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
Connect with Stephanie:
Kelogsloops is a talented 20-year old artist from Melbourne, Australia who has been drawing since he was five years old. He has amassed an impressive online following, with nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/160
In this episode, Hieu discusses:
-His artistic journey and how he got to the point he is at now.
-The decision to go against what everyone else thinks is best for you to pursue the thing that you love.
-The notion of being on your deathbed and regretting not doing something you truly cared about.
-How to handle your parents or loved ones not being supportive of your passion.
-The change that he made so that he could pursue his artistic passion.
-The incredible power that comes when you can align the thing that you want to do with the thing that you have to do.
-Creating a YouTube channel and putting his face to it.
-His passion to help anyone out there who might also be struggling from the same problems that he is, but not have a teacher or a friend to reach out to.
-How he dealt with being mistaken for a girl.
-His advice for people who might want to transcend gender “norms” of artists.
-Anonymity and how it can help you to fully express yourself.
-The differences between inspirational art block and motivational art block.
Hieu's Final Push will make you realize that you are in control of your happiness today!
Quotes:
“The more I drew, the harder it was to study.”
“You shouldn’t have to change your work to fit those around you. Because that’s not very expressive of yourself in the first place, which kind of defeats the purpose of art.”
“My work isn’t about whether I’m a guy or a girl. That’s the last thing that people should worry about.”
“I create my work to resonate with people. The point of it is to connect with people and make people have a dialogue between themselves and the work. So it’s about what the person sees in the work, not what I put in the work.”
“That’s how I tackle art block. Just surround myself with inspiration until I get a new perspective. And that’s when I get the new fuel to go on again.”
Links mentioned:
MINDSHIFT - Motivational Video
Connect with Hieu:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / DeviantArt / Tumblr / Twitter
Jordan Matter is a portrait photographer specializing in actors, models, and dancers. He is the photographer behind the NY Times bestseller “Dancers Among Us,” and in October, 2016 he is releasing his new book, “Dancers After Dark.”
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/159
In this episode, Jordan discusses:
-How he initially became interested in photography and then how he came back to it.
-The black & white printing course that he took at School of Visual Arts in New York City.
-The story of what gave him the inspiration to approach photography with a new determination.
-How a long period of “alone time” gave him the opportunity to obsess over photography and completely devote himself to it.
-How individuals can still keep an open mind to a potential path to making money from their now-casual creative passion.
-The difference in results between a defeatist attitude versus an optimistic one.
-His books Uncovered and Dancers Among Us and how they led him to eventually create his new book, Dancers After Dark.
-The notion of serendipity and how it has played a role in his photography and his career.
-The difficulty of a passion project with no guarantee of income taking away time from your family.
-Giving up sleep or giving up mindless activities to give yourself time to create your passion projects.
-Dancers After Dark and how it is a celebration of passion and one’s willingness to pursue it at all costs.
-How the nudity of the dancers shows all of the muscles that they have developed from so many years of hard work and practice.
-His advice for people who might struggle with approaching their creative pursuit without a plan.
Jordan's Final Push will inspire you to leap first, and the net will appear!
Quotes:
“When I saw my first print come up in the developer, it was like a Hallelujah moment. I just suddenly realized that this was what I wanted to do.”
“So I picked up the camera again, but this time I went at it with renewed gusto.”
“I don’t know that I’m really meant for a casual passion.”
“This doesn’t always have to be casual. How can I explore possibilities within this passion to make a living at it too?”
“The bigger thing for me was that I was allowing myself to fantasize about what it could become. Whereas before I had seen why it wouldn’t become that.”
“If you know you love things in the general sense of a certain subject matter, keep working until you find specifically where you fit into that.”
“You can pay your bills and have your passion project.”
“I’ve just learned to exist with very little sleep so that I can do all of the other things that I want to do.”
“One of my photos went viral and I didn’t take it.”
“Once you cut out spontaneity and once you cut out the fresh moment, then all you’re looking for is the thing you’ve already planned to do.
“I think the biggest mistake that people make is they plan something out, and then they do it as planned. And then they stop. You want to surprise yourself! You don’t want to just get what you expect.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Jordan:
Chris is a sculptor and a painter of all manner of critter, and has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the world. His work has been published in numerous books and periodicals in the US as well as in Europe and Singapore. Chris is also a toy designer and sculptor of numerous instantly sold-out editions of designer art toys and figures.
Amanda’s mixed-media work combines the textures and colors of antique domestic objects, the natural world, and an obsessive attention to detail. Her fabric creatures evoke ideas of cast-off children’s toys and ill-conceived taxidermy experiments with crooked human teeth. Her work is highly sought-after by collectors around the globe, and she has exhibited her work in galleries, boutiques, and conventions across the United States, as well as Europe and Japan.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/158
In this episode, Chris & Amanda discuss:
-The “F it moment,” where you have no more time to finish a project and you have to put your perfectionism aside in order to submit your work.
-The idea of getting many different projects started all at once and how to handle all of that on a daily basis.
-Will you be happy or sad with how you spent your time when you are on your death bed?
-Coming to terms with the fact that you have a lot to say about the world and finding the way to say that through your creative endeavor.
-What their creatures bring to their lives and what their lives would be like without them.
-What their online followings do for their creative process.
Chris & Amanda's Final Push will inspire you to put your head down and keep putting the work in and finding a way to let the creativity in!
Quotes from Amanda:
“It’s kind of this narcissistic fear of failure and it really keeps me from doing a lot of stuff.”
“The way that I try to combat the futility of time is that I try to break everything down into small chunks. Eventually all those bricks will eventually form a wall and then you’ll have a body of work.
“In terms of creativity, for me it’s drawing first and everything else after.”
“It gives me a reason to share my crazy obsessions with other like-minded people who also appreciate crazy obsessions.”
“You have to be a little crazy and a little silly and be willing to be a little frivolous. I think that’s really really important.”
“Do whatever you can to demystify the creative process.”
Quotes from Chris:
“The thing that holds me back the most is that there is not enough time to do all the things that I want to do.”
“I don’t want to be yet another contributor to the endless bucket full of commentary. What I want to do is give people a break for a second. To look at something that might make them smile in an otherwise dismal day. Or just a normal day.”
“Wishing got nobody anywhere. Except for Pinocchio.”
“On Friday night, where are you at? Are you out drinking with your friends? Or are you in your studio working on your passion, working on what’s important to you?”
“Really put your head down and put the work in. That’s the only way you’ll get results.”
“The goal is not to end up in a place in your life. The goal is to get better and progress until you can no longer create art.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Chris:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Tumblr / Twitter
Connect with Amanda:
Chris is a sculptor and a painter of all manner of critter, and has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the world. His work has been published in numerous books and periodicals in the US as well as in Europe and Singapore. Chris is also a toy designer and sculptor of numerous instantly sold-out editions of designer art toys and figures.
Amanda’s mixed-media work combines the textures and colors of antique domestic objects, the natural world, and an obsessive attention to detail. Her fabric creatures evoke ideas of cast-off children’s toys and ill-conceived taxidermy experiments with crooked human teeth. Her work is highly sought-after by collectors around the globe, and she has exhibited her work in galleries, boutiques, and conventions across the United States, as well as Europe and Japan.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/157
In this episode, Chris & Amanda discuss:
-Where the inspiration for their creatures came from.
-How they intend to make their art a projection of the way they want to see the world, not necessarily the way the world is.
-How they feel a protective sense over their creatures.
-Amanda’s fascination with teeth.
-How Chris started his “Morning Scribbles.”
-The momentum that you can gain by putting out daily content.
-How they deal with creative blocks.
-The idea of “poop sketches” and the fact that rough, initial versions of a piece of art often have more life to it than a final, perfected version.
-The “inertia approach” of just getting started and building momentum.
-The positives and negatives of being a creative couple.
Quotes from Amanda:
“Sometimes I really do feel like I’m not the one in control. I feel like they’re using my hands to come to life in a way.”
“They’re definitely autobiographical in a lot of ways.”
“Getting started, getting motivated, having discipline, time management – that whole family of stuff is like my white whale. It’s the thing I long to overcome.”
“I try to go for the inertia approach, which is just start doing it. If I can get myself started, generally I’ll keep going.”
“We always joke and say that our creatures live in the same world. But mine live in the house and his live in the backyard.”
Quotes from Chris:
“I’m trying to make a projection of the world the way I want it, not necessarily the way the world is.”
“I want to engage the audience. They’re looking at a monster that isn’t recognizable as anything, but they can recognize themselves in this character.”
“You can start your day with already accomplishing something, and that’s a really good mindset to be in.”
“I never thought that one third of my business was going to be from the thing I was doing every day anyway and not sharing with anybody.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Chris:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Tumblr / Twitter
Connect with Amanda:
Mica Angela Hendricks is a professional illustrator who works primarily in ballpoint pen and acrylics. She travels the world with her military husband and her talented 7-year old daughter, Myla, with whom she collaborates for A Busy Mockingbird.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/156
In this episode, Mica discusses:
-How she began drawing with her daughter.
-How her daughter has developed as an artist and how they now collaborate with ideas.
-The idea of being on equal ground with her daughter in terms of creative control.
-Trying not to get too discouraged by the talented artists and creatives that inspire you.
-Some of the many ways that she gets through creative blocks.
-Her advice for people who have trouble letting go of their creative control.
-A practice in collaboration of letting your followers or fans help to decide what you are going to draw.
-The friendliness and helpfulness of the people on Instagram.
-The value you can provide by posting either works in progress or “mistakes,” to show that it isn’t just as easy as creating something wonderful from start to finish.
-How Myla doesn’t care what other people think about her work and how we should all strive to reach that same freedom.
-Dealing with negative feedback.
-Dealing with dry spells and having to deal with the ebb and flow.
-How the name “Busy Mockingbird” came to be.
-How we all need both relaxation time as well as physically active time in our daily lives.
-The idea of “going on an adventure” with kids as a form of meditation.
-The story behind her book, “Share With Me.”
Mica's Final Push will inspire you to keep trying every single day and to always continue to learn.
Quotes:
“I like to let her have control. It prepares her for when she’s older to be able to have the confidence to know that her ideas are valid.”
“I told her one time that she inspired me and she was kind of surprised by that.”
“Who cares, you know? I’m drawing what I like and if you don’t like it, there’s a little button up there that says ‘unfollow.’”
“You get dry spells. You get this time where everything just comes out like crap.”
“If you have to draw a hundred bad drawings to get to the good one to get you back into it, then you better start doing it.”
“Knowing that you’re going to have that ebb and flow is necessary to functioning properly as an artist. You have to know that it’s going to come back and it’s not gone forever.”
“I feel lazy if I’m watching TV. If I watch TV I have a sketchbook in front of me.”
“If you enjoy doing something, you’ll get better at it in time. You just have to keep trying and keep learning. Never ever ever stop learning.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Mica:
Abz is an illustrator from Perth, Australia that is still relatively new to the art world, having been making art for the past 3 years. Much of his work revolves around nostalgic characters and fantasy themes, and he’s currently in the early stages of creating his own imaginary world.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/abz
In this episode, Abz discusses:
-What he is attempting to create with his “imaginary world.”
-How he was initially inspired by Rave Master and then later by his friend.
-How you don’t need any authority figure to give you permission to create and share your creations.
-How using an alias can potentially help bring confidence to people who are shy or afraid to share their work.
-Pushing aside negative thoughts because it doesn’t matter what other people think – the only thing that matters is being true to yourself.
-One of his earliest creative moments.
-The notion of finding your own “dark hallway,” where it is just you shining a light on your creative focus.
-His love for Pokemon and how Pokemon Go has helped to increase his following recently.
-Self-doubt and laziness and how to combat each of them.
-Attempting to post more work on a regular basis and drawing every single day and how that has positively changed his output and mindset.
-How you are going to look back on your old work after a year or two and detect all of the mistakes anyway, so you might as well put it out there and move on to the next thing.
-How our eyes are often a year or two ahead of our skills.
-A recent difficult moment when he was demoralized, but how sometimes all it takes is encouragement from a friend or loved one to get you back on track.
-One of his best creative moments, the first time someone wanted to buy his artwork.
-The satisfaction that he gets from going to conventions and meeting the people that support his work.
-The notion of chunking down your time into 45-50 minute intervals and focusing solely on one task.
Abz's Final Push will inspire you to go to sleep at night feeling like you just had a meaningful day.
Quotes:
“Being anonymous seems to give you some sort of boost in confidence.”
“It doesn’t really matter what other people think about it because at this point being authentic is my main priority.”
“One of my major weaknesses is this sort of laziness that takes over when I’m a bit afraid to approach whatever it is that I’m trying to get done.”
“Sometimes you have to create the trash to get to the gold.”
“Our eyes are often a year or two ahead of our skills. You can detect what you want it to look like, but you just can’t get there quite yet.”
Links mentioned:
Rave Master by Hiro Mashima
Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk: “Do schools kill creativity?”
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson
Connect with Abz:
Etsy / DeviantArt / Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr
Brooke Rothshank is a painter and illustrator working in watercolor, oil, acrylic, and egg tempera paint since 2002.
Her work as a miniature artist has been exhibited around the country and featured in both Miniature Collector and Dollhouse Miniatures magazines. Brooke has illustrated three children's books for Herald Press, and is currently working on a fourth illustration project that se is pursuing independently.
Brooke's panting work has been exhibited at the Penland Gallery, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Chicago International Miniature Show, and elsewhere.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/154
In this episode, Brooke discusses:
-How she got started with miniature drawings and paintings.
-The International Guild of Mini Artisens and what they do.
-The issues of perfectionism as well as allowing herself to follow what she’s interested in.
-How to battle perfectionism.
-The importance of a schedule, deadlines, and getting started right away when it is time to work.
-Making small amounts of consistent progress in the right direction every single day.
-One of her more difficult moments after college in trying to define herself as an artist and attempting to figure out the business.
-How having children made her more efficient with her limited time.
-How to get past the fear of putting your art out into the world, especially when it comes from a vulnerable place.
-How her best moments are any time she is invited to show her work, teach, or collaborate on a project.
-How her art makes her a more patient parent and partner, and makes her feel more energized.
-Her year of daily paintings and how it felt like a visual journal to her.
-Two of her greatest inspirations – Koo Shadler and her husband, Justin.
Brooke's Final Push will inspire you to figure out what it is you want out of your creative life and to pursue it every single day!
Quotes:
“If I just allow myself to follow what I’m interested in, the result is generally more creative and authentic.”
“The thing I found is that when I’m striving for that perfection, I can often ruining the freshness of a piece.”
“It may be hard to see the progress when you’re doing the slow and steady thing, but in the long run you really can see a difference.”
“The more you create and the more you share, the less you’re concerned about what other people are going to think or say.”
“It’s doing the consistent, boring stuff along the way that makes the little positive moments shine.”
Links mentioned:
IGMA – The International Guild of Mini Artisans
Connect with Brooke:
Dale Bigeni is a Sydney based artist whose passion is creating, whether it be digital or traditional art. Some of his clients have included Allday, Converse, Westfield, Sharpie, and Harley Davidson, just to name a few. Dale specializes in illustration and graphic design, but loves all mediums of art, especially if they involve skulls.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/dalebigeni
In this episode, Dale discusses:
-His fascination with skulls.
-How it took him five years to capture his unique style and make it his own.
-How he handles the naysayers.
-His advice for creative people who are being told to go down more of a mainstream path but who have very niche interests.
-One of his defining artistic moments.
-How nobody else knows what’s best for you in terms of what you should be creating.
-The importance of growing up and also having a strong support system around you.
-His best/worst creative moment when he won Australia’s Secret Walls
-How his wife helps to keep him level-headed and motivated.
-How art brings him a sense of peace and puts him in a better mind frame as a human being.
-How he is able to get into the “zone.”
-The fact that he doesn’t delve too deeply into any other artists or inspirations because if he does, he will start creating work that too closely resembles that art.
Dale's Final Push will inspire you to just be yourself and not let anyone else tell you what is best for you and your art!
Quotes:
“I’m a strong believer of not listening too much to what other people say and doing more of what makes you happy.”
“I don’t think I would be anywhere close to where I am without the support network around me.”
“Unless you give it a go, how are you going to know?”
“Just be yourself. Don’t let anybody tell you that you should do something that doesn’t make you happy. Money is not the most important thing in life. Happiness is.”
“Just be yourself and let the world love you for you.”
Connect with Dale:
Speo is an upcoming producer hailing from Austria, focusing on bass-heavy, funky, chill and melodic electronic music.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/speo
In this episode, Speo discusses:
-How he got started creating music.
-What it was like creating his first track and how your perception of good and bad changes and advances as you go along your creative journey.
-How his software crashed and he lost his first creative “masterpiece.”
-The notion of just jumping right into a creative endeavor and having fun without any expectations.
-How he had so much fun when he first started out that he didn’t notice the lack of attention he was getting.
-What kept him motivated to continue posting to a blank Twitter feed.
-The differences in the creative process now that he has an audience.
-How if you try to emulate other artists, you will make something that is, at best, slightly worse than what they created.
-How a structured and efficient schedule can sometimes lead to a less-fun and unsuccessful creative process.
-His plans for the rest of college and post-graduation.
-One of his worst creative lulls when he got into an uncreative cycle.
-Being physically active and having a healthy diet and the role that it can play on your creativity.
-How creating every single day will turn you into a person who is creative!
-The notion of simply creating something with no expectations, even on busy evenings.
-Bob Ross and the inspiration that all you have to do is believe in yourself and then all you have to do is get familiar with the tools.
-More details about SpeoTV.
Speo's Final Push will inspire you to act on your creative impulse and make something!
Quotes:
“Get going. Get right into it. That’s where the best things happen in my experience.”
“I stumbled for a long while, but I didn’t really notice because it was so much fun making music and sharing it. It took two years until someone listened and I was writing to a blank Twitter feed. It took a while but then it was incredibly gratifying.”
“The gratification and validation that you get from an audience is great but it shouldn’t be the purpose of why you’re making things.”
“It’s a huge inspiration to know that there are people waiting for your next creative work. That can really push you. But at the same time, that can push you into a corner where you feel like you have to create a certain style.”
“I don’t plan on stopping music, basically ever.”
“Consistency beats intensity. If you do something for five minutes every day, then you’re a person who does something daily.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Speo:
Website / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter
Martin Wittfooth is an illustrator and fine artist living in New York City. His surreal oil paintings are much more than simply depictions of animals – they are emotional self-portraits that demand to be seen as a timestamp of our place here on Earth – where we have come from and more importantly where we are going.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/151
In this episode, Martin discusses:
-The importance of remembering why you started doing this creative endeavor in the first place.
-How some artists and musicians have the curse of becoming too successful and then losing the initial passion that made them so good in the first place.
-His love for the surprises, or “Easter eggs” that come from his art.
-His next show, based off of Terrence McKenna and The Archaic Revival.
-How podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience and The Duncan Trussel Family Hour are evidence of a shift in the power of expression and information.
-More details about his upcoming show in October 2016.
-How mistakes can often end up not being mistakes at all.
-Trying new things just to see if you can get happy, unexpected results.
-Dismissing the inner critic while at the same time being able to absorb valuable criticisms from trusted peers.
Martin's Final Push will inspire you to enjoy the process, rather than the end result.
Quotes:
“If there is to be an audience member that you are creating for, let it just be yourself.”
“It’s not the outcome of what happens when the piece is done, it’s the process of making it itself that matters.”
Links mentioned:
The Archaic Revival by Terence McKenna
The Duncan Trussell Family Hour Podcast -- Episode 137 with Martin Wittfooth
Connect with Martin:
Martin Wittfooth is an illustrator and fine artist living in New York City. His surreal oil paintings are much more than simply depictions of animals – they are emotional self-portraits that demand to be seen as a timestamp of our place here on Earth – where we have come from and more importantly where we are going.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/150
In this episode, Martin discusses:
-What he attempts to accomplish with his paintings.
-How his style has developed over time and the experience of looking back at his old work.
-One of his earliest creative memories when he realized that his art could cause a reaction in people.
-How he sees his paintings as “emotional self-portraits.”
-His fascination with the way that the human species communicates with one another on many different levels.
-How young adults have to make decisions on what they want to do for the rest of their lives at too early of an age.
-The difficulty of trying to find a marriage between painting and the business of painting.
-How we live in a time where the knowledge and advice is out there on the internet… we just need to know where to look and how to ask for it.
-The importance of enjoying the act of your creative endeavor rather than the results of it.
Quotes:
“Through drawing, all the sudden people took interest in what I was doing.”
“I’m trying to get myself somehow trapped on the canvas but in a way that isn’t the predictable image of me.”
“If it stops feeling like play, then it’s probably not worth doing.”
Links mentioned:
The Archaic Revival by Terence McKenna
The Duncan Trussell Family Hour Podcast -- Episode 137 with Martin Wittfooth
Connect with Martin:
Jake Heilbrunn is a 19-year old writer who just published his first book, Off the Beaten Trail, a true story about his journey dropping out of college at eighteen and solo-backpacking through Central America with no phone or knowledge of Spanish.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/149
In this episode, Jake discusses:
-How a rare skin condition started him on his journey just three days after moving in to college.
-How his journey began with an Ex-Hostage Raid & Recovery Vet.
-The incredible experience of being able to trek through ancient Mayan ruins.
-How he started writing the book the day after he got home from his journey.
-His daily writing process and how he was able to finish the first draft of his book in just three months.
-The idea of starting your day in an uncomfortable way (like with a cold shower) to prepare you for the next thing that you might not want to do (like write).
-Detaching yourself from what you wrote that you thought was gold so that you can “kill your darlings.”
-How he used Quantum Leap to help him get through the editing and publishing phases of his book.
-How he stays consistent with his writing through his weekly blog.
-The uncomfortable feeling of putting yourself out there and fearing rejection (and how to get past it).
-How he took chances by trusting his gut and approaching Drew Brees and Chris Guillebeau to ask for their endorsement for his book.
-His best and worst creative moments.
Jake's Final Push will inspire you to follow your gut and trust that you know what’s best for yourself.
Quotes:
“It definitely shifted my perspective.”
“Allow yourself to write garbage.”
“Writing just always called out to me. Being able to articulate words and ideas into a story.”
“It’s like taking that first step when you can’t see the whole staircase.”
Links mentioned:
Off the Beaten Trail by Jake Heilbrunn
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
"PUKE IT OUT, then polish it!" -- YCP Episode 38 with Kent Gustavson
Connect with Jake:
John Dalton is a painter, podcaster, and writer from county Kerry in Ireland. He has been a therapist, a carpenter, a scriptwriter, a trainer, a cameraman, a TV presenter, a driver, a factory worker, a photographer, and a laborer. His podcast, "Gently Does It," is a must-listen for any fans of Your Creative Push.
In this episode, John discusses:
-How he got started as an artist and the many different careers he had before.
-The decision to go from a craniosacral therapy to become a full-time writer.
-Details about his new book, “The Gentle Snap."
-The great mystery surrounding sleep and how it is much like death in the fact that we disappear for a time.
-The role that sleep, dreams, and meditative states play in the world and in his art and writing.
-How he started his podcast, “Gently Does It.”
-What he attempts to accomplish with his podcast, and the ability for anyone else to accomplish similar results.
-The most important lesson that he has learned in his podcasting journey.
John's Final Push will inspire you to realize that your life is a work of art!
Quotes:
“It was that book that kept waking me up at night.”
"If you're feeling a bit stuck, there's a great power in using delusion to your advantage."
"Just kid yourself that you're going to do five minutes. Before you know it, you've done a lot."
Links mentioned:
Connect with John:
Debbie Chesebro is a creative producer with over 15 years of experience in production, post production, accounting & finance, feature films, commercials, and new media. She has worked on feature films such as Hurt Locker, Nacho Libre, Fever Pitch, and Pee-wee's Big Holiday, as well as many international productions. Most recently, she worked in Cambodia on Netflix's upcoming Angelina Jolie Pitt-directed feature.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/debbiechesebro
In this episode, Debbie discusses:
-Her role in the new Angelina Jolie Pitt-directed feature on Netflix and her travels to Cambodia.
-The various roles and jobs that she has had throughout her career on her journey to be a producer and writer.
-The role that writing has played throughout her life.
-The unfortunate events that happened after writing a screenplay with her writing partner.
-The story behind "Prom Queen."
-The strange phenomenon in Hollywood, how ideas are often met with similar ideas at the same time.
-The idea of regrouping to figure out why you fell in love with your creative passion in the first place and working from there.
-Her love for John Hughes films.
-How a writing partner that is willing to "play" and bounce ideas back and forth doesn't just make the process more fruitful, but also more fun.
Debbie's Final Push will inspire you to get back to your ORIGINS!
Quotes:
"The process itself can be so painful and torturous, but then when you have this story, this piece of paper that you filled up with words, it kind of seems like a magical thing."
"Just go back to the origins. Why are you doing this? What inspired you in the first place? What is it that you truly love?"
Another solo episode.
About magic.
Only, like, two episodes after the last episode about magic.
Yawn, right?
Except not! Something incredible happened after the last episode... Youngman goes as far as to describe it as "magical," believe it or not. This episode starts where the last episode left off, though it wasn't planned that way.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/moremagic
YCP Episode 111 with Brandyn Burnette
YCP Episode 136 with Lisa Congdon
YCP Episode 110 with Gabriel Picolo
POWERS is the dynamic duo comprised of Mike Del Rio and Christa Ru, two talented musicians moved from New York to Los Angeles, but made sure to maintain their collaborative orbit with one another on their journey. They have helped to create music for some of the biggest names in music, but have come together with POWERS to grasp timeless music out of the universe for the world to enjoy.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/powers
In this episode, Mike & Christa discuss:
-How they came together to create POWERS.
-The importance of collaboration, especially when you can find someone who “gets it.”
-The difficulty in being a solo artist and having to make so many big decisions on your own.
-How important it is to take notice of when you are having fun while creating, and doing whatever you can to stay in that zone.
-How Selena Gomez cut one of the songs they were working on
-Their advice for keeping that childlike inspiration and joy that we sometimes forget about as we become adults.
-The importance of surrounding yourself with “good coconuts” – people who support your mission and your creative goals.
-The difficulty in spending too much time on an idea or song and becoming numb to it.
-Making sure to be the captain of your own ship and to have the confidence to know that you are the one whose ideas are sought after.
-How some of their favorite songs come from an idea they had four years prior.
-Keeping a database of ideas that you can come back to at any time to continue to become inspired or see which idea is ready to be turned into something complete.
-The importance of becoming a “shipper” – someone who continues to put out content on time.
-The story behind their new song, “Sunshine.”
Quotes:
“The feeling of being creative, whether you’re five years old and playing with legos and drawing – that magic and sense of wonder where you just made something out of thin air -- that doesn’t really age. That feeling is eternal.”
“Making something and pulling it out of the universe is a very special, kind of birthing emotion.”
“As a band we always wanted to reach as many people and touch as many people as possible while still keeping a sense of integrity, intelligence, and sincerity with our music.”
“You have to keep a corner of it for yourself. Where you don’t care if you succeed, you don’t care if anybody pays attention to it. It’s purely for the enjoyment of what you’re doing.”
Connect with POWERS:
Website / Soundcloud / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/144
A magical solo episode. Oh my.
But seriously, this is about magic. Or at least Youngman tries to convince you so.
What you'll get from this episode is some amazing looks back to previous episodes and then Youngman trying to make sense of the awesomeness of them. Namely, he tries to bring it all back to the magic that happens when you decide to do something and you tell the Universe that you're going to do it.
Saying what you want is all you have to do. So do it.
Richard T Scott is a painter, writer, and coin designer for the United States Mint living in the Hudson Valley. His paintings are in museum collections in North America and Europe. One of his coin designs commemorating Fort Moultrie will be on the new quarter released into circulation this November. Richard is represented by Paul Booth Gallery in New York City and Galerie L'Oeil du Prince in Paris.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/richardtscott
In this episode, Richard discusses:
-How he got involved with the United States Mint and his first quarter that is going to be minted of Fort Moultrie.
-How paintings do not stand the test of time, but coins and sculptures do.
-An important lesson he learned from his friend in high school about the difference between natural talent and hard work.
-How JMW Turner was inspired by Claude Lorrain.
-Things that have held him back during his art career, such as financial strain and crippling doubt.
-The cloud that hung over his head for a long time, where he didn’t believe he could actually be successful as a professional artist, despite his drive to be the best painter he could be.
-The powerful idea of collaborative competition, and the way that he uses it with Adam Miller.
-A powerful story about the chance he took in reaching out to Odd Nerdrum and the journey that it took him on.
-One of his best moments, happening at the moment, having a piece accepted into the Georgia Museum of Art.
-What art and creativity brings to his life.
-Why Rembrandt is one of his greatest influences.
-Some of the things he has coming up at this very exciting time in his career.
Richard's Final Push will inspire you to go for your dreams… all you need is persistence, passion, and honesty.
Quotes:
“2000 years from now, it might be the case that none of my paintings will be around, but these coins will.”
“This idea that you’re born with genius or talent and that’s what defines whether or not you succeed at something… I don’t think that’s true. I think it’s about your passion.”
“Even though I’ve always been driven to be the best painter I could be, I never believed that I could actually be successful at it.”
“What I keep telling myself is to be optimistic, to be realistic, and to be honest with myself about my strengths and especially my weaknesses.”
“I would rather win a silver medal knowing that I had reached my greatest potential instead of winning a gold medal when my competition hadn’t even reached theirs.”
“So I had gone from thinking I had cancer, my marriage is falling apart, feeding myself out of a garden, foraging, and having ten cents to my name… and suddenly I had sold eleven paintings within two weeks.”
“At any moment, anything can happen that might seem so incredibly small. And if you’re there and you’re ready and you’re prepared and you’re on your game, it could turn into something that you can’t even imagine.
“For me, art is the way that I understand the world. It’s the way that I digest life.”
Links mentioned:
"Fourth Wall" at Paul Booth Gallery
Connect with Richard:
Artist Chris Riddell is a prolific writer and illustrator whose work is familiar to both children and adults. He is known especially for his distinctive line drawings with their clever caricature, fascinating detail and often enchanting fantasy elements. In addition to his children’s books, Chris is a renowned political cartoonist whose work appears in The Observer, The Literary Review and The New Statesman. Chris is also the current Waterstones Children’s Laureate, which is awarded once every two years to an eminent writer or illustrator of children’s books to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/episode1again
In this episode, Chris discusses:
-Why he loves working for different age groups and how the contrast affects his creativity in a positive way.
-Why rushing to self-definition is unnecessary.
-What being the Children’s Laureate means.
-How the joy of drawing and art in general shouldn’t stop when you grow up.
-The idea of “the sketcher” versus “the non-sketcher.”
-How questioning things is a positive thing.
-The power of having a sketch book and taking notes.
-How everyone is an artist from childhood, but then self-doubt takes it away.
-How the community of sharing via social media leads to a golden age of visual art and cultural exchange.
-How his starting point is a very permissive one — drawing without an agenda.
-How putting off creativity until tomorrow leads to never getting anything done.
-You can develop good habits just as easily as bad habits.
-How a SINGLE line in a journal can bring back memories more clearly than a photograph.
-How the internet allows us to go on imaginative journeys.
-His formula for balancing his time.
-How commissioned work and leisure work sometimes become melded into one.
His final push is a simple, but powerful idea, that literally any human being can implement.
Quotes:
“Drawing is a meditation.”
“We are in a golden age of visual art and we should all be talking about it a lot, and carry on sharing the artwork we do.”
“Grab a coat, get out the front door and go. Walk into a creative journey.”
“Make a mark on the page. And then make another one. And another one. And another one. That’s the way you start.”
“Start with a lowly ambition. Start with making things look beautiful on a page and see where it takes you.”
Mike Azevedo is a freelance concept artist and illustrator from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has worked on projects such as League of Legends, Hex, Legendgs of the Cryptids, and worked for clients such as Bluzzard, Guerrilla Games, Games Workshop, and Direwolf.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/mikeazevedo
In this episode, Mike discusses:
-How he balances commission work and passion projects.
-His YouTube channel and how he tries to teach and inspire others, as that was the way that he learned.
-How watching his own timelapse videos can help him to learn more about himself, since he is “in the zone” when he is actually painting.
-His belief in the Pareto principle, that 20% of the work you put in is responsible for 80% of the results.
-Knowing how to determine when to start a piece over from scratch, making sure to remember what you did right and what you did wrong.
-Why he doesn’t zoom in during the beginning stages of his drawings.
-The importance of making a few good decisions as opposed to many small bad ones.
-How digital painting and the ability to go back sometimes makes people not want to make big decisions.
-One of his first creative moments, drawing dinosaurs and giving them away.
-His advice for getting in the zone.
-His strategy of trying to get in the mindset between comfort and anxiety.
-The importance of giving yourself time for personal work every single day, no matter how tough it is with your schedule, because that is when you are able to experiment and try new things.
Mike's Final Push will inspire you to be the best you can be TODAY, and then do it again tomorrow.
Quotes:
“I could either give up and start believing them, or I could use that to drive me to study more, practice more, and prove them wrong.”
“You have to have a little bit of courage to be a different version of yourself every day and trying to get better.”
“It starts to get easier to manipulate your own mind when you know where it is.”
Links mentioned:
Connect with Mike:
YouTube / ArtStation / DeviantArt / Facebook / Instagram / Tumblr
Linda Blondheim is a landscape painter whose mission is to visually record the rural, agricultural lands and trees of her beloved Florida. She believes that painters are stewards of our history and culture, who record the experiences and lives of their own time. Her legacy as a painter is to leave a visual record of the beauty of rural Florida.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lindablondheim
In this episode, Linda discusses:
-Why she loves Florida so much and why she makes it the central theme for her art.
-One of her first creative moments.
-The initial support and encouragement that she received from her parents in terms of artistic expression, and then their resistance when she announced that she wanted to do it as a career.
-Some of the things that held her back as an artist, including being legally blind in one eye.
-Some of her tips for artists in terms of thriving financially as an artist.
-The importance of understanding your collectors.
-The mistake that many new artists make of trying to hang out where all the other artists are hanging out.
-Her best and worst moments as an artist.
-The importance of letting go of your ego as an artist.
-Her formula for balancing her time.
Linda's Final Push will inspire you to find your self-confidence and self-discipline!
Quotes:
“At thirteen, my dad made a studio for me in the attic where I dreamed of being a famous artist.”
“My dad wanted me to be an attorney. It didn’t work out well for him.”
“I didn’t really come to understand painting until I was in my forties.”
“There has to be an authenticity about being an artist. It is very important that you believe in what you paint, that you live it, and that you understand it.”
Connect with Linda:
Dan Mumford is a freelance illustrator working out of Studio100 in central London, UK. Over the past 10 years, Dan has worked within the pop culture and music scene creating everything from album covers, branding, and screenprints to new interpretations of classic film posters and albums.
His clients include Disney, Sony, Iron Maiden, Wizards of the Coast, Icon Motosports, CBS, and many bands and record labels from around the world.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/danmumford
In this episode, Dan discusses:
-The path that he went down to begin to develop his unique style.
-The importance of embracing your many interests and passions and trying to find a way to combine them into your creative expression.
-The difference between passion projects and commissioned work.
-How he has never been able to get work done at home and needs to go to the studio in order to be productive.
-The importance of not pushing your body too hard, or else you could develop serious injuries that will take you out of the game completely.
-His formula for balancing his time, including getting e-mails and other work out of the way and off of his mind first thing in the morning.
-His best and worst creative moments.
-The value of having a gallery behind you to take care of the “extra” stuff.
Dan's Final Push will inspire you to be true to yourself and to keep making your work in a way that makes you happy!
Quotes:
“I’d never really done anything on quite such a large scale before. It was really tiring as well.”
“Don’t worry too much about the outside world.”
“If you enjoy doing it, then you’re going to be better at doing it. You’ll find yourself creating work that is far superior.”
“Be yourself. Just be true to yourself and don’t try to be something that you’re not.”
“Keep making your work in a way that makes you happy.”
Connect with Dan:
Lisa is a Fine artist and illustrator from Portland, Oregon best known for her colorful abstract paintings, intricate line drawings, pattern design, and hand lettering. She works for clients around the world including the MoMA, Martha Stewart Living, Chronicle Books, Cloud9 Fabrics, among many others. She has exhibited her work around the country, including in shows at the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Bedford Gallery and is currently represented by Uprise Gallery in New York.
Amongst all of this, she is also a prolific author, including Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist, Whatever You Are, Be a Good One, Twenty Ways to Draw a Tulip and Fortune Favors the Brave.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lisacongdon
In this episode, Lisa discusses:
-What makes a successful artist.
-The three main things that you need to be a successful artist: talent, curiosity, and dedication.
-The importance of putting your work out there even if you are not 100% satisfied or comfortable with it.
-How we assume that other people ahead of us on the artistic journey already have it figured out, but in reality, nobody has it completely figured out.
-How insecurity never goes away for any artist, no matter how far they have come in their career.
-One of her first creative moments which, in hindsight, was a true precursor to her becoming an illustrator.
-How the connection between what you loved as a kid and what you love now sometimes becomes very clear
-Her life and careers before becoming a full-time illustrator.
-Dealing with the stress and anxiety of being a college graduate without a direction on what to do with the rest of your life.
-The danger of paralysis by analysis and how you sometimes just have to dive in and try something to see if you like it and see if you are any good at it.
-The power of writing about and talking about the various things that hold you back from creating on a daily basis.
-Not having to deal with existential questions on your own, because we all have them.
Lisa's Final Push will inspire you to BEGIN ANYHOW!
Quotes:
“Talent is 10% of what it takes to be successful.”
“I still struggle with insecurity about putting my work into the world. It still feels vulnerable. But the key is I do it anyway.”
“Eventually, people were like, ‘Hey I want to buy that.’”
“Sometimes you just have to dive in and try something.”
“Begin despite your fears or whatever roadblocks you think are in your way. Let go of the excuses and justifications and begin anyhow.”
Resources mentioned:
Art, Inc.: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist