Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/resolution
Do you make a creative (or non-creative) New Year's Resolution every year?
Do you keep up with it? Or do you fail?
Don't worry, we all fail.
In this episode, Youngman talks about why year-long goals are an amazing way to change your creative habits for the better and can completely alter your mindset.
But a year is a long time. Too long for most of us. We are already eagerly awaiting December 31st after only a few weeks, and the end of the year seems so far away that we get demotivated and quit.
We try it every year, and fail every year.
Youngman will attempt to offer a solution to the "But This Year is Different" syndrome so that you can finally say that you accomplished your creative New Year's Resolution. If you have the willpower to get through it, it might just jump-start your creative career in ways that you never could have imagined.
YCP Episode 63 with David Talley
YCP Episode 102 with Mitch Bowler
YCP Episode 132 with Brendan O'Connell
YCP Episode 169 with Saddhasura
Nyki Way is a San Francisco Bay Area illustrator who was born in Boulder, Colorado. She is inspired by nature, civil rights, psychology, and emotion. In her art therapy blog, “Painting Your Own Reality,” she offers a glimpse into her struggles with depression and psychosis as well as her new appreciation for life to help others to transform their lives into the exact life they want.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/nykiway
In this episode, Nyki discusses:
-Her creative upbringing.
-The fear of not succeeding or not being “good enough.”
-Her mental health struggles and how she has been balancing that with pushing herself as an artist.
-Using drugs as a means of escape, but finding that art could be equally useful as a coping mechanism.
-Her contemplation of suicide and her eventual relocation.
-The intention of her blog to connect with people who might feel alone the way she did, so that they can see that they are not the only ones going through it.
-The incredible benefits she has seen in her life due to therapy.
-How art school gave her the skills to finally execute what she was thinking.
-How she is too trusting in people and that occasionally leads her to getting scammed.
-How to protect yourself with contracts.
-Her formula for balancing her time between commissions, personal work, and school.
-What art and creativity brings to her life.
-Her fascination with her new “toy,” Super Sculpee.
-How the everyday things in life usually inspire her much more than going to galleries or looking at other artists.
-Westworld!
Nyki's Final Push will inspire you to be who you are, because nobody is going to be you for you!
Quotes:
“I have this big fear of not being ‘good enough’ and not having a fan base.”
“I think a lot of artists have this darker side that actually prevents them from putting out their best work because they have that fear and that self-doubt.”
“You can’t just go about life not asking for what you need. Because if you don’t, nobody is going to give it to you.”
“All the sudden the world opened up and I could paint everything in my brain. I finally had the skills to execute what I was thinking.”
"If you have to do anything in this world, just keep creating and expressing yourself as much as you can. Even if you feel like you have nothing to share or nothing to say. Just share it and be who you are."
"Be who you are because nobody is going to be you for you."
Links mentioned:
Painting Your Own Reality (Nyki's art therapy blog)
Connect with Nyki:
Dan Lydersen is a painter who draws influence from a variety of contemporary and historical sources, from the Renaissance to modern cinema, literature, and popular culture. Both theatrical and satirical, comical and somber, the paintings pose a view of humanity that is steeped in the existential turmoil that lies between materiality and spirituality, where society trudges persistently forward into the future while the human search for meaning and purpose as mortal animals remains unresolved.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/danlydersen
In this episode, Dan discusses:
-The influence that his mother and theater had on him as a creative person.
-His balance between tragedy and comedy that he has found in his paintings.
-The lack of authenticity that comes when you are doing things that you think other people want to see rather than what you want to make.
-The importance of not being too influenced by your teachers or predecessors.
-How you can use older styles to say something about newer ideas.
-The notion of using a two-dimensional rectangle to capture a moment in time.
-How spending a lot of time on something and then throwing it away is actually a good habit.
-His process of coming to an idea and then planning it out before starting the actual painting.
-Some of the moments of self-doubt that he deals with and how he gets through them.
-The advantage that we have in modern times to be able to create whatever we want without needing permission from anyone else.
-Why he doesn’t spend much time or energy on social media.
-The idea of FOMO (fear of missing out) and how it can sometimes overwhelm you into doing nothing at all.
-How a piece of his art randomly became a Japanese meme.
Dan's Final Push will inspire you to get to work first. The creativity will come.
Quotes:
“I’m a very silly person but a very serious person at the same time, so I don’t put a separation between tragedy and comedy. They’re one in the same.”
“I’ve gotten into a groove of being able to say what I want to say through visual art.”
“I think I was trying to make paintings that I thought the art world wanted to see or wanted an artist to make and not paintings that I really wanted to make. There was a lack of authenticity in them.”
“It’s dangerous to be too precious with your art and to think, I’ve invested all this time and energy to this; it must be carried through."
“I wouldn’t say that ideas come to me. It’s more like I come to the ideas.”
“Ideas don’t just come to you like a light bulb turning on. You have to work at them.”
“I’m a pretty logical person and it’s kind of hard to attach logic to art because it doesn’t necessarily function logically.”
“It’s a big world. If you get your work out there, there’s going to be people who see the world in the same way you do and appreciate your art.”
“You tend to focus more on other people’s achievements than your own.”
“It’s a matter of numbers. You’re perceiving this unified body of other people doing all of these amazing things versus you, as one person, doing what you’re doing. And even if you’re doing something great, it will never amount to the sum of what everybody else is doing.”
“At this point I feel like me and my work are indistinguishable. If you take my art out of the equation, I don’t really know what’s left of me.”
“Creativity and art aren’t cause and effect, they’re more like a feedback loop. Creativity feeds the art and then the art feeds the creativity and it’s all one body.
“Just get working and the creativity will come.”
“It’s faulty reasoning to assume that you’re creative or inspired and then you make artwork. It’s more the reverse. You start making artwork and then that leads you to feel inspired or creative.”
Links mentioned:
The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories by Christopher Booker
Connect with Dan:
Alex Strohl is a Madrid-born, French adventure photographer whose work is characterized by his extraordinary existence. Instead of creating contrived scenes, Strohl creates authentic moments and captures them as they unfold before him— continually blurring the lines between work and life.
Strohl’s photography has been featured in prestigious publications such as Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Gentleman's Journal and his client list includes dozens of household names. He is based in Whitefish, Montana—but spends the vast majority of his time on the road with his partner Andrea Dabene; they often journey to the most remote reaches of the world.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alexstrohl
In this episode, Alex discusses:
-How he got started in photography.
-How he and his wife Andrea approach their creative life as photographers.
-The different mindsets and strategies that take place depending on the goals of a particular shoot.
-The creative differences that he experiences with his wife, Andrea.
-The importance of focusing on the things that make you different.
-Moving around the world while growing up and how that helped to shape him as a person and a photographer.
-Some of the things that hold him back as a creative person.
-How it is sometimes difficult for him to be alone with his work for long periods of time.
-His advice for people who are struggling with being with their work for too long.
-What it is like when he is travelling.
-How the story that a photograph is trying to tell is much more important than how polished it is.
-His advice for people who are on the fence about quitting their jobs to pursue their creative passion.
-The story of his friend, Isaac Johnston and how he made the transition to becoming a professional photographer.
-To not be afraid to ask for advice and to also give your own value freely.
-One of his best creative moments – an image of Andrea that gave him the ability to continue his career as a photographer.
Alex's Final Push will inspire you to focus on the unique story that you want to tell.
Quotes:
“Our policy for whenever we moved into a new place for a few months was don’t buy anything you can’t move in one car.”
“We all have a unique story, so no matter what you do, it’s going to be different. But if you spend time making sense in what makes you different – working on that only – I think that’s how you take it to the next level.”
“It’s hard for any creative person to sit in silence in front of your own work.”
“It’s not always easy when you’re travelling to have this flow. When you’re on the road, productivity just gets killed.”
“When I post on the Internet, I try to have it fresh from the day. Almost like a fish – two day’s catch.”
“I think deep inside I’m pretty lazy, so I need to keep boundaries to keep me doing things.”
“If the reason why you wanted to take that photo can shine through the photo, it doesn’t matter if it is blurry, dark or bright. Bottom line is focus on the story.”
“I love convincing people to quit their jobs.”
“I think that getting ego out of the way is very important.”
Links mentioned:
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
The Daodejing of Laozi by Laozi
Jessica is an author and cartoonist with a head for organization and systems, abilities she’s put to very good use as she has explored how to make creative work with less anxiety and more ease.
She works with creative professionals (and serious non-professionals) to get a clear, strategic view of their ambitious projects, and help them get through the woods and that creative transformation that comes on the other side of finishing.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/jessicaabel
In this episode, Jessica discusses:
-How the only way out is through.
-The difference between children and adults, and how she is surprised that her kids are afraid to fail.
-The importance of not hating yourself for not being good at something when you start.
-Dealing with the “Should Monsters.”
-Speaking to yourself in third person instead of first person in an attempt to treat yourself more kindly, like a friend.
-How willpower is a limited resource.
-The Creative Focus Workshop and what people can expect from it.
-Looking at the things that you need to learn in order to move forward as small projects themselves.
-Neuroplasticity.
-Who can gain the most from The Creative Focus Workshop.
-The power of community, especially when it comes to dealing with creative struggles.
-The story behind her book, Out on the Wire.
-The Out on the Wire Podcast and what it has to offer its listeners.
Jessica's Final Push will inspire you to see the value of prioritization and honing in on a single goal at a time.
Quotes:
“The job of getting through a big, ambitious project essentially defines what it is to be a creative person.”
“Relying on pure willpower is totally unreliable because it is such a limited resource.”
“The more you are able to have a single goal at a time, the happier you are going to be.”
“Choosing one thing and putting all of your energy into that thing is the key.”
“The joy and the power of having things finished is immense.”
Links mentioned:
Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel
Connect with Jessica:
Lucy is an artist from Melbourne, Australia who specializes in fine pen and ink drawings. Her work is a light and dark combination of romanticism, fantasy, and natural phenomenon, offering the viewer a contemplation of life’s infinite beauty and mystery.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lucyhardie
In this episode, Lucy discusses:
-How her parents built a Waldorf school on their farm and how that influenced her creativity and her style.
-Her first show at the age of 23 and her decision to make art her full-time career.
-The balance between planning and spontaneity.
-How it is actually hard for her to make any major mistakes because of how the work is built up in so many fine layers.
-Some of the forms of resistance that she has dealt with, including self-doubt and self-criticism.
-Dealing with “the gap” between what you know you have the potential to achieve and what you are currently capable of achieving, especially when you are first starting out.
-Making your creativity a habit, like going to the gym.
-Being pulled in many directions when you don’t yet have a strong artistic identity.
-How Resistance is always going to be there, so you just have to learn to live with it.
-The power that can come from simply admitting out loud the Resistances that you are dealing with.
-Her advice for someone that is thinking about potentially diving into his or her first show.
-How she is inspired by Patty Smith.
Lucy's Final Push will inspire you to take your time to develop your skills, and to also be able to answer that big question of WHY are you pursuing this creative passion?
Quotes:
“Creativity was encouraged but being an artist and doing that as a profession… that was a whole other idea.”
“It’s always a process. I learn from each piece and ask, “What would I do differently next time?”
“Especially when I was starting out, I experienced a lot of self-doubt and self-criticism.”
“I always find it hard to just do the work and be imperfect, especially if I’m trying something new.”
“I see it more as a challenge that I like to take on. Rather than resisting criticism or negative feedback from others, I say “bring it on,” because it is going to help me grow.”
“I view Resistance as something that’s always going to be there. I’ve never gotten rid of it. So my take on it is how can I be better at being with Resistance? Because going to war with it just doesn’t work.”
“It’s really helpful to have someone to talk to who doesn’t buy the bullshit.”
Links mentioned:
Patti Smith Interview: Advice to the Young [YouTube]
Connect with Lucy:
Vic Lee is a wordsmith, a mapmaker, a typographer, a ragamuffin and freestyler. He has spent 20 years as a professional graphic designer freelancing across London and has worked on major branding, interior and retail design projects with some of the leading design agencies in the world.
In this episode, Vic discusses:
-The path that he took to get him to the point he is at now in his creative career.
-The importance of history, especially when it has to do with your specific neighborhood.
-The notion of nostalgia and the role that it plays in the art that we want to make as well as the art that we want to buy.
-How he starts one of his larger commissions and how little planning goes into them.
-The confidence he gains from huge companies giving him complete creative control.
-A story when he got lost in “the zone.”
-How he approaches a big job with a panicked mindset, and then slowly relaxes.
-How we all start out as children not worrying about what people will think, but lose that carefree attitude over time.
-What a blank wall looks like to him.
-Dealing with the “quiet moments” in between work.
-Using black and white.
Vic's Final Push will inspire you to BE NICE TO EVERYONE YOU MEET!
Quotes:
“It’s not just about illustration. It’s about bringing memories back to life.”
“My work is very different things to different people. And to me that is very important because I don’t want it to be one thing to one person. I want it to evoke a different memory or feeling for every person that sees what I do.”
“Don’t think too much. Just do it and see what happens. The worst that you can do is fail, and the best you can do is succeed.”
“If you fail, you can just paint over it.”
“That wall that nobody used to look at suddenly becomes everyone’s friend.”
Connect with Vic:
Will Terry is a freelance illustrator and children’s book illustrator who shares his 23 years of experience on his YouTube channel and his blog, where he offers advice, tips and tricks on digital painting, selling work, reps, agents, business, Photoshop, and setting up multiple streams of income. He also co-owns SVS Learn with (YCP Alum) Jake Parker and Lee White.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/willterry
In this episode, Will discusses:
-A brief summary of his career until today.
-How he turned down his first children’s book three times, and how doing it changed his perspective.
-How he used to draw for his audience, and now he mainly draws for himself.
-The relationship between author, publisher, editor, and illustrator.
-Channeling P.D. Eastman’s Go Dog Go in his latest children’s book.
-Dyslexia, ADD, and the difficulties many people have learning in a system that rewards auditory learners.
-How SVS Learn came to be and what they try to accomplish with it.
-The improvements that he saw in his own art once he started teaching.
-The story behind his book, Little.
-The excitement and fear of doing something being a big clue that you are on the right track and that you should do it.
-The Internet allowing anyone to wear all of the hats and go direct to market and give yourself permission to live your own dream.
-The importance of building an audience on Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter as you create your art or product so that you have someone to sell to when it is complete.
Will's Final Push will inspire you to not be afraid of bringing your idea out of “vision mode.”
Quotes:
“I never really planned on making art a career because I bought into that idea that if you do anything creative you’ll starve.”
“I used to draw for my audience, and then over time I came to realize that I have to please myself first.”
“My work got so much better after I started teaching. It’s one of the things I try to encourage every artist to do – to find a way to help people learn art.”
“If you’re excitedly scared to do something, you’re probably on the right track.”
“The cooler your project is, the more other people will share it for you, and it will still have that chance to go viral.”
“If an idea hits me I don’t just let it escape because those are ideas that I’ll lose.”
“That creativity is dying to get out.”
“We make excuses because we’re afraid. We’re afraid that the thing that we’re trying to do isn’t going to turn out the way that our vision of it is, and as long as we keep it in the vision mode, we don’t have to worry about it failing.”
Links mentioned:
Little by Will Terry (Kickstarter)
Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin
Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success by John C. Maxwell
Connect with Will:
Website / Instagram / YouTube / Twitter
Thomas is a visual artist and photographer based out of Atlanta, Georgia who has developed a style that he calls "painterly photo montage" - a method he employs in editing software in which he crafts elaborately textured pieces that have a very organic, non-digital look to them. Although his artwork resembles paintings, his pieces are entirely photographic in nature, fusing many images into a cohesive whole.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/thomasdoddagain
In this episode, Thomas discusses:
-How he got his start in Mod Clubs, learning techniques to make pictures look "painterly."
-How artists should always be looking to learn, and spend free time learning from masters.
-How combining your artistic journey with making money can sometimes be soul-crushing, leaving you not enjoying the art anymore.
-The importance of setting aside time to do your art, if you are getting burnt out from your full-time job, even if it is just 15 minutes a day.
-How he originally got into punk music and then as a harpist in Trio Nocturna
-That there is an unlimited, universal wellspring that you can tap into
-If he doesn't feel like creating, he doesn't try to force it, but instead works on the promotion aspect of the arts.
-To go along with the ebb and the flow of creativity.
-How everyone goes through the struggle of not feeling good enough artistically, and how this is an important thing to go through -- the ones who don't think this way usually are bad.
-If you are new, you have to face the reality that you probably aren't good, but you have to be willing to improve.
-How important it is to seek out critiques from people who are better than you -- someone who can point out your good points but also gently tell you where you need to improve.
-When he is feeling particularly good about his work, he looks at other particular artist's works to humble himself a bit.
-Entering the flow state in Photoshop as well as playing music.
-How quitting drinking led to an immersion in video games and then into his art, from negative to neutral to positive.
-How the best art can succeed across all people and cultures.
-How to realize the conversation you have with your art is actually a conversation with yourself.
-How the best art shows us that we are all separate, but we all share the same emotions and struggles.
-Why music is incredibly powerful, especially in younger people in their formative years.
-The importance of being receptive to new forms of art or music.
-If you follow your own uniqueness and put the time in, eventually people will notice you and want you to be YOU.
-Communication coupled with social intelligence is incredibly important in dealing with other people, especially those who are not as creative as you.
Thomas's Final Push inspires you to have that space where you go to be creative, even if it is only 15 minutes a day.
Quotes:
"Live, breathe, and eat it."
"The process is a lifelong journey."
"The most important thing we do as artists is that we communicate emotion to people."
"I'm not thinking as I'm creating. I'm just letting it happen and letting my tastes dictate as I go along."
"It's the intuition that guides you, and the intuition is always right."
"You should have a job that supports what you do, that hopefully doesn't drain you."
"Enjoy what you do. It's not a race. It's just being who you are and enjoying what you do."
Links mentioned:
Connect with Thomas:
Website / Facebook / Workshops
Sarah Kreuz is the host of the Art of the Unknown Podcast, a travel and spirituality podcast about traveling inwards, outwards & onwards.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/175
In this episode, Sarah discusses:
-How the Art of the Unknown Podcast was born when she decided that she needed to dive into something creative without worrying about the outcome.
-Some of the things that held her back from initially creating the podcast and continuing to create and share it.
-Where she is physically as well as spiritually.
-Her advice for people who might be scared of stepping into the unknown.
-How she started eating fish after being a vegetarian for 16 years.
-The importance of just trying something new, even if you are going to be bad at it.
-The power of one positive comment from someone you trust about your creativity.
-One of her toughest creative moments in her “den of sorrow.”
-The painful experience of having creativity inside of you, but not knowing the way it is supposed to come out.
-Not feeling guilty about creating for yourself, first and foremost.
-How her throat chakra is finally open!
Sarah's Final Push will encourage you to accept the fact that you are going to be scared and just go for it!
Quotes:
“I just want to dive into something creative and not really care about the outcome. Just see where it goes.”
“It’s turning into a healing process more than anything else.”
“I never used to consider myself a creative person. I just didn’t think I could do it. I shut myself off completely to even going in that direction.”
“I felt like there was something that I wanted to create and I really knew there was something inside of me wanting to come out, but I just didn’t know what it was.”
“I’ve given myself permission to make whatever the hell I want.”
“It has given me a sense of confidence, that who I am, what I have to say, what I have to think, and how I feel is worthy of having space in the world.”
Links mentioned:
“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert
Connect with Sarah:
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Aimée Rolin Hoover currently lives/works in southern California. Her paintings hang in collections all over the world, from the U.S. and Canada, to Europe and South America.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/aimee
In this episode, Aimée discusses:
-How she got into pet portraiture and how her art has evolved since then.
-The importance of being open to trying out new things with your art.
-How she achieved such great satisfaction from the positive reactions of her clients, but how she eventually had to concentrate on her own satisfaction.
-Ali Cavanaugh and making “micro evolutions” in your artwork.
-The importance of continuing to grow and evolve as an artist or creative person.
-The origins of her new Fly Mask series.
-The joy that comes from having a breakthrough after long periods of trial and error.
-Her “30 Paintings in 30 Days” Challenge and the numerous positive outcomes of it.
-The power in committing to do something in public and how it holds you accountable.
-The various Resistances that she has to face and how she handles them.
-The trick of cutting your big tasks and projects in halves until they are in manageable chunks that you aren’t intimidated to take on.
-The way that she attempts to battle perfectionism.
-Her upcoming show at Abend Gallery.
Aimée's Final Push will inspire you to take time every day to do the thing that brings you joy!
Quotes:
“I think it’s so important to grow as an artist and I kind of forgot about it for ten years.”
“I got really happy, really fast with that work.”
“I was really feeling equally incredibly inspired and completely fed up with my work.”
“And so I thought this is kind of the next phase of work for me. I want to continue to move away from what I know and go towards what I don’t know and see what happens.”
“If it brings you joy, it’s just worth it to take a little time every day and do it.”
Links mentioned:
2016 "26 Annual Holiday Miniatures" Show, Abend Gallery, Denver, CO (December, 2016)
YCP Episode 123 with Ali Cavanaugh
Connect with Aimée:
Renée Caouette is a talented fine artist who has lived between Boston and Paris, France for the past five years studying fine art and art history. She has traveled throughout Europe and North America researching artwork ranging from the primitive and ancient to contemporary arts.
Renée has exhibited throughout the United States and France, including Paris, New York City, Boston, Vermont, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/renee
In this episode, Renée discusses:
-How she became a fine artist, even though that was not her original intention.
-Making the decision to change her career path.
-Getting past fear.
-Her mantra “onwards and upwards,” and how it applies to her art and to her life.
-How she tries to always have two or three paintings going at a time to remind herself to keep moving forward.
-How surprisingly physically demanding painting is.
-How she attempts to use her paintings to portray important themes through the eyes of a millennial.
-An intimate view into her newest painting, “Searching for your roses since you’ve been kissing the sky.”
-The trust she places in her process to allow things to evolve organically.
-The magic that sometimes happens when everything falls into place.
-The role that travel plays in her life.
-Some of the daily resistances that attempt to hold her back from creating her art.
-How the loss of her father influences her mindset, her motivation, and her art itself.
-How she balances her time and attempts to “organize the chaos.”
Quotes:
“Fear is what holds us back, and if you’re fearful in life then you won’t enjoy it and you won’t do the things that you’re probably brought here to do. So just keep going.”
“I went through a really hard time because when you’re eighteen and you’re just starting to think of the possibilities of what you’re going to do for the rest of your life, you kind of have a little existential crisis.”
“Sometimes I need to see it first before I can actually understand what I’m completely making.”
“Everything is always a positive thing, even if you don’t know it yet.”
Connect with Renée:
Cat Rose is on a mission to help other creatives to get over their fears of self-promotion and to get their work seen and shared.
She does this through 1-to-1 coaching and an online members community called the League of Creative Introverts. It's a safe, quiet space for creatives to share their work openly, learn from others and get all the support they need on their journey.
Cat, first of all thank you for coming on the show, I wanted to let you start out by expounding upon that intro and really getting into what your kind-of personal mission is and what your mission is with the League of Creative Introverts.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/172
In this episode, Cat discusses:
-How The League of Creative Introverts started and her mission behind it.
-How many creative introverts might be comfortable creating their work, but sharing and promoting it is very difficult for them to do.
-Some of the “icky subjects” that she helps people to think about.
-The value of being able to commiserate and work through problems with other people and to realize that you aren’t alone with your creative shyness.
-Why people squirm so much at the thought of self-promotion.
-The power in finding your niche.
-Understanding the different types of fear and realizing that the fear of self-promotion isn’t the same fear of potential death.
-The difference between “dipping your toes” and “diving in.”
-Dealing with the fact that you are going to not be good at something when you first start.
-The gulf that sometimes exists between our “online self” and our “real self.”
-Dealing with the inner critic and imposter syndrome.”
-Reasons why you might not be reaching your creative goals.
-Breaking your goals down into daily metrics and then evaluating yourself on a 1-5 scale.
Cat's Final Push will inspire to realize that ACTUALLY, YOU CAN!
Quotes:
“Doing the work wasn’t actually the biggest struggle. It was getting people to see it.”
“Your audience finds you in a way.”
“It’s really hard for our ego to take the fact that we are going to suck when we first start something. Can I take that initial “sucking” for the long-term benefit of actually being pretty good at something?”
“It takes a lot of guts to say what we are or what we aspire to be. Because that inner critic is saying to us, ‘who are you to say that you’re an artist?’ or ‘Prove it.’”
“Remember that people like Tom Hanks and Neil Gaiman still claim to have imposter syndrome. So that really reassures me that if they still have that then my inner critic means nothing.”
“Actually, you can.”
Links mentioned:
The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chodron
7 reasons why you might not be reaching your creative goals
Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin
Connect with Cat:
John Allison is the writer and artist of the webcomics Bobbins, Scary Go Round, and Bad Machinery. Having launched Bobbins in 1998, John is one of the true pioneers of webcomics, and he has continued to evolve to remain one of the most popular webcomic producers today.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/johnallison
In this episode, John discusses:
-How he got the point he is today with his webcomics and his career.
-The importance of keeping your creative passion fun.
-His advice for how to get back to the place of fun with your work.
-How and why he started Bobbins as a five-day-a-week project.
-The difficult balance of being able to produce a great deal of content, but also maintain social relationships.
-A one month gap that he experienced in his work, and how it made him realize the meaningfulness of what he was creating.
-The importance of momentum.
-The notion of achieving a trance-like state or a flow state when you are creating.
-Taking care of your mind and body, and how that positively affects your creativity.
-How he allows his subconscious mind to work out the details of many of his creative problems.
-His first creative memories.
-The interesting way in which sloth helped to set him on the path of being a professional artist.
-Coming to terms with the setback caused by long or short gaps in your creative passion.
-His best and worst creative moments.
-The experience of seeing the importance of your work from outside of your body.
-Dealing with criticism as well as doing something that your fans aren’t initially on board with.
-How he balances his time.
John's Final Push will inspire you to not be afraid!
Quotes:
“There are layers of fun. It’s like a swatch, you know? You find new colors all the time.”
“I realized in that month that I’d lost a lot of self-worth through not creating.”
“I realized that it was perhaps the first thing of value that I had created in my whole life.”
“Self-consciousness is the worst thing about art, especially when you first start.”
“You’ll never arrive at the point that you think you are going to arrive at. You’ll arrive somewhere else altogether. So you might as well just go. You think you’re driving the car, but really the wheel is moving and you’re not really controlling it. It’s the forward motion that’s the important thing.”
“The more I’ve treated myself like an athlete, in terms of my creativity, the easier it has become to channel the things that I want to do.”
“You should look at your creativity as a crutch rather than an obstruction when things aren’t so great.”
“I’m as thin-skinned as any creative person and a critical review is brutal to me. I believe it far more than I believe praise. Over the years it’s caused me to course-correct too hard.”
“It’s a betrayal of yourself if you’re not willing to put something out there. The only question is one of volume. How much of it do you want to put out there?”
Links mentioned:
Connect with John:
Peter Draw is an artist from Singapore whose art has touched the lives of people across Asia and around the world. He has achieved 4 Guinness World Records: Largest Caricature, Largest Art Lesson, Longest Drawing, and Longest Drawing by an Individual. Peter has devoted his entire adult life to drawing to protect children who cannot protect themselves.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/peterdraw
In this episode, Peter discusses:
-How he uses his art to protect children who cannot protect themselves.
-How his mission is less about being an artist but more about what he does as an artist.
-What he has learned from the children that he has met and helped in disaster stricken areas around the world.
-How the “sweetest gift” is something we all have, and it is the important things we already have in our lives but perhaps take for granted.
-The importance of taking the first step of loving yourself more and more every day so that you can love others more.
-What his four Guinness World Records mean to him.
-The story of the Red Sweater and why he continues to wear it.
-The lessons that his grandfather taught him, and the way that he keeps reminding himself of what he promised him.
-The importance of starting everything with love.
-Some of the resistances that hold him back on a daily basis.
-The one thing that keeps him up at night is the fact that people think that the problems of the world are too big for them to make an impact.
-What we can learn from the children that he helps every day.
Peter's Final Push will inspire you to approach everything with LOVE!
Quotes:
“My dream is not just about being an artist. My dream is more about what I do as an artist.”
“It doesn’t matter what you are going through now. Make the rest of your life the best of your life.”
“All the other roles are taken. The only role that is not taken in this world is the role of being yourself. All you need to do is be the best version of yourself.”
“Sometimes we don’t understand the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. Sometimes later becomes never. Sometimes if you hesitate you may lose the chance to do something forever.”
“Each time I draw on a blank piece of paper, I feel like anything is possible. I can turn something that is otherwise empty into something that really puts a smile on my own face and eventually to other people’s faces.”
Connect with Peter:
Website / Facebook / Instagram
Saddhasura is an artist, illustrator, and musician who is procuring and creating to then connect creative works to people who love them. He has also taught meditation and mindfulness for over fifteen years.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/saddhasura
In this episode, Saddhasura discusses:
-His creative upbringing and a brief overview of his life so far.
-Why certain creative pursuits have bubbled to the surface and then fallen away.
-Doubt and indecision and the role that they can play in pulling you away from your creative passions.
-The imposter syndrome and how it especially seems to creep up just as you are about to actually become the thing you are trying to be.
-Inconsistencies and how they help to bolster the imposter syndrome.
-What the Buddhist teachings can tell us about the ever-changing nature of humanity and how that can relate to creativity.
-Starting each day with clear intention.
-The idea of writing down nuggets of inspiration to go back to when you are feeling defeated.
-Having the instinct to protect his moleskin over his phone and his iPad.
-The power that comes when you set aside bad habits and make a clear decision.
-How he maintains a positive attitude even when things are going poorly.
-Some of his ideas for his future.
Saddhasura's Final Push will remind you that you are not a human being on a spiritual journey, you’re a spiritual being on a human journey.
Quotes:
“The things I’ve missed out on are the things I haven’t kept my eye on.”
“The human being is inconsistent by its very nature. Everything about us is constantly changing.”
“I’ve got a choice. I can either crumble and let this all really get the better of me or I can just see it as a really great opportunity.”
“Here and now is not bad. The past is just a string of proteins that are lined up in my brain. The future is a possibility based in fantasy and projection. Neither one of those alternatives are a useful place to plan anything.”
“In the manure of this experience, a rose can grow.”
Connect with Saddhasura:
Do you blame your family, friends, and loved ones for your creative shortcomings?
If you do this subconsciously or consciously, you are not alone.
In this episode, Youngman looks back to past (and future) guests who had something to say about dealing with that difficult balance of pursuing their creative passion or career, while still fulfilling their roles as a husband, wife, mother, father, boyfriend, girlfriend, or any other role that requires their time and energy.
You will also learn how you might be taking your role as a parent, spouse, or friend and using it as a crutch to let yourself off the hook from pursuing your creative passion.
Finally, you'll see things from the other side of the spectrum and learn what to do if you are spending too much time with your creative endeavors and not enough with your family.
This episode has profanity, so don't listen around your children.
But don't blame them.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/family
YCP Episode 71 with Suzanna Schlemm
YCP Episode 79 with Jake Parker
Zachary Petit is editor-in-chief of the National Magazine Award-winning publication Print, author of The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing: How to Write, Work, and Thrive on Your Own Terms, and a lifelong literary and design nerd.
At one point in time, he was the senior managine editor of HOW magazine, Print, and Writer’s Digest, as well as executive editor of many other related newsstand titles. His words also regularly appear in National Geographic Kids, National Geographic, Mental_Floss, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, just to name a few.
Most recently, Zachary has curated the book Treat Ideas Like Cats, which unlocks the secret of creativity as it collects the inspiring and insightful words of artists, writers, designers, and thinkers who have had the courage to create.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/zacharypetit
In this episode, Zachary discusses:
-How his new book, Treat Ideas Like Cats, came to be.
-The amount of wisdom that can sometimes come from so few words.
-The idea of one quote per page, which helps to slow the reader down to really take it in.
-The importance of being able to interpret motivational stories and apply them to your own situation.
-One of the quotes from the book that influenced him the most.
-His creative journey and how he got to the point he is at now.
-How difficult it can be to do your creative work after eight hours at a job, but how good you always feel after you’ve done it.
-Working for National Geographic and National Geographic Kids.
-Some of the fears involved with public speaking and teaching.
-Some of his experiences as an interviewer for Writer’s Digest.
-His advice for people to create their own collection of inspiration.
-The lost art of conversation.
Zachary's Final Push will inspire you to keep chipping away!
Quotes:
“Some of these quotes to me are equivalent to reading an entire book on something. They just carry so much power in so few words.”
“Whenever I wrote something or created something, I felt more alive than if I had not.”
“I’ve always been driven by finding the weird side of things.”
“That inescapable creative drive is really what you need to embrace. Yes, it’s terrifying, but if you have no choice but to do it, you’ll figure out a way to do it and to put it out into the world even though it may be completely terrifying to you.”
“That, to me, is where it takes the most courage and the most drive – to come home from working 8-9 hours and having the courage to walk down those basement steps and sit yourself down at the computer no matter how tired or fatigued you are. It’s never easy but once you’ve done it, you always feel better.”
“The big challenge is finding balance between your life, your creative passions, and your day job.”
“I think it’s good to be slightly uncomfortable and to not settle into only what you’re good at and what you’re comfortable with, because you learn a lot by doing things that terrify you.”
Links mentioned:
Treat Ideas Like Cats: And Other Creative Quotes to Inspire Creative People by Zachary Petit
Connect with Zachary:
Joey Feldman is a mixed-media artist from Los Angeles, California. His works are figurative with a frenetic, cartoonish style at their core. With line art applied to its fullest extent, Joey’s initial, fast-sketched lines play a role in the final piece.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/joeyfeldman
In this episode, Joey discusses:
-How he wakes up early and gets right to work because of the way that his creative energy gets drained as he goes about his day.
-DDD and LGD -- The feelings of depression that he gets if he doesn’t create something.
-His experiences with drawing O.J. Simpson, Eminem, and Donald Trump.
-His advice for people to deal with haters or with criticism.
-Dealing with procrastination and distractions.
-Freedom (the app) and how it helps to keep him focused.
-How he balances his time.
-The value of to-do lists.
-How meditation helps to energize him and also “clear the slate” in his head.
Joey's Final Push will inspire you to do the things you don't want to do, so that you can do the things you want to do!
Quotes:
“I get up at 4:15 every morning and I just have this desire to create.”
“I mean the guy is orange and yellow. How could you not draw him?”
“I think it’s just this day and age of distractions is what holds me back the most.”
“It all goes back to a plan, because left to my own devices, I’ll find 35 other things to do if it’s not written down.”
“Just go and make stuff. Create! Do the things you don’t want to do, so you can do the things you want to do.”
Links mentioned:
Freedom: Internet, App, & Website Blocker
Neil Gaiman - Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts 2012
Connect with Joey:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Shawn Coss is an Ohio-based artist who loves to sling ink and paint at paper until it forms some type of creature. He works for the webcomic and cartoon show, Cyanide and Happiness and also produces his own personal “dark art.” During the month of October, Shawn is illustrating mental illness and disorders for Inktober.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/shawncoss
In this episode, Shawn discusses:
-How and why he started his Inktober project about mental illness and diseases.
-Some of the positive and negative feedback that he has received for his depiction of mental illnesses.
-How he handles negative feedback and “haters.”
-How he juggled getting a nursing degree and still created art.
-How he got involved with Cyanide and Happiness.
-His advice for people whose version of success isn’t necessarily gaining monetary independence through their creative passion.
-The common advice of quitting your job and just “going for it.”
-How he balances his time between work-work, personal work, and family.
-How he feels as if he is wasting time when he is sleeping.
-How he feels unfulfilled if he goes to bed after spending a day without creating something.
-Trying to find the balance between creating art and spending time with family and friends.
-The story behind his books.
Shawn's Final Push will inspire you to stay on your own path – don’t change it to fit anyone else’s!
Quotes:
“That’s just how I’ve always been. I’ve never been apologetic for my artwork. I’ve never set out to offend anyone, I create just to create.”
“I create artwork that I want to create, and I realize that when I do that, or any artist does, success will find you. Or at least your audience will find you.”
“You’ll definitely find an audience that digs your stuff. Whether that will pay your bills or not remains to be seen.”
“I feel like I’m wasting time when I’m sleeping.”
“If it’s in my head, it won’t leave until I create it.”
Resources Mentioned:
Kindergarten: A Collection of Creepy Stories by Shawn Coss
Connect with Shawn:
Website / Facebook / Instagram
Karl is a painter from Sweden with a special interest in nature… specifically birds. Karl’s style comes from his interest for the forms of meditation found in Zen Buddhism, and he believes that the first brushstroke is the most important.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/karlmartensagain
In this episode, Karl discusses:
-How zen calligraphy helped to make him understand how he was trying to control his life.
-How so many years of looking at birds allows him to paint them by memory.
-How the practice of kyudo affects his painting.
-Karl takes Youngman through a meditation exercise.
-Why thinking too much about how the painting is supposed to look like can interfere with the actual painting of it.
-The theory that the first brush stroke is the most important.
-To approach the first brush stroke (or any first creative action) full of energy.
-To not worry about what other people think about your work.
-To embrace "happy accidents," and see where they take you.
-How art is a (safe) battle ground for him to overcome his fears.
Karl's Final Push will inspire you to create from your heart.
Quotes:
"If you have the knowledge of how to paint, if you paint with the image faded in your mind, then your intuition will paint for you."
"As soon as you start thinking about how it ought to be, you limit yourself."
"If you paint with your heart, you will paint something beautiful."
"I don't do it for the art. It is a practice ground for overcoming my fears."
"The only advice I can give is believe in what you're doing, and just do it. Don't be concerned with comparisons."
Connect with Karl:
Stuart Holland is a visionary realism artist currently based in Boise, Idaho. Working in primarily charcoal and watercolor, Stuart's work often depicts ethereal figures as they explore and engage with stark landscapes riddled with enigmatic natural and artificial features. Drawing influence from sources like psychology, various spiritual traditions, psychedelics, and quantum physics, Stuart's drawings and paintings explore the timeless concepts of Light and urge viewers to contemplate their innate relationships with Self, Nature, and the Universe at large.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/stuartholland
In this episode, Stuart discusses:
-How his recent work has been heavily influenced by ayahuasca ceremonies that he recently took part in.
-How his artistic style has changed since his experiences.
-His reason for using charcoal.
-The experience of telling his parents about his transformative experience.
-Self-doubt and how to deal with it as a creative person.
-The importance of having a creative sanctuary.
-The role that travel plays in expanding his perspective and feeding his creative energy.
-How he balances his time as a bartender, an artist, and someone who loves to sleep.
-His dreams and the significance that he gives to them.
-Lucid dreaming and how they can be used to potential “speak” with your subconscious to get through creative blocks.
Stuart's Final Push will inspire you to be honest with yourself, both in your failures and your successes.
Quotes:
“I would really love to get into working with holograms and using that as a medium to facilitate a facsimile of a psychedelic experience in a sort of immersive art installation.”
“It’s so hard to be a creative person in a world that doesn’t necessarily favor creative endeavors.”
“Having that creative space is crucial for me.”
“Creating something and bringing it to fruition and manifesting it in front of you is a very sacred ability that we have and it needs the reverence and the opportunity to flourish.”
“Each night you dream it’s like having a mini-life.”
“It’s not going to be one single decision that makes that transformation happen in your life, but it’s going to be a small series of decisions that you make throughout your day, throughout your week, over the course of a year.”
Links mentioned:
The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley
Dark Nature: A Natural History of Evil by Lyall Watson
The Human Experience Podcast Episode 69
Connect with Stuart:
Gary Taxali is an award-winning muli-media artist from Canada who draws inspiration from vintage comics and advertising, producing an assortment of graphic design, fine art, and street art, all rolled into one. His work has been seen not just in print and in museums throughout North America and Europe, but on toys, wine labels, coins for the Canadian Mint and clothing.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/garytaxali
In this episode, Gary discusses:
-The experience of designing coins for the Canadian Mint.
-A very serendipitous story relating to coins and his ancestry.
-The relaxation that can come from being aware of the serendipitous nature of existence.
-His experience with clients wanting to control his creativity and how he dealt with it.
-His process of creating a design for the marriage-themed coin.
-How he gets through the creative struggle of not being able to pin down the perfect iteration of an idea.
-His advice for people who have a difficult time “going for a ride” with their art as opposed to being in complete control.
-What we can learn from an obsessive love of doodling.
Gary's Final Push will make you see how AWESOME you are!
Quotes:
“I really believe that serendipity exists all around us. You just have to open your eyes and just stop and take a look at it. Because it’s rampant, it’s everywhere, it’s in our lives on big levels and on little levels. It’s really refreshing to know that when you are aware of it, how much more relaxing, I think, life can be in terms of submitting to the process of just what life is.”
“Drawing pictures in boxes is pretty easy.”
“I like to do something that has a bit more dynamic energy.”
“Our mind likes to remind us of why we shouldn’t do things.”
“I think creativity is just a settling with, honoring, and embracing your idiosyncrasies.”
“Don’t ever let your art be something that you think is a measure of who you are. It’s not. The measure of who you are is your awesomeness, and you’ve already won the game.”
Connect with Gary:
Chris Reeves is the founder of 2930 Creative, a digital advertising agency in Dallas, Texas focused on helping the nonprofit, medical, tourism, and mortgage industries. Chris and his team have also began branching off into many new mediums, including a Facebook Live show and two podcasts, "The Creative Block Podcast" and "One-Star Review."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/162
In this episode, Chris discusses:
-How he and his wife started 2930 Creative and how he is surprised to have made it five years strong.
-Not quitting when the going gets tough and continuing to persevere.
-How and why he started the new podcasts “The Creative Block” and “One Star Review.”
-The fear that comes when you start a new creative project.
-Coping with loss and how experimentation with new projects have helped him.
-How technology has made things both easier and harder.
-His earliest creative moments.
-His experiences being in a ska punk band as well performing as a DJ.
-The idea of having creative “phases.”
-How he and his wife balance their time.
-The importance of making some separations between work life and home life.
-How he gets past the “shiny object” syndrome and decides which of his many ideas are valuable enough to pursue.
-The importance of giving back.
-Making a “creative bucket list.”
Chris's Final Push will make you realize that the worst that can happen is that nobody cares, but more than likely, many people will care!
Quotes:
“I think the biggest reason we made it is that we didn’t quit.”
“I think it’s just not quitting. Because it is easy when things get hard to just do something different.”
“The idea was born out of the fact that chasing down clients for money is not very fun.”
“It’s always scary when you start a new thing. I think every creative feels that way.”
Links mentioned:
Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John Mackey
Uncontainable: How Passion, Commitment, and Conscious Capitalism Built a Business Where Everyone Thrives by Kip Tindell
Connect with Chris:
Stephanie Halligan is a cartoonist and the “art and soul” behind Arttoself.com, where she delivers a daily dose of doodles and notes of inspiration to her subscribers’ inboxes.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/161
In this episode, Stephanie discusses:
-How Art to Self came to be and what it means to her.
-The importance of putting work in on a daily basis and giving yourself goals and deadlines for that.
-The notion of making work that you need to see, that will help you out on your daily grind, and how that will most likely resonate with others.
-Her six-year old mega-fan!
-How it’s not just her cartoons and notes that inspire people, but also the fact that she shows up every day to do it.
-Some of her daily resistances that hold her back from putting in the work.
-Understanding that creative blocks and self-doubt will always be there, so just recognizing its presence can help to diffuse it.
-“The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield and how it helped to inspire her to create daily content via Art to Self.
-The importance of creating personal work as early in the day as possible, when the resistance isn’t as strong.
-Taking E-mail and social media apps off of her phone.
-Taking motivation from the perseverance of people like Jim Henson.
Stephanie's Final Push will help you to realize that it’s okay if you have found yourself in an artistic break – all you have to do is start again today!
Quotes:
“Show up and create. On the days when fear is kicking your butt, show up and create. On days when you feel on top of the world, show up and create.”
“If I let fear, emotional doubt, and worry stop me from drawing, I probably would only draw ten days out of 365 every year. So it was important for me to be held accountable for that work.”
“It’s amazing how sometimes those lowest moments can produce the best art.”
“It’s okay if you’ve stopped. It’s okay if you’re not doing the thing that’s been bubbling up in you for so long that you know you should be doing or that you really want to do. It’s okay that you’re not there. But how about tomorrow?”
Links mentioned:
Stephanie's Creative Confidence Guide
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin
Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones