’t hurt that Drew has the guts to surf humongous waves in some of the most challenging, death defying surf spots in the world.  In the action sports world, risking your life, for some reason, gains a lot of respect.)

We met our contact, Rebecca, of Walter Foster in 2007 at the License Show in New York.  We had an exhibit booth there, and it was good for us because that year we met a lot of people that we eventually did licensing deals with.

It took another year before we actually signed a licensing agreement with Walter Foster.  And we were new to how these things worked (Drew had only one other children’s book deal before, but it was a small company and was handled very casually).

The process for creating the book took about a year.  After that, the final approved copy was sent to China for reproduction last November.  All in all, it took about 2 years from start to finish.

Drew created all new artwork for the book.  He started with a sketch for a painting, and broke the elements out individually to demonstrate in the book how to draw each one.  In the end, he took all the elements together into one big sketch and created a large painting he affectionately named “Walter’s Wave.”  There were also other elements, including skulls and flying flames and lettering that were sketched out separate from the Walter’s Wave artwork.  We wanted to create something truly interesting to kids, fresh art that you won’t easily find.

The book also has a section that talks about Drew’s history as an artist.  Luckily, we had many great photos of Drew taken from past projects over the years, and so these photos were used in the “About Drew” and other sections of the book.  (This is why I say it’s so important for Artist’s to Shoot Themselves.)

Great photographers like Michael R. Foley, Jason Wallis, Darin Crawford and Aaron Bickford contributed to the book with their photos of Drew at work or surfing.

I can’t believe that it’s been since 2007 that we first starting talking about doing this book.  The time actually went quick, and now that it’s here, we are already planning our next one.

It’s an honor to have a book published by Walter Foster, and I’m thankful to Drew that I was able to be considered one of the authors.  (Those who know me well know that I’m a shameless opportunist!)

Paving the Way for Niche Books: My surf artist friend, Ron Croci, pointed out that if this book sells well, it will open the door to other “niche” books like it.  Companies are cautious about putting money into niches like surf, skate, lowbrow, or anything that’s considered “underground” or alternative.  Drew and I are hoping that this book flies off of the shelves and as a result, publishing companies will be more willing to hit the alternative art markets.

We’ve set up some book signings and events.  Our first will be right here in our home town in San Clemente on  MARCH 27th.  We will have an exhibit set up with the original artworks that are in the book, including the “Walter’s Wave” painting, a painted Lost Surfboard and a painted Skateboard.  We’ll be in Cocoa, Florida on April 17 & 18, and in San Mateo, CA, at the MakerFaire on May 22 & 23rd.

If you are interested in getting a copy of the book, it’s only $8.95 and you can buy it here.

Or, even better, Drew and I came up with a great HOW TO DRAW GIFT PACK for only $29.95.  The gift pack includes: One book, one 11″ x 14″ print of “Walter’s Wave”, a bookmark, a 9″ x 12″ drawing pad and a pencil!

Order your HOW TO DRAW gift pack HERE.

If you order by April 1, the book will be signed by both Drew and myself.

For those of you looking to get a book deal of your own, I would recommend that you put yourself out there and network. I find that most of my deals come from networking more than anything else. It’s all about meeting people, forming relationships, and continuing to nurture them.

If you buy the book, please feel free to give me some feedback on it.  I’d love to hear any and all, positive and negative.  It’ll help us do an even better job on the next one!

Life is Good!  Maria xxooSimilar Posts:

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I’m careful not to use foul language or to write about my fabulous sex life.  I strive to maintain a professional image and at the same time I yearn to interject some real personality into my posts.

But it’s a walk on a tight wire, and I’ve got two left feet.

My first magazine article has been published in the new issue of Stand Up Paddle Magazine.  Even though writing for magazines was never a dream or even an interest of mine, when the opportunity came up to write it I excitedly said “sure!”

At the time this came up, my creative floodgates were free-flowing.  I had just returned all blissed-out from a writer’s meditation retreat and ideas and words poured out of me like a freaky, broken spigot.  It was beautiful and exhilarating and frenzied all at the same time.

My husband set it up with the editor of the magazine, because he wanted to share our experience of Paddleboarding in New Zealand and Samoa.  He and I collaborated on the story, but since I’m the writer in the family, it was my job to write it.  And that’s where the difficulty began.

All of a sudden I had guidelines to follow.  The article had to demonstrate the ease of paddleboarding abroad, the family aspect to the sport and the exciting lifestyle.  It had to appeal to the readership of the magazine.  The writing had to appeal to my significant other.

Seems easy enough, except…it had to be good.

Normally I don’t have to write for anyone other than my own business, and for you, my dear readers.  When I write for you, the only restrictions I have are my own self-imposed ones.  And if you don’t like my writing, well, you haven’t told me.  It’s not like WordPress is going to shut down my blog if they don’t like my content.

Writing for a magazine made me realize just how hard it is to write when you are trying to please an editor.  It doesn’t flow.  The words get stuck somewhere between your heart and your throat and don’t seem to travel to your fingertips.

Paddling in Samoa

I caught myself being overly careful to write safe stuff that’s guaranteed to not be rejected.  BORING!  Playing it safe killed my creativity.  I was holding back on so much inner emotion and reality that I felt constipated!

I gained a whole new respect for all of the artists I know out there, especially my artist husband, Drew.  He’s been earning a living by painting for different clients for years.  Now I get how sometimes he feels so frustrated.  You want people to love your work. And they might not.  It’s stifling trying to please others with your art.

The first draft of my short article took about two hours to choke out.  I read it to Drew.  He didn’t like it, and wasn’t shy about telling me.

“Well, fine then.  I’ll just spend all day re-writing it!”  I said snottily.  Frustrated and confused, I started over.  I couldn’t understand why, just days before, I could have easily squeezed out a novel, no problem.  Now I had trouble putting down a coherent word about my own vacation story!

Eventually, through sheer force, I finished my tenth re-write, got Drew’s thumbs-up and submitted it.  I wasn’t in love with it.  I wasn’t even sure that I liked it.  But at some point I had to consider it done, because I couldn’t spend another minute writing it.

The feelings of inadequacy shrouded me like a smelly blanket.  I said all those things that your monkey brain tells you when you question your abilities, like “you can’t write” “the editor’s going to hate it” “who the hell do you think you are?”  ”You suck. Go back to selling insurance!”

But I have this rule for myself that says that I’m only allowed to feel bad about myself for about ten minutes. That’s it.  Then I force myself to shake off those negative feelings and move on.

My boys in New Zealand

A couple of months later the issue with my article came out.  I was a little scared that the editor would hate my article so much that he’d changed it.   Surprisingly, he didn’t touch a word.

And as I read through it, I realized it wasn’t so bad.  As a matter of fact, I think I like it.  And the best part is that he used many of the photos we took on that trip to New Zealand and Samoa.

I have to admit, reading my name in print in a beautiful, full color magazine was a thrill.  It gives my mother bragging rights and it makes me want to try writing for another magazine again.

Only next time, I’m not playing it f#&ing safe.

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Below is the article.  And the cute girl in the big photo?  She’s someone I met in Samoa and I let her use my paddleboard.  Drew took the photo.  I wish I could remember her name…

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• Focus on Desire Not Fear – Jump on that Horse
• Disregard Obstacles and Break on Through to the Other Side Part II
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Are you an artist?
Does your spirit soar
Like an eagle in the sky?
Do you often wonder why
The sky is blue?
Well, me too.

Are you an artist?
Do you get bored easily
By trivial, mundane things?
Are you a wandering being?

Are you an artist?
Do you sing in the shower?
Oh, the horror of your voice,
Although, you secretly rejoice!

Are you an artist?
Do you feel like
Dancing for no reason?
Or maybe just to celebrate
The changing of the seasons?

Are you an artist?
Do you kiss adorable toddlers,
Cute cheek to sweet cheek?
Do you like to meet perfect
Strangers at odd hours?
Do you love
The smell of tender flowers?

Are you an artist?
Do you like to luxuriate
On a sandy beach?
Would you rather stay away
From those who preach?

Are you an artist?
Do you frequently lose your keys?
How about shooting the breeze?

Are you an artist?
Do people around you
Complain that you are odd?
“Well, go take a hike, Todd.”

Are you an artist?
Do you gaze longingly into the unknown?
How about a date with Sharon Stone?

Are you an artist?
Does “Investment Banking”
Sound too lame?
Why, you are not
Even in that game.

Are you an artist?
Do your feet
Dance to the beat
Of the Rhythm and Blues?
Well, put on your dancing shoes!

Are you  an artist?
Do you catch yourself
Saying things like:
Groovy, babe, rock on, dig it, chick and man?
Did you secretly enjoy watching
“The Silence of the Lambs?”

Are you an artist?
Do you think tattoos are cool?
Are you good at breaking rules?

Are you an artist?
Do you fantasize and
Build castles in the air?
Why, even if people stare you down?
Who cares if they put on a frown?

Are you an artist?
Are you obsessed about
Shades, colors and lights?
Do you love to fly kites?
Do you travel very light?

Are you an artist?
Were you the class clown
Who made people laugh?
Did you suck at math?

Are you an artist?
Do you often dream about
Making this world a better place?
And want to achieve that
By demonstrating aesthetic grace?

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Archan Mehta is a freelance writer, meditator, an outdoor enthusiast, who dreams about waking up at the crack of dawn and starting a blog. Feel free to contact Archan at archanm@hotmail.com at your own convenience.  (And be sure to encourage Archan to start that blog, because we want to read more!)Similar Posts:

• Create Every Day – A Guest Post from Aileen Holmes
• What You Do is Your Art
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This is a guest post written by artist Aileen Holmes.  Artwork to the left is one of Aileen’s creations.

As artists, many of us dream of creating large masterpieces and gloriously large scale works.

This is a beautiful and wonderful goal to have, but large dreams can also be a burden.

We question ourselves… “Why haven’t I done this already?”   Or we procrastinate and the empty canvas haunts our days.

Try looking at creativity as a practice and infuse creativity into everyday life.

Creativity is a muscle that needs to be worked out.

Masterpieces don’t spring out of nowhere (well, sometimes but not often!).  Creativity is a lifestyle – It needs to exist in every day life to grow and thrive.

There are simple ways you can exercise your creative muscles:

1.  Carry a small sketchbook and a camera: Capture what catches your eye.  The more you train your eye to look for creative inspiration, the more you will find.

2.   Catalog your inspiration: Whenever I get a new magazine, I go through it and tear out whatever is intriguing.  I tear out poses that I’d like to draw or paint later.   A reservoir of inspiration becomes a resource to turn to over and over again.

3.  Challenge how you approach every day activities: One exercise I like to do is choose a random article of clothing and try to build an all new outfit around it.  Pick a neglected sweater or funky scarf and coordinate a fun look!  When you force yourself to break out of dressing automatically, you learn to look at color and shapes a new way.

4.  Experiment with a new ingredient: Adding spice to your life, whether it’s a new cuisine or learning salsa dancing will open up new avenues of expression.  I like to dig in the back of my spice cabinet and invent a new recipe.  By adding Kahlua to my horchata and adding a pinch of cinnamon, I invented a drink I like to call a “Mexican Russian!”

Opening your eyes to possibilities, collecting inspiration, challenging your viewpoint and experimenting are all ways to work your creative muscles.

When you approach all aspects of life creatively, you Create Every Day.  The more you infuse creativity into every day life, the easier it will be to create your great masterpiece!

Aileen Holmes

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Aileen Holmes is an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer inspired by vintage fashion.  Her art is feminine, fun, and flirty!  Her blog is fun to follow – here’s the link.

The CREATE EVERYDAY artwork shown on this page is available as a print and proceeds go directly to The American Red Cross to help Haiti.  I bought mine by clicking here.  When I get it, I’ll hang it in my office to remind me daily to Create!

Maria xxooSimilar Posts:

• HOW TO CREATE ANYTHING Even when you’re scared, inexperienced and don’t believe in yourself
• How Meditation Helps the Creative Process
• Focus on Desire Not Fear – Jump on that Horse