Martin is an English artist with an African heart. Born into a family of zoologists in 1982, he grew up amidst forest and savannah creatures of central and eastern Africa. He has held successful solo exhibitions in Africa, Europe, and the United States and has exhibited with the Society of Wildlife Artists and at the David Shepherd Foundation's Wildlife Artist of the Year event. A driving force for Martin's work is his commitment to conservation efforts for endangered wildlife, and through his art he continues to support the work of selected wildlife charities.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/martinaveling
In this episode, Martin discusses:
-His upbringing in Africa, how his parents were young zoologists, and what that meant for his life.
-Why he draws detailed portraits of the animals on very clear white backgrounds, so that it doesn't detract from the animal.
-How he became obsessed with detail but tried to hone that throughout his career.
-How he likes to play around with composition, and push the boundaries with negative space, as it helps to engage the viewer.
-His ability to not just draw animals, but to draw animals in a moment in time, and how long that took him to figure out.
-How he was most creative when he was younger because he just dove into it without thinking.
-His advice for people who might be discouraged by their gap in skill in comparison to his.
-The importance of doing art because you enjoy it, and not comparing yourself to other people or worrying about what other people think.
-How to deal with fear.
-How mistakes are good and help you to evolve.
-His charity work for wildlife conservation.
Martin's Final Push will inspire you to put in the time and GET IT DOODLED!
Quotes:
"It wasn't until much later on in life that I realized just how privileged I was to spend time amongst those animals."
"They are the stars of the show. It's the animals. It's not me. My first passion was wildlife, and then I discovered I could draw them."
"I like to push the boundaries with negative space. That helps to engage the viewer more."
"If you try to use the negative space in a creative way, it invites people to engage with it more and be a part of creating that environment in which it is sitting."
"It's all about the hours that you put in. You do improve even if you're not seeing it real time."
"I always start at the eye. It's the window to the soul. It's where all the emotion is conveyed."
"It's not just for me, the art. It's for everyone."
"You put the time in, and you will improve."
"Don't compare yourself to people. If you enjoy drawing, you just just be drawing and not be worrying too much about what other people are thinking.
"There's nothing really to be scared of. You love doing it, so just do it."
"You sleep better at night if you've done something a little bit creative during the day.
Connect with Martin:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
You might know Kent Gustavson as an award-winning author, for his biography on musician Doc Watson called Blind But Now I See. Or you might know him as a musician and producer, with 14 critically acclaimed albums. Or if you are a student at Stony Brook University in New York, you might know him as a teacher. Or maybe you know him as a public speaker and perhaps you have already been inspired by him from his Ted Talk, "We Are Alive."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/drkent
In this episode, Kent discusses:
-How in college he did a lot of soul searching to "find himself," but a near-fatal car wreck with his father made it clear to him that he should do what he loves doing.
-How he loves how art teachers see the world.
-How the idea that "there are no mistakes" really changed the way he thought about things.
-Jazz musicians and their ability to turn a mistake into a feature of the music.
-How anticipating mistakes make them easier to deal with and much easier to learn from.
-Training your ability to "turn creativity on" and finding the method that helps you to not spend.
-The importance of focusing on your own health, as well as taking days off (just like athletes need to do).
-How his creative upbringing led him to want to coach authors.
-How the block for many creative people is the idea of making the "next best thing," and concentrating too much on making it be perfect.
-The idea of "puke and polish" -- how sometimes you just need to just get it out there, and then worry about polishing it later.
-The different advice that he gives to different types of authors.
-The importance of understanding your audience and when they read and why.
-The value of using an avatar.
-How it is not easy for some people to simply use an egg timer every morning to work on their craft, since they get longer-lasting bursts of creativity.
-His advice for people who have many different creative ideas but haven't started on any.
Quotes:
"Take the mistake and turn it into something beautiful -- a feature."
"You can't live on top of Everest. You climb up the mountain. You hang up there for minutes. And then you come back down. Perfection is hitting the top of Everest, but you can't live in perfection."
"Who exactly is this for?"
"It's easy for the reader to see the author, but your goal as an author is to see the reader."
"You can have either happiness or fulfillment or both."
"If your life's in the doldrums, kick it in the pants. Start painting. Start playing some music. Learn the guitar. Spend more time with your kids. Take a trip."
Resources mentioned:
"Blind But Now I See: The Biography of Music Legend Doc Watson" by Kent Gustavson
"We Are Alive" (Kent's Ted Talk)
Connect with Kent:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Blooming Twig
Nick Gentry is an artist from London who paints on recycled and obsolete technological materials such as floppy discs, 35mm film negatives, VHS cassettes, and X-ray prints. In doing so, he creates a conversation between digital and analog processes.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/nickgentry
In this episode, Nick discusses:
-What the canvas of technological materials says to the viewer.
-How he finds charm in the materials that have already had a life.
-Where he actually obtains the floppy discs and VHS tapes to use for his art.
-How he uses ambiguity and pulling many different pieces together in order for the viewer to make their own interpretations about the art and what it means to them.
-The first time he made this type of art as an experiment, and how he left his work in the street to be picked up for free.
-His predictions for the future of technology and his hope that we don't get lost.
-How he tries to suspend his judgment while making art, so that if a piece isn't going particularly well, he can abandon it and move on.
-How we should learn from children and how they enjoy drawing and painting without thinking about if something is right or wrong.
-His advice for people who might be scared to share their work.
-The importance of being attached to your art while you are working on it, but then detaching yourself from it as soon as it leaves your studio (and that is where the daily practice comes in, because you can immediately move on to the next thing).
-His advice for people who have a difficult time moving onto the next thing.
-How being able to move on to the next thing also allows you to not linger on failures.
-How he draws inspiration from everything around him, especially nature.
Nick's Final Push will inspire you to be unique.
Quotes:
"It tends to be a slow burn with these ideas."
"It's really hard to have a perspective in the moment because we are surrounded by so much that is stimulating us all the time. It's only with time that we can actually reflect upon what happened and what it means."
"With art, and my work especially, I'm not tying to provide any answers or predictions. I'm just trying to ask better questions than I was before."
"Whenever you follow your passion, you just have the intuition to work when you need to work, and you find the time of day when you're optimal and you work at those times."
"I see things as more of a sequence rather than endpoints, so if that painting didn't work out then that is not a problem to me, because that is just a step on a long road."
"I think it's just a case of going ahead with it and doing it and not pondering it for too long. Just seeing where it takes you."
"For me, it's all about moving forward on to the next thing."
"Art has to be a personal exploration."
Links mentioned:
Connect with Nick:
Diana Gabaldon is the author of the award-winning, #1 NYT-bestselling OUTLANDER novels. Diana has written eight books in the series, with more than twenty-six million copies in print worldwide. The series is published in 26 countries and 23 languages, and includes a nonfiction (well, relatively) companion volume, THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION, which provides details on the settings, background, characters, research, and writing of the first novels in the series. Gabaldon has also written several books in a sub-series featuring Lord John Grey (a major minor character from the main series): LORD JOHN AND THE PRIVATE MATTER, LORD JOHN AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLADE, LORD JOHN AND THE HAND OF DEVILS, and LORD JOHN AND THE SCOTTISH PRISONER.
Returning to her comic-book roots, she has also written a graphic novel titled THE EXILE (set within the OUTLANDER universe and featuring the main characters from OUTLANDER), but told from the viewpoint of Jamie Fraser and his godfather, Murtagh.
Diana’s current writing projects include the ninth major novel in the OUTLANDER series, as yet untitled, and a second volume of THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION. She is also serving as a Co-Producer and advisor for the Outlander TV series produced by the Starz network and Tall Ship Productions, which is based on her novels.
In this episode, Diana discusses:
-The story behind "Outlander."
-How she had known that she wanted to be a novelist since she was eight.
-How she was comfortable writing because of writing scholarly articles, grant proposals, and scientific papers, but needed to learn the details of how to write a novel.
-How Outlander was really a practice novel for her.
-How a Dr. Who re-run inspired the thought of a man in a kilt, and that is where she began Outlander.
-How starting to write immediately was important to her, so that she wouldn't get caught up in doing endless research.
-How characters come under three classifications: mushrooms, onions, and hard nuts.
-The most important question to answer is what does your character want? Because this is what shapes the story (what is stopping them from getting what they want?)
-How the only cure for "cold days" or writer's block is to just write anyway.
-How she uses a "kernel" (a line of dialogue, a concrete object, an emotional ambiance, or anything else concrete) and she writes around that kernel to start telling the story or the scene.
Diana's Final Push will inspire you to set aside some time every single day.
Quotes:
"I just wanted to write a book in order to learn how."
"I said to myself, "I'm going to write a novel for practice. I'm not going to show it to anyone. I'm not telling anyone what I'm doing. It's just for me to learn how."
"The important thing is to pick a point and get started. It doesn't really matter where you start."
"I fought with her for several pages, trying to beat her into shape and make her talk like an 18th century woman but she wasn't having any of this. She kept making smart-ass modern remarks and she also took over and started telling the story herself."
"You need to know who your character is."
"I don't plan books ahead of time. I don't work with an outline. I don't work in a straight line. I work in little pieces where I can see things happening."
"The secret to success in writing is to understand how your own brain works and work with it rather than against it."
"You just need to get words on paper and eventually the words will become alive again and start flowing for you."
"You cannot write anything any way but one word at a time."
"Don't let yourself be stopped by lack of time."
Connect with Diana:
Website / Facebook / Outlander
Marc is an artist whose work is inspired in both form and style by western and eastern influences. He was born in Hong Kong, but has also lived in Sydney and London. He merges traditional Chinese inks with European watercolour and pen techniques in a contemporary style. He is self-taught, and utilizes many different techniques and subject matters to expand his work. Marc also runs the blog www.redinkstone.com – a website dedicated to helping aspiring artists achieve successful and sustainable careers in the art world.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/marcallante
In this episode, Marc discusses:
-How his art career was jump started when his friend posted one of his pieces on Reddit and the thread went viral.
-How he utilized that "break" to make another post on Reddit, showcasing pieces of art he did throughout his childhood and life, and how that post went even more viral.
-How he worked in financial risk at that time, and art was a hobby for him until that point.
-The tough times that he was going through at the moment, with his mother being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
-How he calculated whether or not he could quit his job before he jumped into being a full-time artist.
-What it has been like in his first year as a full-time artist.
-His advice to people with full-time jobs who want to still do their creative passion: dedicate some time every day, and you will see improvement and results.
-The importance of developing a style with which you can differentiate yourself from other artists.
-There are always valuable lessons to be learned in trying something new.
-How art school has many things that it can teach you, but in today's world you can find out how to draw or paint in any style for free on the internet (or do anything creative, really).
-About why he started redinkstone.com and how it can help expose artists to information about effectively marketing your work via social media, understanding contracts, and so much more.
Marc's Final Push will inspire you to dedicate whatever free time you can find to furthering your realization of your dream.
Quotes:
"It does require a lot of effort and a lot of work to ensure that you properly utilize that momentum."
"What am I going to regret more in life? Am I going to regret a job that I'm kind of okay with or following through with a passion that is clearly working at this point?"
"Even struggling for a few years would be a much more satisfying experience than cruising in a job that I didn't particularly enjoy."
"Even if you are dedicating a half-hour or an hour every day it is going to improve that process and the skills that you are using."
"The more that you practice and the more that you dedicate yourself to that subject or skill, you will see improvement and you will see results."
"There's luck and there's also manufactured luck. There's definitely ways that you can help it along."
"It's good to be prepared and have the right tools in place so that if and when it does happen, you are ready for it."
"Whatever time I could spare was to realize this dream."
Links mentioned:
"How I quit my corporate job to become a professional artist"
Connect with Marc:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Prints / Redinkstone
Chan Dick is a Hong Kong photographer whose personal works have caught as much as, if not more, public attention as his commercial works. In 2015, his photo book of picturesque bird-eyed view of Chai Wan Fire Station won him the Hong Kong Photo Book Awards. His photos have been selected by Invisible Photographer Asia and showcased at Angkor Photo Festival 2015.
His photo series No Compromise portrays student activists aspired to make social progress in Hong Kong’s political scene. It won him a third place in the International Photography Awards (IPA) Competition in the professional editorial/political category.
His earlier works include Escapers that touches on the odds of escaping from a totalitarian regime, and War, a photo story taken for kart racing aficionado to support the construction of a racing circuit in Hong Kong. The latter was exhibited in the 2014 Pingyao International Photo Festival in China.
Today, Chan Dick answers some of our questions about his photography and what drives his creativity.
Full shownotes/interview: http://yourcreativepush.com/chandick
Victor is a Research Director at a Philadelphia-based digital design and development firm. He regularly writes and speaks on the application of psychology to design. He has written for A List Apart, Smashing Magazine, UX Booth, User Experience Magazine (UXPA) and many more. Victor is the author Design for the Mind, an upcoming book on the application of principles of psychology to design.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/victoryocco
In this episode, Victor discusses:
-His first creative moments, and how his interest in writing began.
-How sharing your work can build your confidence... or help you to realize that you have a talent in the first place.
-How people can surprise you with the amount of support that they can offer.
-Some things in his early life that held him back from being creative.
-The way that alcohol entered his life as a ritual for him to pass time on a nightly basis.
-How once he stopped drinking, writing replaced that need and it came crashing down like a dam suddenly let loose.
-What led to him getting to the point of hitting "rock bottom."
-His "coming out" article and how it affected so many people in the industry.
-How his boss was shocked when he told him about his alcoholism, and how telling that is in terms of how easy it is to hide things like alcoholism.
-Some of the issues that he is now attempting to address dealing with the culture of workplace drinking.
-How you don't need to get punched in the face to need to make a change in order to become the better version of yourself.
-How he doesn't believe that things necessarily get easier, just different.
-You need to let go of worrying about how something is going to be received when you put it out there.
-Look for little wins and build upon them.
-How the simple act of starting to do something gives you expertise, and you can begin teaching at this very early point.
Victor's Final Push will inspire you to take that first step and replace the negative habits in your life with positive, worthwhile habits.
Quotes:
"The universe is a neutral place, it doesn't care if you fail or if you succeed. However, if you put yourself out there, people are really supportive, and people care if you fail or if you succeed. And they want you to succeed."
"On my way to passing out I would always have this thought of, 'Tomorrow it will be different. Tomorrow I will start writing my book.'"
"The drinking was preventing me from writing. But in the back of my mind I felt like the drinking was inspiring me because I'd have these thoughts at the end... 'you should write. I want to write.' But I would wake up without another word written."
"Fifteen years of holding back the dam on writing just came crashing down as soon as I was able to stop drinking. I haven't been able to stop writing since then."
"Like a rocketship, things started to get better once I was sober."
"I replaced drinking with writing."
Links mentioned:
Victor's upcoming book, Design for the Mind (use the coupon code for 39% off: yoccopcycp)
What it's like to be a recovering alcoholic in an office where booze is everywhere (Victor's article for Vox)
The UX of Alcohol Abuse: Reflections on a Year of Sobriety (Victor's article for Model View Culture)
Youngman's Words + Music video having to do with alcoholism
Connect with Victor:
Jon is an artist and graphic designer from New York. His designs, typography, and illustrations have graced magazine covers, t-shirts, album jackets, murals, food trucks, movie posters, websites, and national ad campaigns, just to name a few. He’s the Founder & Creative Director of Contino Brand menswear and accessories company, as well as Co-Founder & Creative Director of CXXVI Clothing Company.
Full Shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/31
In this episode, Jon discusses:
-The experience of designing for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition 2015.
-What it is like to have your fingerprints on something that is massive in scale.
-How he handled the offer of being able to do body painting on the swimsuit models.
-Working for top-secret projects and the difficulty it brings to the creative process.
-How he handles his work based on his love for it, not based on his love for sleep.
-How time vanishes when you are doing something you love.
-What art and creativity brings to his life.
-How he makes every effort to make his design to be his best effort.
-About how lucky breaks happen for everyone, its just up to you to make it catch.
-How you have to trudge through so much as a creative person.
Quotes:
"There's no excuse. If you want to do it, you just do it. Because if you don't do it, you're gonna be on your deathbed one day and you're gonna wish that you were able to do it and the only person you can blame is yourself."
"If YOU don't do it, SOMEBODY ELSE will."
"If you want something so bad that you just have to do it, you do it, and you don't have to hear it from anybody.
"I think there's three important words to remember as a creative person. Pay. Your. Dues."
Links discussed:
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2015
Connect with Jon:
Jon is an artist and graphic designer from New York. His designs, typography, and illustrations have graced magazine covers, t-shirts, album jackets, murals, food trucks, movie posters, websites, and national ad campaigns, just to name a few. He’s the Founder & Creative Director of Contino Brand menswear and accessories company, as well as Co-Founder & Creative Director of CXXVI Clothing Company.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/joncontino
In this episode, Jon discusses:
-How his love and ability for design drives him.
-The difference between being a creative director and a young designer.
-The origins of his confidence and the journey it has taken.
-The importance of a "nothing to lose" attitude.
-His worst moment as a designer, and the importance of going through it.
-To not get too excited about things like interviews with Playboy.
-How it is a constant push, and almost addiction, for creative people to constantly want more.
-How LETTING GO of what he thought a designer was supposed to be allowed him to become the designer that he always was.
-How growing up in New York City (Manhatten in particular) and his love for minimalism helped to shape his design and what defined him.
-The importance of hand-drawing.
-About being influenced by other art and how it can (and should) seep into your own work.
-How you'll never get to the level of your favorite artist -- you'll be different no matter what.
-What to do when you get an idea in the middle of the night.
Quotes:
"I think that as a creative person, if there is a finish line, you're done being a creative person."
"The second I started to actually do what I felt was me, that's when I couldn't get enough."
Links discussed:
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2015
Connect with Jon:
Brett Gajda has launched two multi-million dollar businesses, studied with some of the world’s leading self-development teachers, visited 40 countries, released an album, starred in a stage musical, got married, escaped from Alcatraz, became a father, and he currently trains and coaches professionals at Fortune 1000 companies globally. He is also the host of "Where There's Smoke" -- an amazing self-help podcast that is one of the major inspirations for Youngman Brown to start "Your Creative Push."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/brettgajda
In this episode, Brett discusses:
-A recent review of his podcast "Where There's Smoke" that defined it as "genre-defying" and how that sentiment struck a chord with him.
-The concept of "The Gap" (introduced by Ira Glass) and how to get over it.
-How the only way to get to the level you want to be at with your art is to actually put the time and work into the craft that you want to master.
-His advice for moving past the fact that the first thing that you create is not very good.
-How there isn't a single person in the world that just started walking without taking a first step (usually falling right after).
-How setting a long-term goal of not paying attention to short-term results really helped him to continue.
-The importance of talking to people who have been through the journey you want to go on.
-How working for other people and helping to tell their stories made it clear to him that he wanted to tell his story. He just needed to find the medium.
-How he tried many times to figure out how to get his voice out in the world, but it still didn't feel right... but at least he was trying.
-How one of the themes of "Where There's Smoke" is the idea that you just have to put in the work.
-Let the journey to the top of the mountain be the most important part of your trip to the top of the mountain... not your few moments standing on the top.
-How his best moments are those where he actually creates something.
-If you have multiple ideas, to put all of your fuel into making one of them launch.
-Even if your #1 goal is to do something like write a novel, there might be smaller goals that you should accomplish first.
-How creativity is in EVERYTHING you do.
Brett's Final Push will inspire you to NOT HATE YOURSELF right before you die because you didn't do it.
Quotes:
"Just look at today. What's the next step? What's one thing that you can do today?"
"Find five people who have done what you want to do, and ask them to tell you about what their journey was like when they started."
"The good news was that I was trying. I was swinging the bat. I wasn't just sitting in my room trying to figure it out. I was trying to figure it out through action."
"If I find 10 things I don't want to do, I'm still closer to what I DO want to do."
"There was all these questions. And instead of just sitting there stuck in the questions, I just took a step."
"Find a way for the journey and the experience to be the TOP of the mountain."
"The regrets I have in my life that have haunted me are all the times I didn't do something."
"Failing is not that big of a deal. The thing about failure is that you get to be proud of the fact that you tried and you learned from it."
"I want people to live the full expression of their life."
Links mentioned:
Where There's Smoke: "Work it! (Creativity)"
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Dancing Spiderman matches up with any song you play
Connect with Brett:
Where There's Smoke
Website / Twitter / iTunes / Stitcher / Soundcloud
Writer Ronnie Allen is a New York City native, born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, where she was a teacher in the New York City Department of Education for 33 years. In the early 90s she began a journey into holistic healing and alternative therapies and completed her PhD in Parapsychic Sciences in 2001. Along the way, she has picked up many certifications. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner as well as a crystal therapist, Reiki practitioner, metaphysician, dream analyst, and Tarot Master Instructor.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/ronnieallen
In this episode, Ronnie discusses:
-How she got into Reiki and crystals and how they enter her writing.
-Her series of books, "The Sign Behind the Crime."
-How she uses her readers to choose which book in the series that she writes next.
-There is so much more that a writer can do aside from simply writing.
-The importance of giving yourself deadlines.
-Her first creative moments, learning how to get her characters on paper.
-How readers and writers both want to go on a journey with the writing.
-How people need to get over their fear of writing their fantasies or extremes, because a reader won't want to fly away with them if they are stuck in the mundane.
-How getting into "deep POV" can allow you to flow, and to allow your characters to really take over.
-Her worst creative moment when a teacher embarrassed her in front of her class, and how it inspired her to prove him wrong.
-The importance of paying attention to someone else's suggestions on your work... to change it if it resonates with you, but to leave it alone if it doesn't.
-If you are looking to publish, the importance of paying attention to what a publisher wants.
-Write out baby steps to get what you want. If you can't write a manuscript for a novel, write short stories.
-You have to make sacrifices for your passions.
Ronnie's Final Push will inspire you to just get started in finding your passion and taking baby steps.
Quotes:
"I'm always pushing myself to be the best that I can be."
"You can't lay down and procrastinate and make excuses."
"The longer you don't write, there is more of a chance of getting writer's block, and you want to avoid that at all costs."
"You let your characters take you where you want to go."
"It's always that doubt of not good enough. And it's SO NOT TRUE."
"A rejection means you are one step closer to getting a 'yes.'"
"Get off your tush and do it. Just do it!"
Links mentioned:
Connect with Ronnie:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Kelly McKernan is a fine artist and illustrator from Atlanta, Georgia, currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. Kelly has been exhibiting her work with numerous galleries since 2009, including Thinkspace Gallery, Gallery 1988, Young Blood Gallery, and Beep Beep Gallery. She has also illustrated three children’s book to date. Kelly is also a member of the PRISMA Artist Collective.Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/kellymckernan
In this episode, Kelly discusses:
-What it is like to be a mother and an artist at the same time, and where she finds time to do her work.
-She plans out her work much more now.
-How going into art without an intention can lead to you searching quite a bit, and planning out a good portion of it beforehand will lead to a final result more quickly.
-How sleep is usually the first thing to be sacrificed.
-Attempting to determine whether or not mulling around an idea in her head is laziness or simply working the idea out to a more complete form before starting.
-How things like "Bioshock Infinite" can completely absorb you if you are not careful, and how it is important to carefully choose things like video games before you start ("Transistor" worked for her).
-Her worst creative moment, having to do with getting a job as a pre-school teacher, but how it taught her what she doesn't want.
-How drawing is a skill, and when you stop doing it for a while, you lose some of that skill as well as your confidence.
-How much of her work is considered "fan art," but it is just her getting the things that she loves out of her system.
-How she took the reigns herself with "30 paintings" when she didn't feel like she was getting what she needed from her college education, and came out of it with a full portfolio (unlike many of her classmates).
-You don't have to go into debt to learn what you want to learn.
-How she draws inspiration from annuals like "Spectrum."
Kelly's Final Push will inspire you to choose the path that makes you the happiest!
Quotes:
"I'm just going to give myself four days to do something that is not creating, but still stimulating."
"It's a muscle. When you stop using it, you forget pretty quickly how to properly use it."
"Even if you are binge watching something, that's totally cool. But be inspired by it."
Links mentioned:
-Are You a Procrastinator or an Incubator? (CNN)
-Transistor (video game)
-Bioshock Infinite (video game)
Connect with Kelly:
Gwenn is a full-time artist, portraitist, and free-culture advocate. Her beautiful, unique portraits as well as all of her other work is intentionally free from copyright.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/gwennseemel2
In this episode, Gwenn discusses:
-How she deals with what she calls “the stupids,” when everything you do seems to be bad.
-How some of her best moments come when she completes a project, whatever it may be.
-Art and creativity bring her the desire and ability to be in this world.
-How she is inspired by everyone around her, especially the people who she makes portraits for.
-To reframe the way you think about mistakes and actually embrace them.
-If you are viewing something as a mistake, it means that you are evolving and not remaining stagnant.
Gwenn's Final Push will inspire you to embrace the mistake, because the mistake is evidence that you did the thing in the first place.
Quotes:
“Have those moments of self-love and really stew in them. You stew in the self-doubt so you might as well stew in the self-love as well.”
“Mistakes are my friend.”
“The reason why the mistake is good is because it means that you at least DID THE THING.”
Resources mentioned:
Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz & Kathryn Bowers
What It Is by Lynda Barry
Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity by Lawrence Lessig
“Rip, A Remix Manifesto” (movie)
All About Love by Bell Hooks
Give And Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
The Myth of Choice: Personal Responsibility in a World of Limits by Kent Greenfield
Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights by Kenji Yoshino
Connect with Gwenn:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Uncopyright / Patreon
Gwenn is a full-time artist, portraitist, and free-culture advocate. Her beautiful, unique portraits as well as all of her other work is intentionally free from copyright.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/gwennseemel
In this episode, Gwenn discusses:
-How her personal, creative, and professional life merge all into one.
-The pros and cons of separating your personal and creative life.
-Her battle with endometriosis and the story behind “Crime Against Nature.”
-How things like homosexuality within nature are much more prevalent than is reported scientifically, and how things like dressing flamboyantly, not having offspring, and having multiple sexual partners can be connected to animals.
-The origins of her decision to free all of her work from copyright.
-How creativity and copyright go hand in hand.
-How she got over the question of “am I special enough and why do I think I am allowed to do this?” and how focusing on portraiture helped her to put that specialness onto them.
-The importance of showing your work and connecting with other people, because it adds responsibility and accountability.
-Art can be self-expression or communication, and the differences between the two types of people, and how she tries to move between those two things.
-How marketing can be a creative outlet.
-One of her first creative moments and how a compliment from her brother (during intergalactic travels) really inspired her.
-How sometimes all it takes is just that ONE compliment from someone who gets it to keep you going.
-What it is like to make a portrait for someone and then give it to them.
Quotes:
“The work is what’s valuable to the world and it should be done in the best way possible.”
“I am the only one who can do it anyway, so I might as well completely release it into the world and have it be used.”
“Creativity is about taking elements from the world around you and from inside of you and mixing that all up and making something of it.”
“Anytime you take risks, you’re going to have this crippling self-doubt sometimes.”
Resources mentioned:
Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz & Kathryn Bowers
What It Is by Lynda Barry
Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity by Lawrence Lessig
“Rip, A Remix Manifesto” (movie)
All About Love by Bell Hooks
Give And Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
The Myth of Choice: Personal Responsibility in a World of Limits by Kent Greenfield
Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights by Kenji Yoshino
Connect with Gwenn:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Uncopyright / Patreon
Baber Afzal is an award-winning fine art photographer and film maker based in Dubai who specialises in creating surrealistic Worlds. His work has been published in several internationally renowned books and magazines. A New York Film Academy alumni from Universal Studios, he also enriched his cinematography and video editing skills while working with renowned production houses in Hollywood, CA.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/baberafzal
In this episode, Baber discusses:
-How he started with photography and the journey that got him to his place today.
-The struggle of Dubai having less photography work than a place like Los Angeles.
-The definition of fine art photography, and what it means to him.
-His online tutorials and workshops, which show how each image is processed uniquely.
-How promoting other artists on his own page led to him gaining an incremental following on his own page.
-How to can gain followers on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media by doing the same type of sharing.
-Just because you are sharing other people's work on Facebook, it doesn't mean that it will take away from your own.
-Facebook is designed in a way that your reach will die if you don't post anything for a week or two.
Baber's Final Push will inspire you to experiment and always continue to learn.
Quotes:
"Each image has its own challenges. Each image comes with its own vision."
"I realized that there are so many great artists other than myself out there, whose works deserve to be recognized."
"As I gradually started to promote other artists on my page, I started gaining an incremental following."
"Good works deserve to be recognized."
"I have enough confidence in myself to share other people's work."
"Never be afraid to experiment and try new things because that is what takes you forward."
Links mentioned:
"The Road to Inspiration - A Personal Journey"
Connect with Baber:
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / Pinterest
Mikey Burton is a part time designer and a part time illustrator—which adds up to a full time Designy Illustrator. He’s been working professionally for about 10 years. He’s done a lot of work in that time for clients such as Converse, ESPN, Target, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Esquire, among others. Mikey spent his formative years and earned a masters degree from the great Kent State University in Ohio. Mikey, tell me what I missed there, and maybe give us a peek into your personal life.
In this episode, Mikey discusses:
-His campaign for Converse and the challenge that it presented to him.
-How he gets the courage to take on challenges that might initially scare him.
-His first self-motivated work, and how it would yield actual work.
-The goal of Barrel Body was to lose weight, but it led to new and interesting client work instead.
-How defining your style is a lifelong journey.
-The importance of being critical of your own work.
-How sometimes your creative life and your "life" life hit a crossroads at the same time.
-How we are visually over-saturated sometimes with visually inspiring material.
-Working from home is never as easy as people think.
-How knowing yourself and your work habits is extremely important, especially if you are your own boss.
-His greatest inspiration is his father and the work ethic that he continues to have.
Mikey's Final Push will inspire you to JUST START, even if it is in just small amounts each day!
Quotes:
"If you're doing things that you are passionate about in your spare time, it usually leads to something."
"You just have to start. It doesn't have to be some grandiose thing."
"You just need to start today, in a little way."
Links mentioned:
Pen Jillette on WTF with Marc Maron
Connect with Mikey:
Alex Cherry is an LA-based digital artist who blurs the lines between art and design. He draws his inspiration from film, music, and pop culture to make stunning images that will always make you think.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alexcherry2
In this episode, Alex discusses:
-The issue of copying and how we have to get over it.
-The importance of thinking about new things every day.
-A recent negative experience he had and how it led to an "artistic PTSD."
-The story about how he met his fiance through his art.
-A rapper suggestion for Youngman Brown to help him with his insecurities about his own monotone voice.
-The last words his grandmother said to him, and the impact that it has on his life.
Alex's Final Push will grant you permission to create!
Quotes:
"I heard that 90% of communication is non-verbal, and it's so true. We put too much value in words."
"It's not the what. It's the how."
"You never know in which ways you influence people or potentially change someones life. You may never find out about that."
"You have to be lovingly detached from the ego."
"The best way to not produce any work is to think about the identity of that work."
"Just create what you think the world needs."
"Celebrate the difference."
"So much of creativity is like capturing lightning in a bottle. You can't really control the lightning, so you have to create an environment to capture the lightning."
"You don't tell a tree how to grow. You just water it and then it grows. That's how creativity is."
Links mentioned:
Connect with Alex:
Alex Cherry is an LA-based digital artist who blurs the lines between art and design. He draws his inspiration from film, music, and pop culture to make stunning images that will always make you think.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alexcherry
In this episode, Alex discusses:
-The story behind his piece, "Starman" a tribute to David Bowie.
-Art versus design, and how we don't watch design the way we watch art.
-How to pursue your creativity by leaning on what you know, and for him that started with music.
-His first creative moments and his creative journey from there.
-How incredibly amazing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nintendo are.
-How we are lucky to live in the time of the internet, and we should immerse ourselves in how easy it is to share and find new things.
-Kanye West and his polarizing character.
-Bret Easton Ellis's idea of "Post Empire."
-How many people have separate selves that they put forth on the internet.
-How having a character or a persona can give you a confidence you don't have with your actual identity.
Quotes:
"It's always these pictures that take the least amount of effort that resonate the most with me, and other people."
"I love music, and for me it was an easy thing to do, to piece something together and to find a song to connect that to."
"We have the Internet and tumblr. Just immerse yourself in it and don't be afraid to take inspiration from it. Be ruthless about that."
"The creative world is the exact opposite of the real world."
Links mentioned:
Connect with Alex:
Lisa Call is a self-taught artist who creates bold, geometric contemporary textile paintings composed of richly colored hand-dyed fabric. Her work is abstract but draws elements from many places -- her love of the geological forms of the Southwest, repetition, pattern, and an attraction to human-made structures for containment, such as fences and stone walls.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lisacall
In this episode, Lisa discusses:
-How she became a Co-Active life coach.
-The reason her students needed coaching was less about the art and more about getting to the studio.
-The idea that both being and doing are important.
-How people should identify what matters to them and connecting with that.
-How she suffers from the same fear that most people suffer from: the fear of not being enough.
-How going back to work 40 hours a week was her biggest Resistance.
-How she balances 3 full-time jobs.
-Her battle with Neflix!
-Sometimes not having a balance is better.
-How she associates memories of her books on tape with a particular work.
-Lisa takes us back to one of her first creative moments in elementary school.
-She tells us about her most triumphant moment - when she made a piece that she looked at and said "I really am an artist."
-How creativity brings passion and sanity to her life.
-How motivational books can sometimes be detrimental if you don't need them.
Lisa's final push is so simple and so easy to implement in your own life. You might ask yourself, "How have I not done this in my own life yet?"
Quotes:
"I don't really teach people how to make art. I teach them how to be an artist."
"You can sit around and say you are making art, but until you get up and do it, you're not."
"Try to connect with what is truly, authentically you, versus what you should be doing or what other people are doing."
Links mentioned:
Will Smith shares his secrets of success
Richard Diebonkorn on Pinterest
Connect with Lisa:
Website / Make Big Art / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Matthew G. Lewis (aka Lostkeep) is an artist whose work is both terrifying and beautiful and mesmerizing. Born in the Deep South, entangled in the kudzu of ignorance and fear, Matthew seemed destined for a lifetime of servitude and devotion. However, The Devil had sanctified him for lower purposes. Our Lord Insubordinate used Matthew's years at Savannah College of Art and Design as a petri dish for culturing a blight of reason and suspicion that would soon wither Matthew's holy heart. Currently, Matthew festers away in Seattle, WA whilst conjuring images with his loathsome tools of pencil and brush.
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lostkeep
In this episode, Lostkeep discusses:
-Coming from a fundamentalist Evangelical background and how that affected his upbringing and his art.
-His fascination with the Book of Revelation and how that type of imagery speaks to more people.
-His fascination with prehistory and language.
-Drawing pictures of angels versus demons as a kid.
-The conflict of feeling guilty for reading comics but resolving that by drawing violence himself.
-How his art is less about the shock value and scaring people, and more about making a genuine connection with people of similar upbringing.
-The importance of learning other worldviews, and how oftentimes that can come through podcasts.
-How he quit his job and went to freelance work
-His advice for people who want to create something that is considered out of the "norm."
-How his past year has been the most difficult for him creatively.
-How writing without a filter helps to give him an outlet and to analyze his thoughts about things.
-How cutting coffee out of his life has made him much more even-keeled.
-How connecting with another artist can really help to give you courage when you can connect with their message and journey.
-How he quit his job after hearing a compelling episode of a podcast.
Lostkeep's Final Push will inspire you to fight against the world if the world doesn't want you to succeed.
Quotes:
"I had family members that saw my work and said "I couldn't sleep that night after I looked at your work."
"Get out of your comfort zone. Talk to people that think the exact opposite of what you think."
"I don't want to look back and think, 'what would have happened if I had just kept going with this stuff?'"
"I just don't stop."
Links mentioned:
Brom (illustrator)
Your Dreams, My Nightmares Podcast
Connect with Lostkeep:
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/thomasdodd2
In this episode, Thomas discusses:
-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:
"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:
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/thomasdodd
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.
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."
Links mentioned:
Connect with Thomas:
Website / Facebook / Workshops
Daniel Flores aka DTM aka Da Creative Genius, is not just a man of many names, but a man of many talents. These talents include graphic design, drawing, painting, and tattoos. Daniel also hosts the Art is King podcast, where he interviews other artists about their craft.
Be sure to check out Part 1, here!
In this episode, DTM discusses:
-The importance of branching out and trying new things so that you don't remain stagnant, doing the same thing over and over.
-Setting aside time in your calendar to do your creative work.
-What he tells his children about art.
-Keeping your job but just trying art for the love of it.
-How art is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
-The value of finding an art mentor.
-His most difficult story when he lost a year's worth of art and work.
-How he handles it when people steal his art.
Quotes:
"Every drawing is just a chance for you to be who you want to be."
"I'm dedicated to my gym. And my gym is pencil and paper."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/dtm2
Daniel Flores aka DTM aka Da Creative Genius, is not just a man of many names, but a man of many talents. These talents include graphic design, drawing, painting, and tattoos. Daniel also hosts the Art is King podcast, where he interviews other artists about their craft.
In this episode, DTM discusses:
-Why he started the "Art is King" podcast and what it brings to his life.
-How putting a microphone in front of someone is a great way to get them to talk to you.
-His creative origins, and his journey until today.
-How he kept true to the things that he wanted to draw, however it came to him.
-How he came to find an community of artists in Atlanta.
-How he didn't have the support for his art from an early age.
-Drawing sessions with other artists.
-His advice to individuals with TONS of different creative ideas who hasn't started any of them yet.
-How you should follow artists that you want to become like.
Quotes:
"That passion that nags at you when you're not doing it. That's Art."
"You always feel like you're falling short, I don't know. I feel that way. I have those doubts in my mind even though I've been a professional artist for twenty years."
"Get out of the house. Go somewhere. Be around other artists."
"Find the real people who care and are passionate about that same thing that you are about. You need that."
"If you really want it, you'll find the time."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/16
Patty Lesser is a writer and world traveler, and frankly I don’t know if I should put those two in reverse order… world traveler first and writer second, because you have spent so much time in so many different places, which, by the way, makes me INSANELY jealous. Some of those places include Nova Scotia, Israel, Dominican Republic, Australia, England, Holland, and Belgium.
In this episode, Patty discusses:
-How her dream as a child was to travel, and how she is now living that life.
-Her time in Israel and what she learned there.
-When she was a young child writing about dragons and how that led to her writing short stories.
-How she doesn't write for a specific genre and instead just writes what she loves.
-How she wasn't ready to write when she first started, until it finally hit her that she is a writer.
-How an operation shifted her focus to her health and diet and how it affected her writing.
-The best feeling is when you finish a book.
-How she works on multiple projects at a time.
-The only thing she stops working for during the day is to watch Ellen.
-How she doesn't try to write like other writers, she sticks to what she knows.
-How she is her own inspiration.
-To not look back on your regrets but to just keep moving forward.
Patty's Final Push inspires you to just sit down and write, even if it means giving up social activities.
Quotes:
"I don't write geared towards a specific genre. I write the book and then I say to my editor "What's the genre?"
"I just write what I love and what interests me and what fascinates me."
"I usually know the last line before I finish a book."
"I love to write. And I've got so many ideas and they're so unique."
"Just write."
Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/15