My Relationship With Art/Creative Flow

I've noticed some creative friends & fellow artists speaking out about financial struggles. I modeled for a painting workshop over the weekend and was instantly attuned to who the "more-than-generous" artist was in the room. This person was very purely creative & kind. They told me up front that if I liked their paintings they were mine to have, end of story.

I'm sure we all know this person. They seem to inhale & exhale art, but on a more primary basis, how do they feel about it? Throughout the class we talked several times. This person always had stories about giving, creating for others, creating for charity.I wondered about their life, and what they received from the all of the beauty they gave.... All that time, all that effort. As I meet and interact with more artists it becomes very clear to me, how important an artists relationship is with their art. How they feel & think about it, what they think its worth and how they think others will value it. Perhaps these are scary thoughts for some. Perhaps that is not why we gravitate towards art. Perhaps we tell ourselves these thoughts are not applicable. I'm learning they SO are.

I think one of the things that originally led me to my intense fascination in fashion and clothing design was the idea of tangible creation. I could concoct something from the corners of my mind, which while making, I could manifest to have intense value & character. Some things that could help me manifest this value could be the thoughts that I'm having towards it whilst making it. These thoughts will not only influence how I feel about it, but these thoughts might inspire a more thoughtful, or detailed piece, as my intentions will change based on my thoughts and core understandings of what I am doing.

Someone who has really inspired me on a creative & entrepreneurial level is Marina Bychkova. She Makes enchanted dolls for a living and you can see them here: http://www.enchanteddoll.com/blog/. One of many reasons this woman inspires me is because of her success. She has chosen to do something that has immense value to her, and her pure intention and loyalty towards her craft has manifested for her, an economy specifically interested in these dolls.

I can't stress how important it is to establish and know your personal artistic relationship with your craft: Why are you doing it? What does it do for you? How much time do you have to dedicate to it? What are your goals? Do you have a business mind? Do you expect for your artistic en-devours to carry you? I have a lot of network friends that do art on the side. As my friends continue to be the same artists they always were over time and years, I wonder what changes in them which makes them want to develop physical earnings from what they started doing to rid themselves of depression and everyday life.

Photo by Danielle Nicol

I think as we rush as quickly as we can from A to B to prove to the world and all the rest all that we are and can become, we need to KISS (keep it simple stupid). My boyfriend taught me that, and I feel professional when I say it because he brought it to me from his workplace, Gen therm Technologies. Stuff at Gen-therm is super by-the-books and result-proven. The more I search for the steps for what is next, and most important, the more I realize the power of the basic, simple stuff. Think small, start off with "what for?", and "why?" Think about your dreams (your real dreams). Don't keep it light and fluffy, keep it real, and tangible. Go for what you want. Refuse to believe you can't have it. Most importantly we must move past whatever is keeping us from thinking we can't have everything we want. Or perhaps most important still, we must learn that in order to get what we want we must have a clear understanding of what we want. I remember the first time I really started thinking about what I want from life. Those dreams and goals have evolved substantially, but I'm thankful that I've always had the courage to dream and want amazing things for myself, because I realize some people don't :( Perhaps they don't realize its importance. Perhaps they think they will be lead.

Absolutely, if you don't make choices for your self, life will make choices for you. I don't believe that is my reason for existence. I believe I am here to manifest, inspire, and create. I'm playing with the theory that I think intention is our biggest freedom as humans. Through intention we can manifest all that we look for and all that we aim to be. I look at my design as a necessary means of expression, but also as a very savvy business platform. In a world where individuals are going through paradigm shifts every hour, every minute, my opportunity to share a new-age shopping module with people who care about where they clothes come from, who makes them, how much those people get paid, and how they live, are endless. It amazing to be part of a world that is literally changing by the moment. I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

Photography by Connor Teahen