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...is what I tell myself. I have seen peoples' careers take off in mere months because they're taking on any and every kind of work. To me, that seems like Just Another Job™️ territory, and I'm not willing to accept that kind of creative death. I just do the kind of creative work I want, so I'm ok with it taking a long time to find my audience (there always is one, and you will find it!) I think the thing that held me back the longest was my own social anxiety and insular tendencies - nobody can learn about what you're doing if it's in a vacuum! I really don't like the term networking, but just keep doing the things you love and pick up on like-minded people along the way.
Edit: Oh, and applying to open calls for group zines or art shows is a great way to find more of those people!
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thank you! the word “networking” also sends shivers down my spine so glad to
know i’m not broken
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And so many other side-quest interests I haven't scratched the surface of... The nice thing about it is being able to go where the inspiration strikes and having something else to rely on when you feel stuck or discouraged about one of the other things. If I had any advice, it would be: Don't put yourself in a box for the sake of 'marketability' or your 'brand' unless your livelihood depends on it. I do kind of compartmentalize my different artistic outputs into different sites/accounts, but it's just to make it easier for people to take in. I also try to set up some guardrails to focus on one of the things at a time (days, weeks, months, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish.) Just try not to let external forces take away your curiosity, wonder, and whimsy!
Feb 7, 2024
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I think a big hurdle with creative stuff (especially in the age of social media) is the pressure to constantly create something great and to post about it. It's healthy to acknowledge that just because you're making something doesn't mean you need to commodify it or even share it publicly at all. When I was in the early stages of things, I really wasn't ready to open it up to judgement or critique. I think that would have dissuaded me from it entirely. Even accomplished artists that have made a living off of their work still have to make "bad" pieces from time to time, and it's ok to take time to find your voice and what you enjoy making. Critique groups are a valuable thing and often very positive, but if you need to incubate your ideas within your close circles for a while, do that! Also, I'm recovering from a migraine, so I don't know if any of this is coherent ✌️
Feb 15, 2024
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I’m building a site that features me interviewing my friends/randos online about their creations or what they make (art, music, writing, etc) but keeping it very hyperlocal. It’s my first time having something I’ve put together and still learning
I thought everything had to be perfect at first but I just got Cargo, messed around with formatting and color palettes, and sourcing the content from interviews or my own writing! Good luck! Get creative!
Apr 9, 2024
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The perfect lil snack for when you don’t want a big snack
Apr 3, 2024
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We're long overdue in thrusting "What do you do?" into the sea forever. It's time we collectively get down to what people are interested in instead of minimizing their vibrant existence by asking how they make money.
Mar 22, 2024