53: Flake
ANNOUNCEMENT
Come study with me! I’m excited to launch my new VISION course that begins July 5th. Click on the link or find out details below. Bring your creative VISION into focus as you develop your wild ideas into a perfect pitch in 6 weeks. Learn to dream big again and to see over the horizon.
FLAKE
Flake. Dreamer. Eccentric. Artsy. We’re called many things. Truth is, maybe we are. But, we’re also Makers, Designers and Authors. From the interconnection of these endless thoughts, new ideas take shape. As an artist, I’m embattled to tether my wandering mind. To make progress when there are endless opportunities. Focus is hard and sometimes damn near impossible. And I know I’m not alone. When you’re young, you may get away with some of this, but as the responsibilities begin to add up, finding systems and tools that allow you to find peace amongst the chaos isn’t just wanted, it’s necessary. Throw a partner, employer, kids or any other person you care about in the mix and your creative endeavors have to be weighed, measured and ultimately- valued.
As creators, we are more than just entertainers. If we can learn to capture our thoughts and focus our vision, we can do amazing things. Most, if not all of today’s wicked problems have been predicted by our Authors and creative visionaries long ago. Flip through the pages of Asimov, Orwell or Dick and you’ll read their predictions like today’s front page. Imagination is not just magic and fairy tales, it is born of prediction from the astute observations of emerging patterns in the world. The dreamer capable of giving structure and purpose to their ideas holds lightning in a bottle.
I’ve been creative my whole life. Born that way, or at least into a family stewing in it. Through all of the chaos that comes with a skull on fire, I’ve found my way into giving meaning and structure to my ideas. I’m lucky to be married to an amazing woman and to have two brilliant kids. My efforts in the studio, and ultimately in the classroom provide a roof over our heads. I’ve been able to take these wild ideas and provide for our little family, while adrift in seemingly endless opportunities to navigate a creative life.
I don’t have it all figured out. But the ideas in these pages were written for you, and others like me, who are doing their best to create amazing things, to add value to the world and to find purpose in the doing.
So often, it’s about showing others that there is tangible value in what you have to offer. Start small. Convince yourself. Celebrate the small wins- the local projects, unpublished authors, independent filmmakers, inadequate budgets and friends of friends looking to give you a chance. Treat each coffee shop show like a solo exhibition at a blue chip gallery. Once your all in, others will follow. No one is keeping you from pursuing your dreams, but no one is going to champion you until you’ve proven yourself.
A question- what small win, AHA moment, personal, private or public discovery have you made on your creative journey in the past few days? Name it. Share it. Brag on yourselves a bit and know you’ll have a cheerleader in me. It is, after all, pouring yourself into the smallest of efforts that will open the door for big opportunities. If you can do it when the stakes are low with a small budget, limited resources and a client micro-managing your every choice, imagine what you can do when at your best.
I had the pleasure of working for a wonderful independent filmmaker recently. The budget was modest, the films were fantastic. I worked with Brandon to clarify a bit about my process and he did the same on his end. The end result can be found at the bottom of the page. Thanks, Brandon- it was a joy.
I’ll be sharing the process for A Marriage On the Rocks from start to finish for paid subscribers shortly. You can find out more about the film on IMDB.
I’m launching a new course that begins July 5th called Vision. I’m pretty stoked about it. The course is limited to just 15 seats. We’ll work together through weekly critiques and blue-sky thinking to introduce a system so that you can capture your wild ideas and give them structure. We’ll move from ideation to the development of a perfect pitch. The best part- you’ll be working in a cohort of international artists all focused on finding meaning and purpose in their work. You can find out more here.
Kevin, I'm so glad you've found your way back to your sketchbook. Drawing from life pulled me back into my art after the pandemic. I was burned out and had no interest in taking on new projects or starting any personal projects. Drawing from life was pure joy when I rediscovered it. So happy you shared this!
My breakthrough has been sketching from life in ink. Wherever I am, just pulling out the sketchbook and drawing whatever catches my eye. I was always scared to draw in public, but I’ve largely conquered it over the past few weeks by drawing in the subway during my commute. A horrific flight delay gave me plenty of downtime in an airport yesterday and today. My love for this practice has cemented itself and I’m really liking some of the work I’ve been doing!