Welcome to Experiment No. 3.

A heart-to-heart, artist to artist conversation with my dear friend, Avery Florence.

Avery is a wonderfully gifted singer-songwriter and soft-soul artist with an equally angelic and gritty, soothing and soulful voice that I instantly fell in love with the first time I heard her sing.

She is also a passionate activist and gifted creative arts therapist. She shares her magic across a range of spaces, from concerts to workshops, from festival stages to more intimate studio settings.

Above all, she is a truly inspiring and soulful human. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her and collaborate with her over the last year and I’m always left with an appreciation for her open curiosity and humble approach to art and life, to the big questions as much as the minute details that go into making something special.

In this raw, honest and playful conversation, we explore one of the central challenges faced by all artists and creatives, especially in this digital age.

How do we remove any and all self-interference to allow our expression to move freely?

How do we show up in the different spaces where we share our heart and our art as authentically as possible? How do we hold on to our Joy and continue to create a sense of freedom and permission for ourselves to share more of who we really are?

We also shared in the beautiful ritual of enjoying a chocolate chip cookie, before Avery treated us to a sneak listen of her newly written, absolutely stunning song that opens with the line “I’ve been terrified to begin…”.

I invite you to get cozy, grab a cuppa your favourite beverage and a chocolate chip cookie if you’re into that sort of thing, and join us for this deep dive conversation into the artist’s quest for freedom.

Much love, Chris

Key Themes We Touched On:

* The “Hitting Record” effect.

* Staying natural vs performance (esp. on social media)

* Tension in sharing different versions of ourselves (silly vs serious; raw vs polished)

* Freedom as one of the ultimate intentions in our creative expression

* Reframing fear and nervous energy as fuel

* Taking creative risks without overwhelming the system

* Owning our unique niche & integrating multiple identities (artist, healer, facilitator)

* The importance of finishing and releasing work

* Choosing joy and play as a creative compass

* Raw vs. polished expression in art

* Trust, vulnerability, and the courage to begin

BONUS: Here’s a little clip of me & Avery singing together captured at our first ever jam and collab session. This is still one of my fave musical moments we’ve shared and I feel it truly encompasses so much of that joy, permission and freedom we spoke of.

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