2018 Was Weird

Perspective was the theme of this year. This was maybe the most stressful, hateful, and upsetting year in our country definitely in my lifetime. That’s not news, but everything happening really helped keep me calm and motivated through a busy year, knowing that my “stress” isn’t real in the grand scheme of things.

So, at this time last year, I was discussing my first ever mural with the Nashville Walls Project! Since that post, I have completed 6 big, public murals (check out my CV if you want to see where they are! Oh, I have a CV now, didn’t have one of those really last year). This year has been my busiest year yet and I’m really grateful for the opportunities. I received my first ever grant, had my first real gallery show, joined the Nashville Artist Collective, received my first offer to be represented by a gallery (and it’s in Birmingham, AL- stay tuned), I have shown work in 6 local spaces and shows, got a painting on Artsy thanks to Tinney Contemporary, had one of my murals on a billboard, started paying for my own healthcare (& am still financially supporting myself completely with my art/ gallery gig), and have collaborated with local creatives and designers which will make for some exciting announcements next year. My favorite accomplishment this year though, is that last one I listed. I am working with Metro Arts to make some artistic improvements to a neighborhood that desperately needs safer streets for pedestrians, I made a lot of new artist friends through shows and the Nashville Artist Collective and working on murals and through working at Tinney Contemporary, I am working with Nashville Fashion Week and keeping my goal of just trying to contribute to bringing people and the creative community together, that’s really all I want to accomplish with my art. I really went into this to just make some artsy friends and contribute to something positive. Wait, I also got to operate a boom lift this year, which actually, truthfully might be my favorite accomplishment instead…

Here’s me operating the boom lift all by myself

All that said, my average work week is about 62 hours. Most weeks for the past two months which have been a whole lot of murals, I have clocked at well over 80. (cue the millennial hater eye rolls) I guess the moral of my story is really hard work pays off in the form of opportunity. One of my favorite quotes this year isn’t “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” It’s “Do what you love and you’ll work super fucking hard all the time with no separation or any boundaries and also take everything extremely personally” @adamjk. Word. I had to sacrifice a lot of stuff in order to hustle this year and also I am sensitive and take everything personally so be nice with your comments if you are even still reading. I am hoping to see even bigger things next year and just keep hustling. Hard. My goals for next year are to bring my art and my murals to other cities and, hopefully, other countries as well.

I have also learned that when I am constantly working towards the next thing, it’s really important to step back and breathe after each milestone and appreciate each opportunity, rather than looking at my career as “ok, that’s done, now onto the next project immediately”. I also very much am still just starting this career; I have gotten my foot in the door, and still have a whole lot to learn, and I better do it fast before we all sink into an actual pit or go underwater. This isn’t a post of me bragging about everything I’ve accomplished this year, it’s me reflecting on what I’ve done, and what I still want to do and, most importantly, why, because I think everyone needs to question themselves and their work. If you read it as bragging, sorry, that’s not my intention because I am aware that I am just painting.. in a really small part of the world. My intention with this is also just to encourage anyone, especially young women, that you can pursue a career like this and still support yourself and your dog or cat and not stress out completely if you have to go to the ER for, I don’t know, extreme (but still cute) gastroenteritis because you also can afford healthcare! (although we do desperately need a big reform in that department #Beto2020).

I would also really like to get better about blogging and actually posting more about my art and what my paintings/ murals mean and including exhibition statements on this page rather than just rants about stuff I did.

Ok, consider this my obnoxious holiday letter. See ya in 2019!

Summer Reading (& Listening & Watching) 2018

Looking for some artsy book or podcast recommendations that will inspire you? Here's what I've read and listened to over the past couple of years that have really helped me out of some paralyzing artist block! Please, please add any and all recommendations in the comments! Feedback and contributions warmly welcomed and encouraged. 
 

1. Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age by Jeff Goins. Inspiring, right, helpful, motivating, this book is a must for any creative to read. My dad gave me this for Christmas and it's been such a great reference.

2. Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
The quickest read that will light the fire under your butt to just get to work. Discusses the very liberating idea that nothing is truly original, everything is borrowed, but describes how to properly take inspiration from external sources.

3. Frida by Hayden Herrera
Here I go...She is the queen of all queens. If I could meet anyone alive or dead it would be this woman. Honestly when I think about her I get emotional, often stuck in bed due to some horrifying injuries and miscarriages, she overcame these traumas and a pretty rough, intense marriage and remained a hardworking, authentic, fierce, creative genius, and she did it all in costumes with a tequila bottle in hand. Her life reads like magical realism. Before you buy into the Frida brand, that is so trendy and widely accessible, understand her as the colorful, complex force of person she was. Frida, is my patron saint, whenever I'm stuck I ask myself WWFD? Sorry if this review is a little aggressive I just love her so much!

4. Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (in That Order) by Bridget Quinn There are an insane amount of female artists who don't get the recognition that they definitely deserve and this book includes some greats. One of my favorite birthday gifts, it's made me feel pretty ashamed of myself from an art history knowledge standpoint. 

5. Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
I listened to this as an audiobook and Diane Keaton narrates and her writing is just so inspired. It's her famous collection of journalism which defines the state of America, specifically California, during the sixties revolution. The essays feature things like drug abuse, bombings, mass murders ,kidnappings, and John Wayne, and describes what happens when the "center cannot hold". I love how she describes people, her words really helped shape some of my artwork. Also her documentary on Netflix is dope. Such a tiny, inspiring lady.

6. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
Don't really need to say much about this. He's the master and it's important to learn the basics from the very best. I originally checked this out from the library (book is pricey) but had to quit after a "who am I kidding?" moment similar to the one I had while attempting to read Anna Karenina "for fun", and listen to the rest as an audiobook.... it's really long because he is arguably one of the most mysterious and fascinating people in history, but it's nice to paint along to. British narrator is a plus.

7. Favorite Podcast: Art History Babes
Listen to 4 Art History Masters drunkenly discuss everyone from Basquiat to the very problematic Gaugin and brush up on your knowledge of major movements in art history from Abstract Expressionism to the Renaissance, I listen to this as I paint and feel like I have friends. It helps with the loneliness that comes from solitary painting (that sounds sad, but true) and also helps you look at artists from a feminist, socially correct, and educated approach that is just so right (like why we should just never use the word "primitive" when describing really any artwork or say crap like "my 5 year old could've made that" when describing abstract art). Spoiler Alert: your views on some of your favorite artists will drastically change.

8. The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art
JUST started reading thru this, thanks to my very thoughtful n supportive boyfriend who got me this for my b-day, so here is the Google review: Ever wonder about the abundance of naked male statues in the Classical section of your favorite museum? Did you know medieval convents were hotbeds of female artistic expression? And how did those "bad boy" artists of the twentieth century make it even harder for a girl to get a break? Thanks to the Guerrilla Girls, those masked feminists whose mission it is to break the white male stronghold over the art world, art history -- as we know it -- is history. Taking you back through the ages, the Guerrilla Girls demonstrate how males (particularly white males) have dominated the art scene, and discouraged, belittled, or obscured women's involvement. Their skeptical and hilarious interpretations of "popular" theory are augmented by the newest research and the expertise of prominent feminist art historians. "Believe-it-or-not" quotations from some of the "experts" are sprinkled throughout, as are the Guerrilla Girls' signature masterpieces: reproductions of famous art works, slightly "altered" for historic accuracy and vindication. This colorful reinterpretation of classic and modern art, as outrageous as it is visually arresting, is a much-needed corrective to traditional art history, and an unabashed celebration of female artists.

9. Basquiat
This 1996 film is a classic and David Bowie plays Andy Warhol, that's really all I need to say. Also, if you haven't seen The Radiant Child, it's on YouTube and also a good one. He makes me so sad, but I love him.

10. Genius: Picasso
This show is on National Geographic and all episodes are free online or on demand. While at times, cheesy, I love Antonio Banderas, and his depiction of Picasso is entertaining. There is a lot I didn't know about Picasso... I still love his work and work ethic after seeing this show, I still think of him as the prolific, energetic, crazy passionate artist that I've always loved, but really didn't know how awfully he treated his leading ladies...so there's that. Not to say that this show is perfectly historically accurate, but it did make me question some things.

11. Anthony Bourdaine: Parts Unknown
All episodes on Netflix. Whenever I feel trapped and stir crazy, I put this on in the background of my "studio" and pretend I'm on these travel adventures with one of my idols. He was the best interviewer and definitely worth watching if you haven't seen it!

12. The Barefoot Contessa
Read it, watch it, live it, love it. Ina is a hero to all. She wears pretentious so well, and Jeffry's commentary never gets old. "How easy is that?!"

On Community

Photo by @TheExplorerDad Josh Ness

I recently got to participate in Native & WeWork's Show & Tell panel. It is a really fun and free event that brings together some Nashville’s creatives for a night of drinks, food, and conversation. I got to learn from Marcia Masulla, co-founder Nashville Fashion Week, as well as Joshua Ellis, the co-founder of WithCo Cocktails, People Are Brave, and founder of Modern Day Leader, Bnyad Sharif and Leah Hashinger of TIRRC (Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition) Nashville, and Lisa Goe of Popoff Nashville. Although we all had really different interests and passions, the common thread of all of our speeches was the importance of community and having the courage to do what you love. Working from home and being my own boss and only employee is lonely. And while I could say “but I am part of the Nashville artist community” I don’t often see other artists except for the occasional art crawl or when we participate in local art shows because we are all busy working. Also, artists' biggest struggle is once they've graduated, the lack of critiques and constant community that challenges us and supports us, can be so jarring that we just give up, or we go to grad school, only to be put out into the real world again, and be faced with the same void. I think that's why so many artists I know have just stopped creating. The great thing about art though, or any craft really, is that you can seamlessly collaborate with pretty much anyone you want, it doesn't just need to be artists or galleries. I think seeking those opportunities is key because 1. It gets your art and your name out there 2. It gets you involved in the community. 3. FRIENDS! You make friends. p.s. I am currently looking for friends, so hit me up. My favorite thing that Marcia Masulla said at the event was “ask not what your community can do for you, but what you can do for your community”. We've heard it before, but it is just so true and worth reminding everyone. One of my favorite quotes is by Andre Gide, who said "Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again". I think as far as art goes, reaching out to a gallery and asking them to display your work, never really works if you are just starting out and don’t have an impressive art show resume yet. You have to establish yourself in the community first. At least, that's been my experience, not speaking for everyone here.

So what do these community collaborations look like? Reaching out to some local businesses that are important to you and you want to work with and asking to do a popup show that will draw attention and foot traffic to their business, while also getting to display some artwork (and hopefully sell some) is a great start! Offering artwork to charity auctions (you still get a commission cut, but help a great cause) is another great way, as is applying to some of your local school art shows. It raises money for the school and you meet so many great people! I used to work in an office that shared a space with Native Magazine, and just LOVE the people there and anytime they needed a little freelance work done, I was always happy to donate my work when they were in a pinch. It got my name in print and helped great people, and got me some great friendships and they have been so supportive of my work and me. I recently worked with Nashville MTA on a project they are doing right now called Arts N Motion in which they work with a different artist each month to display on some of their busses and bus stops. You can see my art wrapped on a bus driving around right now! In this case, I literally got to have my work become a part of the community in a way that I never could have imagined. Money is important too, but you can’t get there without forming relationships and making connections and just being NICE.

When fellow artists reach out to me and ask for advice I am always more than happy to meet with them. I want my artist community to be one that challenges each other, but supports each other. On the other hand, if I hear an artist who just whines about how competitive the art community is here and how they never get into shows, or never get opportunities, or never hear back from galleries, or worst of all “how did he/she get that opportunity, their art isn’t even good”, but then think they just deserve a handout simply because they made some art….my response is that attitude gets you nowhere. I totally understand feeling discouraged; it’s incredibly easy to be envious or angry when you genuinely put in the work and miss out on an opportunity, and there are months when my bank account goes negative and you just want to totally give up. I've found, though, that the key is just simply, be nice, take initiative, think creatively (which should be easy for artists anyways!), be confident in your work, but stay humble, and ask “what can I do for my community?”

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Things I Like: PEOPLEAREBRAVE.COM

Speaking of community please check out this AMAZING site formed by my new friend Joshua Ellis. It's beautiful and inspiring and reminds all of us to be brave and support each other! 

It's Been Real, 2017

My first ever mural is a small part of a 360 ft. long wall in Nashville’s Nations neighborhood.  For weeks I followed up with Nashville Walls Project to let me be a part of this massive project, and then the time came to actually paint. To say I was nervous would be a serious understatement. Not only was I painting alongside some really amazing artists, but most of them are badasses with criminal records for vandalism and years of experience and there I was…a total square with a lunchbox containing thanksgiving leftovers and a rainbow pompom covered canvas bag containing my organized, brand new, untouched spray paints. But I was beyond excited to paint at this scale and walked up to my designated wall spot, which were the two "N"s that make up "THE NATIONS" and just got to work. I honestly didn’t even know you could get different sized spray paint caps to produce thin or large lines of spray paint when I started. I asked two questions I think before starting. “Do I need to follow some sort of color scheme?” and “Do I need to stay inside the lines?”  The answers were along the lines of “do whatever you want” and that I did! I went in with no plans or sketches, just played it by ear while trying to look extremely confident. The first day I glanced next to me a few times and made some mental notes on materials to buy and techniques to try. I learned SO much and I had the time of my life and having artistic freedom was awesome. I am just incredibly grateful I had this awesome opportunity. It took a little time to get the hang of it but once I did I was completely addicted. I loved being a part of this project and am pretty proud of my work considering it was my first time and I really hope you go check it out! Painting on this scale is really a dream come true, as is the fact that my work will be permanently on display publicly in Nashville. I hope to do many more of these soon!!

Here are my "N"s! They have since been cleaned up around the edges and everyone should go see the rest of this massive mural it's really amazing!!

Earlier this month I took a solo trip to New York. I hit up every art gallery and museum I possibly could in the few days I was there. I’ve spent most of my time lately researching and on commissions, which is really just practicing technique. After reading Steal Like An Artist, which I really recommend, it’s a very quick read and has amazing tips for anyone trying to pursue a creative career, I compiled a list of all my favorite work I have recently seen, my favorite artists of all time, and reasons why I like the work and what they do. (Side note, top of my list in Nashville right now is the Nick Cave Feat. exhibit at the Frist, if you haven't seen his work, go check it out, it will blow your mind). Taking that trip was really perfect for this because there is just SO much GOOD art, which isn't news to anyone. Now I am back in my studio and ready to go.

Since it’s nearing the end of the year, and this might be my last blog this year considering the commissions I still have to get to before Christmas and large list of application deadlines due in December, I want to take a minute to reflect on some of my fat failures and some of my mild successes!

1.    My end of the year goal was to rely solely on my art for income.

This didn’t really happen. It was a hefty goal considering that I just started pursuing my art career “fully” as of last August, but I did cut back on a lot of side gigs and my freelance job and got a job at my favorite gallery! I just still have just one non-art related 8 hour a week gig that Belvedere’s vet bills very much rely on.

2.    I painted a mural! And there are more in the works!

3.    I painted a lot of crap.

You have to try what doesn’t work, though.

4.    Still spend more than I make on my art business….

Art supplies, shipping, applications, merch, etc. I have made some poor spending decisions and some good ones, but figuring out a budget based on my monthly painting income has been a challenge. Here’s looking at you, 2018.

5.    I networked, a lot.

I feel like I now have a place in the Nashville art club. I also saw some really incredible art this year, a goal that I gave to myself was to go to more exhibit openings locally and go to New York!

6.  I have a new studio space!!! 

Which means you will see less instagram stories of my dog on my couch (sorry but I know you probably won't miss them) and more of my very cool secret place that I can't tell you about yet. 

7.    The most important goal I have stuck to- I AM STILL GOING! There are definitely some things that need fine-tuning (my time management, for example, and that I am easily distracted), but the most important thing I can do is to stay confident in my work and to just keep working.

I am really excited about next year, I have a big project in the works for January and have learned so much this year on what works and what doesn’t. I will keep sharing and if anyone reading has any questions or comments please let me know! Happy Holidays & on a side note if you have any holiday commissions to order please contact me ASAP! Still taking orders. Peace n blessins'.

Honesty

First, please go checkout my art takeover at Frothy Monkey in 12 South if you want! I am excited to announce that my work is going to be visible in more spots around Nashville…and not on canvas or paper or mylar in frames, but on walls, crosswalks, and some more surprises! Mural plans are in the works and I owe it all to my friends at Native magazine and my new friends at Nashville Walls Project and Tinney Contemporary as they’ve helped guide me into finding some street art opportunities and have given me some valuable advice. Beau Stanton was in Nashville over the last couple of weeks, painting an incredible mural on 5th Ave and I highly recommend going over there to see it. His process is pretty amazing. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to paint on walls, having done so without being asked many a time as a child. Working large scale is always my favorite way to paint. I got to learn from the best two weeks ago, getting some great pro tips from Beau Stanton himself, and I am so grateful to be in a city that has one of the most incredible collections of street art, and to be surrounded by truly inspiring work and artists.

I’d like to discuss what defines a “truly inspiring artist" to me. A reader (I was really excited to have a reader p.s.) reached out to me a couple of weeks ago worried about bothering people by asking for advice or mentorship. This hit home because I often feel the same way about approaching literally anyone #socialanxiety and I reminded her that flattering someone by seeking out advice from them is never annoying, and if it is, then you don’t want advice from an arrogant person anyways. I kept thinking about this, though. If I am confident about my work and what I am doing, then this fear I have really shouldn’t exist. I always have trouble approaching artists or gallery owners, etc. and a lot of it is out of respect, awkwardness, fear of being annoying, social anxiety, etc., but I think another reason behind that is a lack of true confidence in my work and what I am doing. Maybe I shouldn’t share this, but it’s all in the spirit of HONESTY! This feeling has been incredibly paralyzing, hence the extremely delayed blog post and serious artist block, but I am going to work through it and explain how! (bare with me)

Right now, Joel Daniel Phillips’ newest work is up at Tinney and not only is it some of the most thoughtful and engaging work I’ve seen, but hearing him talk about this series and conveying a message that is so universally relatable, made me want to take a step back and think about what I am really trying to achieve with my work. To summarize, his exhibit entitled Welcome to the Orange West is a collection of photorealistic graphite and charcoal drawings of abandoned, decaying signs along Route 66, oil rigs, and historical depictions of Westward expansion and the effects it had on the land and its inhabitants. Our romanticized and nostalgic emotions toward this part of our shared history is convoluted, to say the least, and this work forces us to question the cost of our actions or “the sociological factors surrounding Manifest Destiny.” It explores layered histories, classism, environmental and emotional damage that took place, and still take place, to get to where we are today.

So, not only is the work incredibly skillful to a point of actual mastery of graphite drawing, the message is clear, the themes are relevant, thought provoking, and relatable, but the artist is also incredibly articulate and knowledgable on every aspect of this work, ready to literally answer any question that may come his way regarding what this work means to him and to all of us. The amount of research and work that took place before he even picked up a pencil is evident, and on top of that, some of these pieces took upwards of 340 hours to complete. It all speaks very personally to him as well, documenting his move to Tulsa, OK and familial connections to Westward expansion, evoking an emotional response from the artist and viewers. Basically, this is my goal as an artist and what defines an inspiring artist to me. These were all the essential skills we learned as art majors that we needed to master if we wanted to succeed; work must be skillful, thoughtful, personal yet evoke an emotional response in others, it must be well-researched, clear, and artists should be knowledgeable, invested, and articulate about their work. I think recently I have gotten a little swept up in the commercial side of it all. With so much constant competition, mostly pressures I put on myself, to “post a new piece everyday”, “get more followers”, “apply for more shows”, “make more money” it’s hard to produce truly thoughtful work. While there is definitely value in practicing, and “painting what you want” and just painting to paint, taking time to research and finding some true inspiration in something personal is critical. 

I highly recommend going to visit Sewanee right now! All the leaves are changing and it's so pretty!

I recently went up to Sewanee and ran into my favorite professor, who I always seem to run into him when I need direction the most. He reminded me to not lose sight. We discussed my work and my plans, but I think saying out loud that I need to think more critically about what it is exactly that I am doing, was euphoric. I needed a push and a reminder of what I love about what I do. I read a post by an artist recently, and I can’t remember whose it was, but she said “I am so grateful that there are people that connect to my work, even when I don’t”. We can all relate to that, but we shouldn’t. If there’s one thing I want to be fully connected to, it’s my work. I think everyone wants that.

Thanks for reading!

Challenging Yourself

Recently I have been pretty busy! I had two art shows in August (solo exhibition and an event at Hachland Hill, which was featured on Business Insider!), I will be in the MBA Art Show this weekend, Frothy Monkey in 12 South in October, Fort Houston's show on October 7th, and just started my part time job at Tinney Contemporary downtown as their new gallery associate, which has been a dream. I’ve already met artists, collectors, curators, other gallery owners, and am making really valuable connections in the art scene here. Not to mention am learning so much from the two incredible women who own and direct the gallery. My dream is to own a studio gallery and I am learning from the best! Now that my weeks are much fuller than they were, I’ve noticed it’s harder to block out studio time. My schedule still lends itself to a pretty decent amount of free time that I need to utilize with painting, but whenever I finish a series, I sometimes procrastinate getting back to painting (or drawing). It’s not because I am at a loss of ideas of things to paint, because my mind and sketchbook are filled with ideas for my next painting, but because it’s kind of scary. After I create a series I am proud of, getting back in the swing of things by starting on something new or different is kind of like going back to square 1. I know musicians experience the same feeling after completing an album or a song, they have a million ideas for songs, but procrastinate getting back to the studio. 

I think in order to grow creatively, improve your craft, and stay productive you need to constantly challenge yourself. In order to do that experiment with different mediums, subject matters, etc. Something I find beneficial is attending the art crawl here in Nashville every month. Every first Saturday of the month, galleries here open their doors to new exhibits. Being completely surrounded by incredible, local artwork at all the galleries here is simultaneously inspiring and intimidating. I love reading artists’ statements and seeing how some of my favorite artists’ styles or processes change over time. I think in order to stay inspired you need to truly experience the competition, not just see it. Understand why artists use certain mediums, see what textures can be made using certain styles, and watch how people respond to different works. A lot of artists argue that because of Instagram and Facebook and the amount of art that is constantly in our faces now, it’s hard to create something completely organically and not be overly influenced by what others are making. I have a real fear of creating contrived and derivative work, and I want to be clear that there is a line between being inspired and being a fraud. There's also a line between playing to your strengths and still being original, and challenging yourself. I know I’ve talked about it a lot, but I guess it's because it’s something a lot of us struggle with daily; comparing ourselves and what we do or make to what others’ are doing or making. 

Getting back to my point of experimenting with different mediums and challenging yourself, here are some things that I do! I sometimes give myself assignments that I got in college. I will draw with my eyes closed, or use only one paint color, or change mediums halfway through a painting, or make a painting based on a word, or switch from abstract to attempting photorealism. I also started building my own frames, which was a real challenge at first, but now is incredibly beneficial and a huge money saver! I build them out of Fort Houston, and if you live in Nashville and like making things, this is your place. There are a million ways to challenge yourself. This isn’t news to anyone creative, but I think once you are depending on your creative pursuits financially, it’s easy to fall into patterns of making the same thing or using the same style because you know it sells and it’s comfortable. I’d love to hear about what other creatives, who maybe even read this blog, think about this. What do you do to challenge your work? What role does social media play in what you create? I am always eager to hear from other artists and creatives and start some conversations. Working from home and in a solo studio can be pretty lonely so feel free to reach out to this loner artist with any thoughts you have!

Oh, hey! Speaking of other creatives, my parents and brother run a pasta sauce company called Grandads Gravy. In case you haven’t tried it, it’s delicious. 2017 Ordering is OPEN through tonight (September 11, 2017) at midnight! So get those orders in and help support a local business that is close to my heart. Order Here >>

P.S. (Last thing I promise) Just a reminder that if you are at all interested in collaborating with me and want to send me something you are passionate about, whether it’s your own art website, small business, products you use, recipes etc. Email me! I’d love to help support any creative endeavors anyone has and am always looking for blog content. K gr8, T Out. 

Stay On Track

If I am being honest with myself, I need constant reassurance. Working alone doesn’t always lend itself to that, so I seek it out. I know this sounds needy or desperate and maybe a little self-centered, but I know that most of us need it, and self doubt is just inevitable. Creating is a channel by which we connect with people, so reassurance and a little attention here and there keeps our work going. Maybe there are artists who don’t need that, who strive in a completely solitary existence, who are so confident in themselves and their own work that they don’t need anyone’s approval or attention. But that’s definitely not me. There’s this balance that I strive for in which my art 1. needs to have some commercial appeal, whether you call that trending, marketable, or Instagram friendly 2. needs to have a place in the fine arts world and wouldn’t make my college art professors cringe and 3. it must be unique.

Download the free podcasts on your phone and sign up for workshops!

I have listened to podcasts on this matter, and if you are looking for a great one,”The Savvy Painter” is gold. My very talented artist friend, Lizzy, told me about it and I have been totally hooked. It’s so comforting to hear artists of all ages all over the world struggle with the exact same things. I think as millennials we often get criticized for being stubborn, not listening to superiors and pretending like we have all the answers when we definitely don’t. I resent that. I constantly crave advice and insight. When I am not painting, or babysitting, or doing graphic design projects, I am bothering fellow artists with questions. This brings me to today’s topic: mentorship. 

Here's me painting alongside Lisa!

It’s really freaking important and requires meeting with someone (in person) on a regular basis. I reached out to a local artist whom I really admire (Lisa Bachman- she is amazing) and asked if I could be a studio assistant to her back in the spring, she basically just said I could come paint with her and it has honestly been the best thing that’s happened to me in my art career thus far. Everyone needs a mentor. There’s nothing more motivating than having someone you look up to and has created success for him or herself, taking enough interest in you to want to guide you. So I guess my advice is, offer to volunteer for someone you admire in exchange for some advice and intros. Creating a community for yourself when you aren’t handed with one, say in an office job, is essential. 

I also think it’s important to seek advice from successful people in your career field who do something totally different from you. For example, I try to meet with a variety of artists whether they are on the more commercial/ interior design side, the fine arts side, the totally weird and “what the heck is that” genre, artists just starting out, and experienced masters. Notice the words “try to meet”. It’s definitely not easy to set up tons of meetings each week when you are really busy and so are they, but I make it a priority and set aside at least 3 hours each week to meet with someone from whom I want to learn. Bribing them with bagels is a good strategy. 

Mentorship really is the key to staying on track. Not only can they provide you with great advice, but also tons of opportunities that you wouldn’t otherwise know existed. There are days when I get incredibly stressed about my income or lack there of, and find myself feeling really aimless and wasting time on things that don’t matter, but I find a lot of comfort in knowing that every successful artist has felt this way at some point and figured out a way up. 

I’d love to hear about how you stay on track, what your mentors have taught you, or anything else in this blog that you can relate to or even just totally disagree with! Please comment below or email me at tesserlenbornart@gmail.com 

P.S. Here’s a little bonus tip for staying on track! I received this Self Journal created by Best Self for my birthday and it’s been a life saver. It keeps my days intentional and productive and allows me to clearly see a path to my goals. I will be adding these little casual advertisements for various products I use after each blog (will warmly welcome sponsorships *cough cough* this blog reaches over 7 people per month!! Talk about a great advertising opportunity...), so if you have something you think is just the bomb whether it’s art supplies, clothing brands, beauty products, books, recipes, office supplies, or whatever, please email me!!

Play To Your Strengths

In a city like Nashville that is completely riddled with creatives, it’s really hard to stand out. It can be really discouraging, and although it’s not nearly as populated or cutthroat as New York or L.A. for example, it sometimes feels overwhelming. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve gone to the Wedgewood Houston and Downtown Art Crawl, The Porter Flea Market, 615 Day, Jessi Zazu’s Undefeated Art Show, and the Farmer’s Market Night Market and needless to say, there is a TON of real talent in this city. (Images feature some of my favorite vendors at the Porter Flea Market and beautiful art by Jessi Zazu.) One thing that has stuck with me over the past few months though, was something a fellow art major from Sewanee said to me. We were discussing some of the challenges that come with being an artist, trying to support yourself, and how to stay motivated and he talked about how hard it is to evoke real emotion with art and how powerful it is when you see something that does. That is every kind of artists’ mission. 

Whenever I get side tracked and want to create something more commercial or scroll through Pinterest or see what’s top selling at various local markets or art galleries and tell myself “I should be doing something like that” or “I wish I’d thought of that” I remind myself of that main artist’s mission. If the purpose of what I am doing is to make real connections with people through my art, then it has to be totally original and truly important to me.  A creative’s goal should never be to try what other people are doing since that seems to be working for them. And if we are talking about it in business terms, there isn’t a demand or market for creative work that already exists. You’ve got to play to your own strengths, not try to copy someone else’s. It’s easier said than done when our newsfeed and communities are completely saturated with successful examples of creative things people are doing- you definitely don’t have to search for it anymore, it’s almost too easy to find. BUT that’s not a bad thing at all. This just goes to show us that there is a never ending amount of opportunity. I’ve already talked about creating your own opportunities, though, and want to talk about how to stand out. 

So again, everything I do goes back to that sole mission as an artist of forming connections with people and evoking real emotion through art and the one thing that I want most, which is to be a full time artist. The biggest strength any creative person has though is his or her originality and unique message. It’s the number one way to stand out. It's how all other successful creatives got their success. From there I ask myself “ok what else am I really good at that can help me achieve my goal?” I’m somewhat strong in terms of marketing, web design, and productivity; I love a good social media campaign, a clean website and making those to-do lists. Other strengths that are incredibly important are organization, business sense, salesmanship, and financial responsibility. Some of these are strengths of mine and typing some of those words makes me feel physically sick with anxiety and fear. Anything that I don’t feel incredibly confident that I can manage on my own, I outsource. I think it’s really important to be thoroughly realistic about your weaknesses when starting a business. There are some things I just can’t learn how to do no matter how much I research. For example, I’ve mentioned this, but my dad created my budget for me based on my art income and how much is allotted for supplies, needs to be set aside for taxes, and how much I can actually pay myself. He also got me set up on quickbooks and gain a better understanding of what my monthly income must be. It goes without saying and is very obvious that you gotta have your ducks in a row financially with any business endeavors, so if you are like me and don’t consider yourself a financial wizard, go find one! They really exist! There are a lot of puzzle pieces that need to come together when starting your own creative business and trying to make it a success. I’ve only listed a few, but really the most important thing you can do is create something that is totally original to you and then be honest with yourself about your strengths and ask for help when you need it. When I first started out, and if I am being honest, this is still very much the case, I couldn’t afford to actually pay to outsource things so I asked friends, family members, fellow artists for advice and help in exchange for coffee or artwork or sandwiches from Clawson’s, which I would gladly take over money any day. So to close out (and I am really sorry if this sounds preachy or condescending or just plain obvious, my intention is only to share some things I am learning) keep it original and meaningful to you, spend more time working on your strengths than your weaknesses, and always be honest when you need help. 

Being Open Minded

      So this blog is a week late because I was in a wedding and then had to play catchup with commissions and work all week, and this is a great example of me being a hypocrite and not sticking to my deadlines. I also haven’t posted new art in a while, because I have been working on commissions, which brings me to my main point: selling out is really ok, all the cool kids are doing it to pay bills. Whether you are a musician playing cover songs at weddings on the weekends to support your songwriting career, or an artist painting peoples’ dogs or favorite quotes, or an aspiring filmmaker filming graduation ceremonies and high school football games, if you are practicing your craft in some way and getting paid, then why is that in any way bad?     People who judge you for it are liars because everyone has to pay the bills somehow, unless you’re a trust fund kid in which case ~slow clap~. Example, I paint a lot of watercolors of homes for people, they make great gifts and honestly keep my art business afloat. Are houses my area of focus or part of my artist statement? No, but I love painting! If I am still producing the work that contributes to my vision as an artist and also practice fundamentals of painting, by painting watercolors of houses, and getting paid to do it, I consider that a win-win. 

    I say yes to absolutely every art commission (or project) and graphic design job that comes my way and I hope that’s a no brainer for most other people trying to make it as a creative entrepreneur, and I have to remind myself to be completely open minded about every job and give each commission 1150%. At my old job my attention to detail was often criticized. Call it selective hearing or putting what I wanted to do over what I have to do first or just being scatterbrained, I fully admit it’s my weakness, and although I've learned how to work on it, the one thing I am able to devote all of my attention to for any amount of time is my art. I never rush through projects; when I am painting, I don’t do things like, oh.. I don’t know, put a giant typo on a direct mailer that got sent out to 1000 Nashvillians. I want that dedication to be evident in every single thing that I paint or produce. 

    Being open minded also ties into creating your own opportunities. When I started this year with the goal in mind to have one art show per month, I had to readjust. I changed that goal to “I will work towards one major art related goal each month”. I apply to galleries and calls for artists pretty regularly and I usually don’t get what I hope for out of it. I am in the stage in my independent career where I am pretty much just blindly throwing tons of darts with both hands and seeing what sticks. I am constantly reaching out to people in my career field for advice, following them on social media, and looking for inspiration everywhere. BUT there is a really big difference between seeking inspiration, and flat out copying what someone successful did. Originality is everything. Here’s an example. I love Heather Day; her artwork and social media presence and brand is just gold. I read her blog about getting sponsors and was really inspired by it. I am in no way there yet, but it got me thinking- if I can’t get sponsors, working with other local, female entrepreneurs could be really cool- tying in other brands and supporting local businesses and collaborating. So, I came up with this idea to incorporate other brands into what I am doing- I won’t divulge all the details yet, because I want it to be a surprise (in two weeks, stay tuned!), but after weeks of applying to existing opportunities and not getting what I wanted out of it, I decided to create my own. This is really how I have showcased my art. I wasn’t having much luck reaching out to galleries one month, so I reached out to a local brewery with bare walls. I want more social media followers and email subscribers, so I reached out to some local businesses I really like to see if they want to co-promote. I guess my point in all of this is, don’t get discouraged if you find that you’re not getting what you wanted out of all your efforts and hard work. It just means it’s time to think creatively. I usually break down what I want to the most basic root of it- I change “I want my art in that gallery” to “I want people interested in the Nashville art scene to see my art” to “I just want to share my art and have it on display somewhere”. Breaking a goal down to the core of what it is I actually want to accomplish allows me to come up with a million different ways in which to achieve that goal. I find it’s really helpful to write all of those different ideas down on paper and then using those ideas as your to-do list for the day.

    I have also been pretty amazed by what I can accomplish when I just really want to do something, versus when I have to. Again, kind of a no brainer. This goes back to the days of summer reading. I love reading, I would be reading all summer anyways, but there’s something about when it was being assigned to me that made it become a hated chore. Same goes for this, when I am working towards a goal that I really want, I am able to think so much more creatively and be so much more open minded about opportunities. This may just be that I am really stubborn millennial, hence the whole goal to be my own boss, but all of this works for me and maybe it will work for you too!

Making Your Own Deadlines

If you are diving headfirst into your work, then some part of your life gets put on the back burner. In my case, it's my social life (and, ya know, making tons of money). No surprise there for anyone who knows me. Case in point, it's an absolutely gorgeous Saturday in Nashville and I am sitting outside my condo with my dog typing this, but here's the thing: I am doing exactly what I want to be doing at this moment. A really quick life question I have for you before I start talking about why deadlines are EXTREMELY important for any person trying to be their own boss is this: What makes you happiest? What do you do everyday? Realistically, how can these two lists become one? That right there is what I think success is. Just having those 2 lists be the exact same thing. What does this have to do with making deadlines? Well, top of my list is creating and sharing what I create. It's what I believe my "purpose" to be, it's my dream, it's what I wake up and go to sleep thinking about. Therefore, to make this dream become my everyday reality, I need to prioritize, I need to be able to support myself with it, and I need to fully commit to it. If you are in the same boat here's something really valuable I have learned and I hope it's helpful to anyone who's on the same path right now and feeling overwhelmed.

To stay productive, it's important to have something extremely specific to work towards. Not "make more money this month" or "paint more" or "work on my website this week", but goals like "compile a new collection of at least 4 pieces by May 15th and be prepared to give an artist talk" or "apply to 7 group art shows by 5 pm tomorrow" or "upload my latest collection to my website by Friday". The more specific and set you can be with the date AND time, the better, or else you just won't adhere to these deadlines at all. Daily To-Do lists are really helpful with this (I love making hand-written lists every morning) as are calendar reminders and Google calendar, if you want to structure and plan out your whole day. It will keep you on track especially if you are like me and get ADD working from home when there are a million household chores staring at you in the face, your dog is pawing at you, and Netflix exists. In the words of Christene Barberich, Editor in Chief of Refinery29 “I don’t think you can truly know what you’re made of until you are in charge of your days. How you use that time, and the work you pursue, teaches you so much about who you are and what you can become”. I make at least 5 big deadlines per month and countless, small daily tasks to meet those deadlines. I put in a lot of hours, at least double my previous full-time job hours, but if you are doing what you love it's not work and there is no better way to spend your time. 

This is a pretty simple concept and I take no credit in it. Our teachers and bosses have been scaring us with deadlines since the beginning of time. When your paycheck or grade or reputation was on the line, it was pretty easy to have the work done, and it shouldn't be any different when you are beginning your life as an entrepreneur, because guess what, those things are still on the line, just in a different way. Respect yourself and the tasks you’ve set for yourself just as you would for your employer. If the day is ending and I still haven’t met my deadline, I work overtime and say no to a lot of things that come up because getting this work done was my priority. Being your own dream employee is just as important as being your own boss. 

The final point that I have about making your own deadlines is this: don’t be too attached to the results of your efforts, only worry about the process. Once you’ve met your deadline, say goodbye to that project and start on the next one. If your deadline involved applying to a showcase, sharing your work, gaining experience, or practicing your craft and you gave it your all and finished what you needed to get done on time, then you succeeded. Serious productivity always results in something positive. You create what failure is in your head by telling yourself what results you expect to come from your hard work. For example, I hope reading this wasn't a huge waste of your time, but my goal for this blog is just to share my experience and what I am learning as I become my own boss, and have it posted by Monday, May 15th at 11:00 a.m., so even if you hated reading it, and I am so sorry if you did, I achieved what I set out to achieve. It sounds really cheesy, but once I stopped asking myself “what if this doesn’t work?” I became more productive than I have ever been. 

These few points have all really helped me especially during weeks when I didn’t have many commissions or freelance work and felt a little directionless. I would panic about not making enough money that week or wonder if all of my efforts were wasted and felt really overwhelmed. All I needed to do was fill my days with small, realistic, achievable goals and that stress just went away. It’s definitely hard going out on  your own, but I have to always remind myself “this was my choice (which I realize is a luxury) this is what I love and what makes me happiest, feeling scared and worrying is silly and I don't have time for it today anyways I've got too much to do”.

Good Timing: The Myth

Last August I left my full-time job in marketing. I didn't know if I was totally ready or if I'd be able to support myself with just art and freelance graphic design, but I convinced myself it would all work out because what I wanted more than anything is to be my own boss and be a full-time artist, and needed to start making a serious effort to reach that goal. I sat down with my financial advisor (my dad) and we came up with a new budget and a plan.  

Here is a corny lesson I've learned and one we've all heard: there is never a perfect time to pursue your dream. It's now or never is what I had to tell myself, because life is short, we are all going to die, and no one should wake up on Monday mornings miserable about the coming week. To convince myself I was doing the right thing I attended some creative seminars led by local business founders, read #GIRLBOSS, read tons of female entrepreneurial blogs, sat down with other Nashville artists, and researched successful, young artists around the country. Here's something they all have in common, none of them claimed that it was the "right time" to venture out on their own. Prior to doing this I was always so envious of these people. I came up with a million excuses why I couldn't create my own career path just like they did: "but I have a mortgage, but I have a lot of bills, but I need health insurance, but I have a hypochondriacal dog who racks up an absurd amount of vet bills, but a girl's gotta eat", and the worst one, "but success is measured by your income". Nope. The Book of Joy helped me destroy that terrible theory (READ IT, it's so awesome). I had to completely stop comparing what I was making to what others' were making. I had to stop comparing myself to other people altogether. This is really hard to do today, and I blame social media. Instagram, is literally a platform to make you jealous of other peoples' talents and lives. (I ain't gonna get rid of my insta though, I need that for business.)

Anyways, once I stopped doing that, and stopped worrying if I was wasting my time or doing the wrong thing and channeling that into "I need to do what I love every day and fully believe in what I am doing if I ever want anyone else to believe in what I'm doing too", things started coming together and my financial stress went away. I stopped trying to justify myself to people who looked concerned or started giving me job ideas when I told them what I did for a living, as if what I do isn't actually a job. I left a full-time job for which I was not right, that asked me to work on my weaknesses everyday, instead of playing to my strengths, which is why I was unhappy, and I decided to do what made me happy. 

I am in no way bragging or pretending to have anything figured out. I don't want to preach to anyone either, but from a millennial who has some financial responsibilities (granted, not a lot- it's not like I have a family to support), not a ton of career experience, wasn't happy with their own job or feeling "fulfilled", with a dream to be my own boss, I just wanted to share with anyone who might be in my same boat what I've learned thus far.  (The following blogs are coming soon)

2. Making Your Own Deadlines
3. Keeping An Open Mind
4. Play To Your Strengths
5. Stay On Track
6. What to Do When You Are Out of Ideas
7. The Power of Pretending
8. Handling Insecurities & Self Doubt