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Category Archives: Live Unchained
What Naysayers Do For Me: My Imaginary Talk With Michel Martin
Michel Martin is an accomplished journalist who hosts my favorite show on NPR, Tell Me More. Earlier this month, I dreamt she and I discussed haters. I used to listen to her show, a lot online (especially the Barbershop and Can I Just Tell You pieces), that aside, I can’t explain how or why I came to have this dream. Now that I think over our conversation, I can really hear her elegant voice asking me these questions in all her charm and refinement. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript of our imaginary talk:
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Michel Martin (MM): It’s great to see how Live Unchained is growing. I imagine that with a project as international and dynamic as this you’ve had to deal with a lot of people questioning how it would all come together, doubters.
Me (K): Yeah, I guess everyone who starts an organization has to deal with that– doubters, haters, haterade.
MM: [Lightly laughing] Well, I think of a hater as someone who is also jealous, so I guess I’m not speaking of doubt in that sense, let’s just call them…naysayers.
K: Well, first of all, I know that there is always going to be art that doesn’t resonate with me. And, in that same sense, I don’t expect Live Unchained to resonate with everyone. There are always going to be people that get it, and people that don’t.
And, it helps me to think about artists who I didn’t always get or just felt lukewarm about. For example, I wasn’t too impressed with a lot of what I considered—“poppy R&B” singers. I felt like a lot of their lyrics were cliché and the beats were all starting to sound alike. Later on in their careers, I saw that some of the artists I had lumped in this category were really taking themselves seriously as artists, and not just stars, with innovative music videos. I found myself looking forward to what else they had to put out, paying more attention to what they were saying in interviews, and even defending them against folks I thought were hatin’.
And, you know, that’s what I’d want for Live Unchained. I don’t want people to like us just because someone they know likes us, or someone important gave us a good review. I want Live Unchained to earn a place in people’s hearts, like many artists have for me.
MM: And, what about the people that have been with you from the beginning? I mean, how does what you’ve just said relate to the folks who don’t need you to fight for their hearts because they’ve been wanting a project like this?
K: Well, I think the haters…excuse me, naysayers, are like fuel to them…and me. I think the fact that there are people out there doubting our cause makes the Live Unchained community stronger in their commitment, their support despite the opinions of folks like that just shows that their loyalty isn’t superficial. And, I think it’s the same on a personal level—you know your self-love is strong when other folks’ negative opinions deepen it instead of taking away from it.
MM: It sounds like this has a lot to do with what it means to live unchained as a lifestyle.
K: Yeah, exactly. You can’t wait for other people to get what you’re doing before you start doing it. And, that’s why I carry this post-card Sean Mack designed for us everywhere I go.
[Then I pull out the card above, Michel reads what it says, we cut to commercial, I compliment her on her hair and we talk some more...]
…
Posted in Community, Inspiration, Live Unchained
Without Approval, Applause or Understanding: What Your Vote Means to Me
I’m proud to tell our loyal, encouraging and artsy readers that Live Unchained recently won a fellowship to participate in a media entrepreneurship boot-camp with Unity Journalists of Color in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now begins the second phase of the program, a competition for $10,000 in seed money. We would be eternally grateful for your vote here: http://
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The Unity Journalists of Color New U boot-camp was a great experience. Each participant gave a business pitch and, as you’ll see in the video below, mine ended with what conducting Live Unchained interviews with nearly 90 artists from over 16 countries across Africa and the African Diaspora has meant to me:
It meant so much to hear people say that this part of the pitch (the least “businessy” part of it) resonated with them the most. I don’t take this lesson about freeing yourself from others’ ideas–or what you assume their ideas are without even really knowing sometimes–of your passions lightly. From time to time, I have been insecure as an artist and entrepreneur, but my good and bad experiences with networking, branding, budgeting and organizing pounded the false need for validation, security and stability right out of me.
If you want to live unchained, personally and creatively, in a world that encourages conformity, you have to be comfortable standing out. You also have to be grounded enough to not be disturbed by being misunderstood, unheard or stolen from. And, of course, there’s the real work of paying your dues, putting in the time and energy to build your creative dream. For Live Unchained, the truth is, we didn’t start this project with a lot of connections, internet savvy or money; we started with the bare minimum of each. We managed nearly 90 interviews because many more artists never responded to our request. (Also, I spend hours trying to get each post just right so that our interviewees know we don’t take their participation for granted–I used to get like “The Hulk” whenever I found a typo here.) I learned everything I now know about the importance of social media from time and energy draining research after many technology mishaps. And, as far as sustaining Live Unchained financially, I’m still funding as much as I can out of pocket while living on a student budget–eating cheap rice and canned beans most days (seriously). The point is, if we let any of this stop us, we wouldn’t be living unchained.
Kathryn after finding a typo in a Live Unchained blog post
We are completely committed to the vision of Live Unchained as a non-profit organization, which is why we’re still going forward. Our dedication is also why winning this grant would mean so much, it represents all we ever needed: a chance. I know how much it inspires me to see black women telling their own stories in ways that common language could never capture, those that challenge cliché depictions of us in the media or our under-representation in the artworld (both of which have become way too palatable for mass consumption). Women artists, their fans and communities, need an initiative that encourages them to connect, create and Live Unchained; it would mean the world to us if you could help us create that. Growth starts one step at a time, with our first event, a revised site and non-profit incorporation–your vote can help us get the funding to do all that and more. So, please visit http://
and help help Live Unchained rise.
Posted in African Diaspora, Art, Entrepreneurship, Live Unchained, Women
Greater Virtues: Peju Alatise on Women, Art and Real Freedom
Peju Alatise
Of her least satisfying work, Peju Alatise has said: “Nobody will ever see it. I’ll pour white paint on it and start over. So that does not exist.” The paintings, writings and sculptures that did make the cut illustrate ideas of love, femininity and religion. Most importantly, Peju’s art reflects her own lived experiences. When I look at her paintings I feel like I’m seeing (and sometimes confronting) a piece of myself and a piece of Peju–a woman bold, sensitive and self-reflective. Here, Peju discusses what freedom means to her, the importance of it for African women and how her experiences growing up in Nigeria inspire her artwork. Her criticisms of the challenges facing black women are as impassioned as her hope that we can make things better and that art can help. Although Peju considers optimism her “weaker virtue,” her pieces remind me that hope is not always naive. Peju’s art inspires me to reach for my highest self–and, for artists everywhere that’s just practical.
African women, their enduring strength and beauty, are central to your visual and literary works. How did you come to value your womanhood so much?
Africa is a continent with so many issues derailing its progress in development. There is civil war, corruption in government, poor health care systems, apartheid, famine, poor management of resources–the list is near endless. Amongst the issues seen as least pressing are feminism and equal rights for women.
Only Woman
But, it has not always been this way, not in all tribes and ethnic groups. I belong to the Yoruba tribe from the western part of Nigeria. The precolonial traditions held back then held a noble place for the woman. The economic and trading power was her’s alone as men were prohibited from the market place. You had to respect the one that spent the money on behalf of the household–she was the caregiver in her community and traditional education was her forte.
All that changed with the western ideas of monogamy, the influence of foreign 
religions and the home-economics education. Vanity has replaced nobility. The caring for one another is replaced with suspicion. There is a disheartening loss of self-identity and the confusion of which gods to please. I wish I knew how it all went wrong because I only know that it is wrong.
I am of the opinion that if given the right choices, the woman can completely change her environment to a better one. The desperate need for change and improvement make me value my womanhood, knowing that “who and what I am” is critical for this change.
Can we talk about the creative process and inspiration for the pieces I’ve selected…
- Orange Scarf-First — I like the look of her looking and I wonder why she’s gazing up; I wonder, was she challenged to or was she invited to…
Orange Scarf-First
The orange scarf was my experience at the age of 16. I had gone to the prayer grounds with my parents and I wore this orange scarf to cover my hair and shoulders. One of the attendants was going to stop me from entering the prayer grounds for wearing a brightly colored scarf. I was told I was a distraction and God preferred me to be in black, grey, brown or dark blue. I was given a warning and a book; The book had details of punishments in hell for women who did not live accordingly.
Posted in Africa, African Women, Art, Femininity, Feminism, Freedom, Live Unchained, Nigeria, Painting, Peju Alatise, Process, Sex, Spirituality, Women
Men, Art & Love: For Fellas that Live Unchained
People have often asked me how men fit in with Live Unchained. Now, some people ask about it with a condescending, judgmental tone. Those folks will have to figure out the answer (and why they would come at someone like that) on their own 
. But, there are others who I know are asking from a place of sincerity and love. For those folks, I do have a couple ideas…
Women have so much to share, and for black women, I know, we haven’t even heard the half of what we have to say about our experiences with things like joy, fear, love and change. The women we feature have creatively expressed powerful ideas about love, politics, vulnerability, poverty and, life, in general.
For men that want to support the women in their lives, learning where we are, the things that matter to us and how we would have things be, means a lot. Western society glorifies constant action and doing–and, of course, these things are important in a world full of violence and inequality. But, stillness and openness to what others have to share is also important.
We are the most receptive and teachable when we are humbled. So, my first suggestion, for guys who would accept that they have much to learn about and from black women, and want to help projects like Live Unchained, is to listen to what the women are saying through their art. Notice what resonates with you, what you disagree with and what feelings you have in common. Then, you can tell us how you can help. And, if you’re looking for more inspiration, check out this piece on male feminists.
You can also share your creative spirit. Live Unchained hosts online collaborative projects throughout the year in which, men and people of various backgrounds participate alongside women of the Diaspora. Stay tuned for more details about the next creative event because we’d love for you to join us.
For our “You’re Unchained When…” project we reached out to several black male artists to contribute. They were extremely busy, and we weren’t paying them anything, but they participated because they love the beauty of black women and initiatives like Live Unchained. These pieces still fill me up.
Posted in Art, Live Unchained
She Got the Rhythm!: Juliyaa’s Take on Music and Femininity
Juliyaa
Rooted in African rhythms, layered with soul vocals and the high energy of UK urban music, Juliyaa effortlessly combines different genres in to a sound she calls ‘Rhythmic Soul’. She was raised listening to her mother’s traditional Ghanaian gospel and hi life, and her father’s classic vinyl collection of soul and reggae artists like Bob Marley, Al Green and The Maytals. With her sultry soul voice, and trademark retro style, Juliyaa is renowned for delivering uptempo and fun-filled live performances. In the run up to her single release, Juliyaa has been performing with her band at some of London’s hottest venues including The Roundhouse, Regal Rooms, Camden Proud and The Troubadour. Here Juliyaa discusses her musical journey, femininity and take on what it means to live unchained.
Can you tell us about yourself?
Well, I grew up in North London to a Welsh father and a Ghanaian mother. My name is a combination of my European name ‘Julia’ and Ghanaian name ‘Yaa’ meaning ‘Thursday Born’. I started singing at a young age in my mother’s church, and wrote my first song at the age of seven. Music was a part of my life growing up and there were a lot of eclectic influences that have influenced my musical style. Mum was in to Ghanaian gospel and hi-life which meant that every Sunday morning I was awoken to the sound of her cassette player blasting out songs – they were good times. Growing up music was about family, and about culture and it has always signified something about who I am and what my parents have passed on to me.
Is there an overall message to your music? What do you want your fans to take away?
I write songs about the different things that I experience in life. I sing about love, the London underground, Ghana, dreams, my faith – anything and everything. I would say that I would like to bring positivity and light through my music, and help people to enjoy the beauty and the fun in life. I want to bring a smile to the faces of the people who listen to my music. I want to inspire hope if they are in a dark or difficult situation. I want people to listen to my music and understand the emotions that I am expressing, and for the words to resonate with them.
What do you love most about being a woman?
I love having the privilege to express my femininity to the world, and to have the opportunity to have a family one day. I am proud to call myself an African woman and love to identify myself with the strength, dignity, and gentleness that my mother modeled to me.
Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?
Living unchained for me means enjoying a free, passionate relationship with God. It means being free to love others, free to forgive others who have wronged me, and free not to care what others think of me. It means being free to be myself and who I was created to be.
Posted in African Diaspora, African Women, Femininity, Juliyaa, Live Unchained, Music, Women
Mind Travels: The Eclectic Art of Corinne Stevie
Artist Corinne Stevie
Mixing musical and visual influences, Corinne Stevie’s eclectic, feminine and whimsical art is sure to capture your attention. If you’re adventurous, you’ll let her pieces take you on a mental journey of what she calls her “ideas about dreams, spirituality, beauty, identity, fashion, cartoons and random things in the real world.” Here Corinne discusses her unique art and creative process.
Can you tell us a little about yourself? What made you get into art and music?
I’m Haitian American and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I got into art and music when I was in middle school. I started drawing at young age and then I applied to a visual arts program for middle school and I got into the program. Around that same time I had an uncle who started teaching me how to freestyle and write lyrics because I was really interested in learning how to.
Many of your paintings have a whimsical quality, what draws you to this style in your art?
Well growing up I spent a lot of time drawing and exploring my imagination. When I went to college to study art that’s when everything clicked for me artistically. I realized through studying different styles of art and the different eras in art history that my work could be about anything. So I decided to used my art to send positive messages to myself and the viewer. I use the whimsical style because I think it allows me to express my playfulness and seriousness at the same time.
'A Woman's Heart' mixed media 2009
To me your work also seems to have a mystical quality as well. Is this something that you strive for in your pieces? I thought it was interesting that a key was a recurring element in some of your work. For example: “A Women’s Heart” and “Whirlwind,” can you talk a little bit about those pieces.
Sometimes I do strive to make my art really mystical and sometimes it just turns out that way. I think it has a lot to do with me growing up in a religious family. I started including the symbol of the key in my work as a reminder to myself that I hold the key
'Whirlwind' acrylic 2008
to my own life and destiny. In the particular piece “A Woman’s Heart” the keys symbolize the keys to my heart and friendship. I don’t just give the keys away to anyone. A person has to be willing to get to know to me in order earn them. The creature in “A Women’s Heart” is a metaphor for myself. I sometimes see myself as this strange and usual being. In the “Whirlwind” piece the key again symbolizes me having the key to my destiny even in the most hectic times in my life. The “Whirlwind” painting reflects how there can be turmoil in my life but I have to remember to breathe, meditate, be calm and remain centered. I also included the goldfish earring in the painting because I wanted to paint something that looked surreal. The hummingbird is a symbol of me connecting with nature, and the Nike shoe reflects my love for exclusive interesting looking sneakers.
'Gunnation remix' mixed media 2008
I love how you use mixed media in your pieces. It provides a certain amount of layering that makes your work very interesting. How do you decide what types of mediums to use for a piece. What mediums do you like to work with the most? Can you talk a bit about your piece: “Gunnation Remix.”
I really enjoy using acrylic paints and spray paints. Occasionally I like to collage in pictures or different patterns. It all depends on the message I’m trying to convey. All of my pieces are initially done in acrylics and then I add the other mediums for texture when I desire that kind of aesthetic.
“Gunnation Remix” is a very important piece to me because this piece was chosen to be shown at the Museum Of Contemporary Arts in Atlanta, Ga earlier this year. “Gunnation Remix” was actually inspired by a series of photographs called Gun nation shot by renowned British photographer Zed Nelson. His Gun Nation series got him a lot of awards and I found this out a couple years after I created the painting. I was inspired by the photos because they seemed so shocking to me at the time. His series focused on showing the gun culture in America. When I thought of gun culture in America I usually thought of drug dealers in the hood but through this series I learned that a lot of people keep guns, not just drug dealers. “Gunnation Remix” is a response to how I felt about Zed Nelson’s series.
The portrait in the foreground is a combined portrait of me and my friend. I painted my eyes and nose and the rest of the portrait is my friend. The portrait symbolizes how I see my self in my friends. This is another idea I was playing around with. The portrait has a concerned look on its face. The images in the background are images directly from the series. I scanned in the original photos, printed them out and collaged them in. There’s also text in this piece that is from the write up that accompanied the original photos but the text blends in with the patterns. I used pattern paper that I was experimenting with at the time to create the details in the scarf. This same pattern is also the ammunition coming out of the guns. This piece is very intricate it was done with acrylic paint, house paint, spray paint, pattern paper, and scanned pictures.
'Look in the mirror' mixed media 2009
What is your creative process?
I sketch everyday and I paint almost everyday. My paintings usually begin with a sketch from my sketch book. I like to draw out whatever I’m going to paint at least once just to get familiar with the imagery. I prepare my board or canvas with a layer of house paint because I don’t have gesso or any canvas primer at the moment. Once the house paint is dry I start to work on the painting.
How does your visual art influence your music and vice versa?
Painting and music go hand in hand because their both expressions. Sometimes I’ll work on music and feel limited to the things I can express and then I’ll switch to the canvas. I feel like there are more feelings that be can expressed through visual arts sometimes. At the end of day both forms just keep me thinking creatively about life.
'M.I.A. as Krishna' Acyrlic, spraypaint 2008
New amErykah remix' acrylic 2008
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I would like to let the readers know that I’m available for commissions next month. Check out my website: www.corinnestevie.com for new music and art. I am putting out a music project next month called “Amalgam Nation”. “Amalgam Nation” is a big deal to me because the music on this project is amazingly musical. I wrote everything I’m rapping about, well the production was done by my producer friend Timeshare who lives in Australia. We met through the internet a couple years ago and we started making really dope music together. The music really reflects a different side of me. The music itself is really positive and it makes the listener think.
What does living unchained mean to you?
It means living, thinking freely and being myself.
Posted in Art, Creative Process, Creatives, Creativity, Dreams, Illustration, Live Unchained, Painting, Women
The Vibrant Art of Joyce Owens
Artist Joyce Owens
When I first saw Joyce Owens‘ work, I was impressed by the vibrant color and beauty of her paintings and sculptures. Her pieces are exhibited across the United States and internationally. Here Joyce shares her creative method and inspirations.
How did you come to the place you are now as an artist?
I see things in overlapping, multifaceted, and multi-angular ways so, first of all, the question seems to be about place; I am a Philadelphia transplant currently residing in Chicago. Then of course, the question is how I got to this place as an artist; I count that from the time I said out loud I would be an artist in 3rd grade. I became an artist after accepting that I am an artist by nature and work at being an artist by choice. I have spent my life observing, questioning and responding to what I see in a visual way. It has not always been easy, but it is natural.
Can you discuss your sculpture work? You incorporate a range of materials in your sculptures. How do you choose which materials to use? What are your favorite materials to work with?
I work with wood, both found and purchased. I love rusty metals and any odd elements that are one-of-a-kind, not necessarily traditional art materials. I like wire, beads, fabrics, papers hardware, and of course paint. I will de-construct anything to find a particular element that I like. Sculpture is another challenge, and a natural inclination that I pushed back, I thought, only realizing recently that I regularly produced sculptural works. I relish the opportunity to solve problems by pushing into the 3rd dimension.
Survivor Spirit Mollie Painting by Joyce Owens
What subject matter do you like to explore the most?
I see a face in every crack and cloud and have been fascinated with and curious about what is transmitted to others by facial design and expressions. I am a figurative artist. I explore ideas via the figure that often deal with race, and the continuing weight of being African American in a world that still mostly racist. For me materials and process matter as much.
In a world that is saturated by images and with the speed of communication being what it is, where do you think painting and sculpture fits in all of this?
Traditional painting and sculpture exists within the heart of the changes. Technological advances tend to breed more of a desire for the handmade. The easier it becomes to create images via computer software and photography, the more people value the work that I do making one piece at a time. Advanced technology that enables speedy communication is great because it allows me to show my handmade images to more people around the globe who respond well to them.
What have been some of your favorite projects?
Usually the last one is the one I love best. I am working on a sculptural commission. A collector couple gave me a wooden, broad framed shelving unit and asked me to make an art work for him and his wife. It is turning into a piece that includes inserts of individual sculptures that will end up in a cohesive expression of the idea. I am working on an Ofrenda for the National Mexican Museum to honor Dr. Margaret Burroughs. I have numerous projects that are in the works and all of them are interesting to me. I am process-oriented and not product oriented, so I like to work every day as much as I can.
Sunshine on a Blues Day by Joyce Owens
Many of your paintings display vibrant color. What role does color play in your work? I was intrigued by the use of warm and cool colors in your pieces and how they play off of each other.
People often comment on this aspect of my work. I have been told by art teachers and others that I am a “natural colorist”. When asked about my “natural” abilities I can surmise that living with my mother, Eloise Owens, who was an opera singer and wore colorful clothing influenced me. Besides her preference of dressing in brighter colors, she had red floor to ceiling drapes, lavender wall-to-wall carpets, various colored pillows, sofas and chairs that I lived with growing up. We also had lots of books with lovely pictures, magazines, newspapers, a piano, and a garden where we grew roses. Lots of people are exposed to similar stimulus. I just read it a certain way that comes out in my work.
Old Rhythms New Beats by Joyce Owens
As a viewer of your work, I am drawn to the layering of it. To me there appears to be layers within the narrative as well as the way the paint is applied to the canvas. This is my personal interpretation, but is layering something that you strive for in your work?
Absolutely, a terrific observation on your part…I even titled a solo exhibition “Layers, Levels and Lives”. I am intrigued by materials. Art supply businesses and catalogs are like candy stores…But mostly I am intrigued by the layers of life. I perceived the density of life early on. Nothing was simple growing up. As a result “complex” and “complicated” do not scare me. I am mostly intrigued and sometimes puzzled and thoroughly engaged by life’s entanglements. I have come to embrace my intuitive side as well as my educated self over the years, enabling me to trust myself. An artist I can work out real life ideas through visual expression. I go to a canvas or hunk of wood without a solution, but with many questions!
Survivor Spirit Series by Joyce Owens
I was intrigued by your collections: Survivor Spirits and Pillars. Could you talk a little about those series? What made you want to create those pieces? Why was it important to you?
Sometimes my figures and faces show up as portraits from history. Always, these faces express my interest in the underexposed images in American history; especially in issues around race and gender. My series, “Survivor Spirits,” is one example of this. I was distressed about limited perceptions of slaves. My belief is that rather than pity or be embarrassed that we are the progeny of slaves, we should recognize ourselves as survivors, specifically, the survivors of the fittest. The weaker slaves died before they arrived here during the transatlantic voyage. Others who lived despite poor housing, poor food, no education, no health care and exhaustive, never-ending, spine-bending labor, survived. Those who were left alive made it despite lynching, burnings, being dragged through towns, run out of towns, despite redlining and segregation and Jim Crow. Despite hatred. Despite all that happened to us, the ancestors of slaves, we are here. So I call the paintings of the last living slaves photographed during the 1930’s “Survivor Spirits” because these slaves lived despite everything. Through these paintings I hope we will love our history and not waste more time and energy hating the ancestors of the oppressors who sometimes still oppress. We should love what we managed to achieve against the odds, and build a legacy our grandchildren will be proud of. Pillars represent some of those progeny of slaves who did the right thing by standing up to support their communities. They are the ordinary people who did extraordinary things: putting a neighbor’s child through college, paying for the funeral of a cousin’s husband. Taking in a niece’s children when she and her husband fell on hard times. Pillars series represents the folks who were community builders.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
Artists make art, so I advise artists to work. Don’t wait to be in the mood to make art. Don’t need special music or even a special place. Make art because you are an artist. Each of us is different. So each artist has to find his or her own way, but if you don’t make art, then maybe you are not an artist, and should search deeper to find your true self.
What are you working on now?
I have a solo show opening at Waubonsee College in August. I am working on a 4-person exhibition at the Koehnline Museum that opens in January. I am one of the four artists. I am working on several invitational group exhibitions from one on Shakespeare to one on Margaret Burroughs to one of President Obama. I am curating an exhibition at the National Mexican Museum that is part of their Day of the Dead. Sapphire and Crystals artists will create an ofrenda (altar honoring the dead) for Margaret Burroughs.
What does living unchained mean to you?
It’s what I have done all my life. I tried to conform for a bit, I had to let that go. Not matter what my family expected or my friends wanted I am who I am. Being “unchained” means I don’t obstruct who I am. I try not to stand in my own way.
Posted in Art, Creative Process, Live Unchained, Painting
Daisy Giles’ 6 Tips on Artistic Growth
Daisy Giles' BFA Show, Gyasi Jones
The past few nights I have been reflecting on my 23 years (few to some, but wow they feel like a lot to me!) I think about where I am now as an artist, and where I want to be around this time next year. As I strive to excel, in my work and my own happiness, I find each year gets easier and easier thanks to some tips and habits I found along the way. So, today I share that with all of you!
Daisy Giles, Self-Portrait
1. Prepare for Productivity
The first thing about successfully pursuing a passion is that you have to put in the prep work to enjoy the play. I have slowly been building up an arsenal of tangible and intangible things to help me to make what I do easier. I’ve been gathering a large supply of paints in every color, brushes in every size and canvases of the same. Having supplies on hand can be costly, but can help me do what I need to do faster and gives me the motivation to just paint for fun. I couldn’t always afford to buy an excess of supplies, but I have chosen to invest slowly and I am starting to finally see that fruit.
2. Respect Inspiration’s Ebbs and Flows
I have had to learn when to give myself a break. I have an obsessive personality (my receipts, sketchbooks and worn out Harry Potter tapes won’t argue). When I get into something, I get into it – if you feel what I’m saying. I have spent days in a row, 10 hours a day, working on the same paintings and I have been happy as a clam. But other times, I won’t feel that fire for weeks. I used to try to force myself to paint, but then I realized that sometimes I just needed to get away from my work. My forced paintings were not good, they were lackluster at best, and instead they just lengthened my feeling of disinterest.
Another side project to keep me busy– decorating my headboard
3. Find and Share Diverse Creative Inspirations
Which brings me to my third realization: when I took a break, I always had to stay busy. I still needed a creative outlet to give me ideas to bring me out of my funk. During my weeks of non-paint this past year, I discovered TUMBLR. What a difference it has made in my life. I would tumble for hours and find dozens of pictures for inspiration. I gave myself an emotional break from the pressure of creating, but kept my mind on its tippy toes by staying active in a different way.
4. Breathing Room
Fourth, and this is something I shall never again underestimate – I have learned the importance of a separate space. To pursue a passion and to keep it enjoyable, it needs room to grow and spread out. If you want it to be a priority in your life, whatever “it” may be, it should have physical space in your life.
When I moved out of my college apartment and into my childhood bedroom this past summer, squeezing every last bit of nothing into that space, I knew it was going to be more than a struggle, but that it would be pure torture to do the thing that I loved, turning it from a relaxing event into a chore. Let your work breathe. If you can’t afford a separate space now – come up with a plan to save up so that you can in the future – be it a studio to write, to paint, to sew, to dance, to make music – whatever!
I LOVE my little studio den in my new apartment. I have been here for two weeks now and I have already gotten as much done as I did in the full summer I had in my old room.
My little studio...messy, but mine
5. Setting Worthy Goals
I know I need to come up with goals. I try to set realistic but challenging goals, and write down ways to make them happen. I don’t want easy goals and I don’t want hard ones, I want ones that will take work, but that won’t discourage me. Then, when I meet those, I set new ones. I am happy when I achieve, but I do my best to never be complacent and that way I can continue to grow.
6. Honor Your Uniqueness
Last but not least, I know I have to make what I create my own. The work that I make may pull from other sources, but no one will doubt that its mine and that’s the way I like it. I want to make waves and I want to leave footprints. I have a goal to be in an art history book one day and I am going to do everything I can to make it happen. I feel like I have something to say, and despite what some unnamed teachers have told me, I believe that purpose should never be undervalued.
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Do what you love, love what you do, and please ladies – let’s continue to work hard to do it well. Be memorable, be different, and be purposeful! I hope these tips are helpful and motivate you all to keep living unchained – I know I will!. Year 24 here I come!
Check out more of Daisy’s work on her website: www.daisygiles.com and Facebook and Etsy pages: https://www.facebook.com/daisygilesartist, http://www.etsy.com/shop/daisygiles
Posted in Art, Creative Process, Creativity, Daisy Giles, Live Unchained
