Create & Inspire Podcast

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Today we talk about the Create & Inspire 30 Day Creative Challenge. Join us for the month of October!

SHOW QUOTES

• Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way. – Edward de Bono
• The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configures new perspectives and conquers fears. – Dan Stevens

SHOW LINKS
Foster A Pet

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode we talk about self promotion and how to use it to better further your career. Many artists and creatives don’t want to partake in self-promotion since it can seem ego-driven or very self-serving, however, it is a vital part of building a career. Here are some tips on how to better self promote and why it’s important. Also, we are sharing with you our 30 Day Creative Challenge which starts Oct 31st, 2014.

SHOW QUOTES

• It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Muhammad Ali
• Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. – Albert Camus

SHOW LINKS
The Art of Self Promotion: 6 Tips to Get Your Work Discovered
Boomer Business Podcast 

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Today marks the 13th anniversary of the tragedy of the world Trade Center. This episode we take a short moment to reflect on that day. We will be back to our regularly scheduled program next week.

SHOW QUOTES

• Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. – Og Mandino

SHOW LINKS
Art Heals, It’s Just That Simple

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
It’s a good exercise to take a moment out of our crazy lives and acknowledge all of the people, places, situations, and experiences that have helped us along the way. What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today? It’s important to note that most people don’t choose to be thankless or unappreciative. Often an unapologetic drive to be successful, complete a task or live a better life means sometimes “living in the now” or remembering those that have helped us is overlooked. It takes practice to live in the now, and time to stop and be thankful for everything – the good or the bad. Doing so can be a golden key to a better career and further your journey as an artist or creative person.

SHOW QUOTES

• Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie
• Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. – Henry Ward Beecher 
• What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today?

SHOW LINKS
Leonard Bernstein’s Moving Letter of Gratitude to His Mentor
The Leonard Bernstein Letters
Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You Happy
A Practical Guild to GratitudeLetters to a Young Artist

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Art Therapy is not just something that happens in clinical settings, art therapy can be exercised in the privacy of our own homes. It can help work through trauma, loss and as a tool for stress reduction, however, it can also be utilized to express joy, create a memory and/or memorialize something special. Creativity is cathartic and can be used by everyone, at any time!

SHOW QUOTES

• “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change this world.” – Robin Williams [Dead Poets Society]
• “Art is to console those who are broken by life.” – Vincent van Gogh
• Creativity brings hope when we are broken. – Aunia Kahn

SHOW LINKS
The Ten Coolest Art Therapy Interventions
Art Verses Illness

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 
Mentorships can be an important asset to personal developmental whether it’s career driven or more personal. Working directly with a person that is more experienced or more knowledgeable than you are can open doors, help nurture of new ideas and advancements, keep you from costly mistakes and you could even build a life long friendship.

SHOW QUOTES

• “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” ― Plato
• “Remind yourself that a mentor’s time is not free. The actual time they spend with you is worth money, and the years of advice or area of expertise they are helping you with required significant investment on their part” – Inc.
• “It was my teacher’s genius, her quick sympathy, her loving tact which made the first years of my education so beautiful. It was because she seized the right moment to impart knowledge that made it so pleasant and acceptable to me. She realized that a child’s  mind is like a shallow brook which ripples and dances merrily over the stony course of its education and reflects here a flower, there a bush, yonder a fleecy cloud; and she attempted to guide my mind on its way, knowing that like a brook it should be fed by mountain streams and hidden springs, until it broadened out into a deep river, capable of reflecting in its placid surface, billowy hills, the luminous shadows of trees and the blue heavens, as well as the sweet face of a little flower. Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his, whether he is busy or at rest; he must feel the flush of victory and the heart-sinking of disappointment before he takes with a will the tasks distasteful to him and resolves to dance his way bravely through a dull routine of textbooks. My teacher is so near to me that I scarcely think of myself apart from her. How much of my delight in all beautiful things is innate, and how much is due to her influence, I can never tell. I feel that her being is inseparable from my own, and that the footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of me belongs to her–there is not a talent, or an aspiration or a joy in me that has not been awakened by her loving touch.” – Helen Keller

SHOW LINKS

Episode #3: Criticism VS Constructive Criticism
Why Successful People Do Not Want To Mentor You

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

When following our dreams and finally achieving them we often find that they are not exactly the way we envisioned them, however that is life! In this episode we take a journey with host Aunia Kahn as she talks achieving a specific dream, the challenges and what we need to do when we feel stuck or in a place of transition within our own dreams.

SHOW QUOTES

• If I can inspire people by showing that following a dream by working hard and being determined is possible, it’s amazing. – Leona Lewis

SHOW LINKS
10 Things That Will Happen When You Start Pursuing Your Dreams

One of the most coveted experiences by artists is securing a solo exhibition. There is a lot that goes into this aspect of an artists career, but we got you covered! In this episode, we provide useful information and direction to any artist interested in pursuing a solo exhibition of their dreams.

SHOW QUOTES

• Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection. Kim Collins 

SHOW LINKS
C&I Episode 7: Getting You Art Into Art Galleries
C&I Episode 4: Why You Need A Professional Portfolio & Website

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Con artists are everywhere and in every industry. One of the greatest atrocities of the world are people who feed on others vulnerabilities and naivety with deception and lies. In this episode, I share a couple personal stories of con artists I have encountered, while also providing you with resources to help you avoid being a victim of a scam.

SHOW QUOTES

• The reason con artists get away with what they get away with is, their victims are ashamed of their own blindness and their own gullibility, and they tend to just quietly go away. – Walter Kirn
• And I think it’s because good cons are all based on the victim’s need, and the successful con artist is the one, I guess, who can exploit that. I remember reading something about this, that one of the great traits of confidence tricksters is the level that they flatter their victim. – Alfred Molina

SHOW LINKS
Known Art Scammers Names & Email List
Known Scammers / Art Related Email Scams
Art Scams: Tips to Protect Yourself
How Stuff Works: How Con Artists Work
Jim Carrey Commencement Speech

ABOUT EPISODE
In Episode 18 we have our second installation of advice from 30 artists, galleries owners, magazine editors, authors, creative business owners, etc answering this question: “If you could give one bit of advice to an artist just starting out what would that be?” This is part 2 of 3. Find the first installation: Episode 8 (1 of 3)

SHOW QUOTES

1. Put miles on the brush…or pencil. – Suzy Smith

2. Don’t put your focus on sales. Focus instead on finding yourself, finding your medium, finding your motivation and drive. Once you have a portfolio you are proud of, start showing it off. – Archer May Dougherty

3. Not everything you make is a Grandslam. Sometimes you strike out but see each piece leading to the other and so forth. It is a constant practice and learning experience. – Matthew F. Dougherty

4. Contracts are your friends. – Emily J Moore

5. Read dali’s book. 50 secrets of magic craftsmanship, published 1948. Memorize them all!! – Norm Goodwin

6. Curb the ego and work. – Jeremy Cross

7. Don’t be scared to try something new. – Alecia House

8. Compete with yourself and no one else. Don’t try to be anyone else because you can’t. Do the work you love because often that’s the only reason you’ll be doing it. Be generous with what you learn. Be happy when other artists succeed, more art means more possibilities. Every rejection is a step closer to finding success. Find out what recharges you and remember to do that even when you’re on deadline. Discover what you love about making art and remind yourself regularly. Draw or paint even if you don’t feel like it, inspiration will come. – Steve Cleff

9. As someone who only picked up pencils a year ago – Draw draw draw! Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration. Draw some more. Ask your friends for honest feedback. Draw more and find your own style. Try heaps of different mediums until you find one that suits your style. Don’t give up it takes time to get good at anything. Did I mention draw more?  – Jo Jette

10. Know why you make art–even if you don’t understand it intellectually and you can’t explain it to other people (or even yourself) Know it in your soul, feel it, focus on it and follow it. – Heather Watts

11. It has to be the art you love. Don’t second guess ‘what art is selling these days’. Find a way to combine all your passions (non-art too) into your art. The passion is tangible and is at least half the reason people will respond to your artwork. – Derek Gores

12. Get a non-refundable deposit of half upfront on commissions. – Christina M. Anderson

13. Never give up. – Wanda Ragsdale

14. Many artists find joy in creating whenever they get the free spirited notion or an inspiring idea. But when you are commissioned to create for a buyer or required to produce a specific number of pieces for a showcase/project by a certain date, art can be tedious. You cannot reach your highest heights by only being capable of creating “whenever I’m in the mood” art. You must prepare yourself for “on demand” art as well. – Zeus Luby

15. (a) Experimentation will have breakdowns, but can evoke some awesome breakthroughs. It’s ok to borrow techniques from others, but don’t limit yourself from standing out from the rest. Then people can borrow and learn from you. – Adam Layne

16. (b) Don’t limit your exposure to just posting art on social networking sites. There are many people who still get their foot in the door from face-to-face meetings, emails, snail mails, submitting to art shows and publications, and supporting other artists’ exhibitions who in turn will become your fans right back when you have a show. Creation is only part of the equation. Having a diverse action plan to get all sorts of eyes on your work will open the door for many more opportunities. – Adam Layne

17. Don’t do your work with sales in mind, do what feels right to you for you. A gift of art far outweighs bought art. Question yourself as to WHY you are creating. Art is as personal of an experience as religion ought to be. – Jeremy La Belle

18. Work hard, network and get your work out there to be seen. – Leslie Ditto

19. Don’t give up. Be careful of false promises. And learn from other artists. And you can be easily replaced. – Krystopher Sapp

20. Don’t give up! Your ideas are better than you realize. – RussPhoto Art

21. Adapt or perish. – Erich J. Moffitt

22. Follow you heart and trust your inner voice – Simone Young

23. Don’t be a pushover, stay humble, and don’t lose your integrity. – Luciano Martinez

24. Be fearless, be brave, be ready to have your heart and ego stomped on, but never ever EVER give up. – Julie Zarate

25. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. 100’s and thousands of them. There are hoards of happy accidents just waiting to happen. Just free your mind up to make room for growth always, and keep going. – Elly Ehrnst

26. Don’t let the cost of materials get in the way- learn to use found and recycled materials, garage sale items, Goodwill items, and hand-me-downs- this will make it easier to make mistakes without fear – Bradley Cahill

27. Set a goal of 20-30 pieces to complete within 6 months, exploring style, subject matter, media, and other challenges. You’ll come out of it with a direction to follow! – Kelly McKernan Cavanah

28. Young artists shouldn’t copy established artists just to get social feed validation and get into galleries. They should develop their own unique voice with their own unique library of icons and symbols. Just because it exists and is on the internet doesn’t mean it’s there for the taking. Less entitled, more humbled… Brandt Peters

29. Study: know your art history, a bit of philosophy of art, learn what true art means so you won’t fall into the “fast food” art scheme, and will have better resources to judge your own work. Know yourself, so your chances of doing something that truly belongs to you will increase. Prepare to work hard, but that should not be a problem to the ones who have a powerful drive. Persevere. Never think you are “good” enough, chances are that you are not. at the same time, give yourself chances to make mistakes and evolve. Pay attention to what more experienced and schooled artists have to say and learn from them, stop thinking that knowledge equals elitism and snobbery. Be humble and never stop exploring. – Patricia Ariel