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Words of encouragement to all creatives
Maybe it's time to add a more positive thread to the forums since I want there to be more positivity so badly  I know that everyone has moments they feel defeated or doubt themselves, so I decided to create a thread where we can all share words of encouragement, advice, any insights we may have that could be helpful to the entire MM community. I'll go first. If you had asked me what I would be doing with my life when I was 18, this would be the last thing I would have answered. (if you had asked me at 4, I would have told you I wanted to be a tree.) however, upon reflection, it makes a lot of sense that I ended up doing all of the things that I have done. When I was very young, I would have constant meltdowns and would end up getting so upset that I couldn't talk. The only things that made me feel better were when my mom took me for walks (physical activity seems to jump start my brain), and she gave me a roll of butcher paper and things to draw with. Otherwise, I was alternately the kid hiding in the corner, or the kid getting in fist fights or yelling matches at school. I was briefly a ballerina, briefly a street dancer, briefly a dance teacher, briefly in college. A lot of my life I've felt like a stupid fuck-up who can't do anything right. It took until this year to figure out that I have ADHD, which kind of explains why I could never focus in school when I wasn't interested in the subject, but could excell at just about anything I was interested in. It's difficult even now to express myself, but I've come a long way from setting up platonic dates on Craigslist armed with a legal pad and prepared to take notes on how people socialize. (no, seriously.) I alternately want to be creative and want to be by myself and have nobody know who I am. Probably thousands of people at this point have taken my picture, drawn me, or made some other form of art where I was the model. Even though it is really difficult, I have built up my arsenal of tools to keep going. I'm sure others have personal things they deal with that greatly influence their art and entire way of interacting with the world in general. Because of all of my setbacks and difficult phases, it has taught me that we all have setbacks and difficulties. It is hard to know what someone's life is like; one thing I took away from studying translation is that your native language will always influence any other languages you learn. Some concepts that exist in one language don't exist in another. I feel like I've only gotten this far as an art model because of hard work, determination, good timing, an open mind, and a hell of a lot of luck. I consider myself very fortunate to have had all of the opportunities that I have had. Every single person I have worked with has taught me something, no matter if they were a professional or hobbyist. I feel like what I took away from being a dance teacher was that kids picked things up very quickly because in general they keep a very open mind, and don't have a lot of self perceptions solidified yet that many adults I taught had. It is much more difficult to learn something if you think it's impossible or improbable or you will never be good enough, whatever may be holding you back. If your way of expressing yourself creatively is a positive thing you love, then that is the most important thing, and nobody can take that away from you. Another similar thought is not to limit your definition of success, or limit what it is you possibly may be interested in pursuing. I've learned a lot about photography, art, and many many other things along the way that I never would have discovered on my own. A lot of artists I have worked with have influenced my own personal work. I have done a lot of things I thought I wouldn't be able to do. In Los Angeles, a lot of places I posed at had 30 second poses (w00t animation). In NYC, there weren't really many drawing groups that had poses that short. So with some help from a few friends, and again some great luck and timing, I started a drawing group. I of course became overwhelmed when more than 5 people started showing up, and the two artists that took it over have kept it going and have made it an even better thing that it could have been if it was just me running it. So to anyone out there who goes through difficult times creatively speaking, it is bound to happen that you will hit a wall or an obstacle. How you handle that is important. The times I have "failed" at one thing were ultimately an opportunity to take what skills I had amassed so far, and bring them to another thing I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to pursue. Today I was working for a new-to-me painter, and on a break we began chatting. He teaches at a school I work at a lot, knows a lot of the same artists I do; it's really funny that we only started working together now. The art world is small! The world in general is very small. Even if I'm having a bad day, it makes it worthwhile to wake up in the morning and do what I love doing; I genuinely enjoy being an art model, and hopefully that joy is contagious and rubs off on those who work with me. I'm never going to reach a point where I've learned all there is to learn, or become the best model (or human) I possibly can be. I'll continue to try and approach the world with an open mind, and take the positive life lessons away from any future hardships or setbacks. If you have anything you would like to add in this thread, please feel free. Dec 01 15 02:57 pm Link The best encouragement I can give is this: make art. If you're happy, make that. If you're broke, make the sort of art that a broke person can make. If you're sad, draw or photograph sadness. It's really not that different from Neil Gaiman's famous graduation speech. But he said make good art. I think it's simpler than that. Make art that reflects where you are - don't stress about quality. After you made art for a while, look at it - hopefully with fresh eyes. Now is the time to decide what is good. Did you photograph sadness by taking fifty different self-portraits of you crying? Well, some of them are bound to be cliché- cut 'em. As I like to say, kill your babies. Do you have twenty really good, visually distinct images? Congrats, you just made a photo series! Do you only have five really good ones? Cut it down to one, and put it in the portfolio. No really good ones? File them away, and remember them - maybe they'll be useful for something later. There is a quote on a banner ad that keeps coming up on my tablet. Honestly, I'm glad to keep seeing it. It says Confusious but I doubt that. Either way, the quote is 'it does not matter how fast you go, as long as you do not stop.' And that's all life is. That and karma. I am a strong believer in karma. Not because I think the universe is sentient or anything, but because people want to help nice people that help other people. Sometimes it takes effort to convince yourself that you're a nice, happy person. But do it long enough, and even you'll believe it. And if you fail ... Tomorrow is a new day. Try to convince yourself you're happy again and go make some art, even if it sucks. Dec 01 15 06:09 pm Link I like that quote!! I get frustrated often and feel impatient... A good thing to add to my repertoire of positive affirmations. Dec 01 15 06:14 pm Link I'm far from a perfect person, I've made many mistakes, I've also always tried to own them and repair the damage if possible. One of the most important lessons I've learned here on MM is that when the shoot is over, the equipment's packed away and there is nothing left but the images that it's important to remember those images even though I may own them also represent someone else's brand as well, and it's important for me to always keep that in mind. I found that out the hard way when I inadvertently made that mistake. It almost caused to me give up model photography completely. Now I always try to over communicate when booking models. That may have cost me some shoots, however that's okay because I never want to damage someone else's brand inadvertently or otherwise again. “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” ― Dalai Lama XIV Dec 01 15 06:30 pm Link  Dec 01 15 07:33 pm Link I'm learning that hard way that, as a creative, I'm extremely awkward and sort of anti social/strange, but that's OK! While there are a few individuals that I had worked with that gave me problems over it (we no longer work together) my best and most regular clients have accepted me for me and all my strangeness. Even in certain situations that I'm kicking myself for because it felt awkward, they barely remember. A lot of it is in my head ! Artists aren't "normal" (IMHO) and we shouldn't be... a good client will accept you as you are as long as you are professional, friendly, get the job done and take good care of them! TIME! Like anything, being a creative entrepreneur takes time. To get the hang of things, to build a business, to really get going. Have a back up plan (funding, a loan, a family member that can help you) because jumping right in probably isn't going to go very well. Do what's best for you... if you feel like working for trade/exposure for magazine, client, etc will help you.. then do it. If it doesn't work, then lesson learned. Follow your instinct. Always strive to be better, and improve... because you'll never stop! Makes a better artist... Aside from that? hang in there! Do what makes you happy, don't compromise ( you get hired typically for your vision, you're in charge!), and don't be afraid to say no to a client. Dec 01 15 07:54 pm Link Miss you! If I ever step in front of a camera again, I definitely want to be in front of yours! Dec 01 15 08:08 pm Link le chat dort wrote: Miss you too! We should hang out, even if it isn't in a photographer-model type of way. It's been WAY too long! and at least we're now in the same state Dec 01 15 08:12 pm Link Stephoto Photography wrote: Come to Boston Dec 01 15 08:18 pm Link le chat dort wrote: I'm a business owner... I do the same thing Dec 01 15 08:21 pm Link I once translated a Latin poem, one by Catullus. I was perturbed that the power of the most important descriptive word had been overlooked. The line often translated in English, reads thus: I am tortured. I think people who would translate such a powerful word into some summary moment have never been crucified, in the emotional sense. The Latin word, yes, has the act of crucifixion as its root. "I am crucified." Yes, I have been drunk on words, dazzled money out wallets with them, loaded metaphors with curare. I have been the cure, the avenging angel, the whole army of damnation and somehow I survived a childhood that if it had an ounce of mercy in it would have buried me alive. For I have been truly crucified. When I rolled out of foster homes I was so crushed, my face and back bore the visual vomit of very bad acne, and women enjoyed telling me that I was ugly, and I was so damaged I didn't believe I could drive a car, operate anything mechanical. I didn't think I could shot a photo so I never shot one. Until I was 37. My back is curved, the tribute to my crushed spirit that the foster home people joyfull and cruelly gave me, and yet though I may appear in profile to be slightly bowed, sometimes something very mechanical will sit in my hand. It is like a tranquilliser, the camera, now. I become so calm as if opiates are being injected. My eyes are a devil's gift, they are gold at night, green during the day, hazel eye miisbehaving myopic bastards who got that touch of green from an artistic mother. They bokeh the world, they gild it, and then when put in a viewfinder, they behave very nicely and love to help frame the universe. There's nothing I can help anyone with. But if someone needs a photo and they pay me, they often like to pay me again. Dec 01 15 08:45 pm Link LA StarShooter wrote: Thank you for sharing. I'm loving the responses so far and hope that others continue to be open and vulnerable. Dec 01 15 09:01 pm Link Stephoto Photography wrote: I'll be in Waltham posing for a sculpture workshop M-F that week, worst case I see you ASAP? You have my super secret Facebook profile Dec 01 15 09:03 pm Link le chat dort wrote:
Dec 01 15 09:15 pm Link Keep up with whatever expression, performance or production you've stumbled into. The arts are a magic container where you can actually have that little bit of freedom to communicate and take authentic thoughts and feelings from inside out into the world. Honest communications, unrestricted by many of the multitude of rules and definitions we normally have to observe. A small bit of freedom to break down that wall between self and other, and valuable just for that reason. So my advice and encouragement is just to keep on working, don't diminish the value of what you express, and above all don't fetishize "professionalism". We're wage slaves and bound by "safe for work" restrictions and expectations for enough of our lives. The activities in the arts have a value far beyond creating sellable product or services. Just try to keep being an alive, expressive person, when and where you can. Dec 02 15 07:19 am Link Great responses so far and I'd like to share something personal, which I did on occasion on MM before. I started photography at age 11 or 12. By age 13, I knew that I wanted to be a photojournalist/photographer. I grew up in a media (television) environment, where my father was a journalist and sound engineer for current reporting... although he didn't want me to work as a photographer. In Germany, around age 15, you have to do a mandatory internship of two weeks in a profession you'd like to work in, to see how that works. Naturally, I was choosing my internship in the photo-lab of the national headquarters of that TV network, which was in walking distance from our apartment, because we were living in the corporate housing for the employees. At that internship, photojournalists who came to the photo-lab looked at my own photos and told me that I have the talent and eye for photography and that I must study photography and must work in that field. They even told my father about it, but he ignored them. I continued to work for the next two years, after school in that photo-lab. Anyway... although I wanted to get an apprenticeship, my father didn't like that, he wanted me to get a degree in electrical engineering, which I did, then I continued to study engineering physics (while studying the latter, I covered the 1986 World Fair in Vancouver for a German Photo/Press Agency), but dropped out of school, because I started to work in the financial sector and became a broker and trader of commodities and securities, first in Germany, then in NYC, while always having in mind that sooner or later I will be working as a photographer, which I knew and was told many times that it was/is my calling. 20 years went by as a Wall Street executive and owner of my own investment firm..., when I got ripped off by a partner, lost everything, my wife, my home, my company and my money... becoming homeless for a time, sleeping on the floor of my dentist friend's apartment for a few weeks... Then... I followed my calling... I finally started to trust the universe, let myself fall back and did what I was supposed to do since my mid-teens... I worked as a photographer... and... got my first gig from a powerful law firm, who needed me to take a photo of a product that they were fighting in court for copyright infringement. Shortly thereafter, based on contacts from my Wall Street times... I started to get contacts, being recommended, met a few celebrities who I became friends with... and one led to another, including being involved in the fashion industry and runway photography and show production. Now... one Sunday morning, I was on my way to work on the production of a Champagne Fashion Brunch, I am on Union Square in the Subway... had literally five bucks in my pocket, my photo gear on my back, on my way to a gig as a photographer in one of the most exciting cities on the planet... doing what I was supposed to do all my life... and someone played the saxophone... The realization of that condition, situation... in that moment, had tears shooting into my eyes... the bliss that I experienced dwarfed anything, any super financial and business success I have ever had while working in high finance! The first time... I was truly happy with what I was doing! The painting below "Prostitutes" summarizes my feelings about that: "If you just work for a paycheck, without working or finding your calling, something you are passionate about... at least part time, or working towards that calling... you are prostituting yourself"  Many people offered me to get back into the financial sector, either working for them, or being involved in some other capacity... but you know what... I rather have less money... and follow my calling and being really happy instead! Dec 02 15 07:40 am Link udor wrote: Well said, Udor- I'm glad you found your calling.... I feel rather the same way! I think it's an artist thing- if this is what we're meant to do, then this is what we're meant to do! Dec 02 15 07:56 am Link I always think it's important to encourage people who aren't sure to just go ahead and try, because you never know what is possible. This applies not only to modelling but to everything else in life that someone might have an interest in but they are lacking confidence or feel they aren't yet skilled enough. Many things can be learned by experience along with the guidance of others who have been doing it already, particularly artistic things like modelling and other creative things. Using myself as an example, no one that knew me when I was growing up would have expected me to be a nude art model. Never in a million years, although I was always tall, very thin, and people told me I should become a model. I was just too shy and lacked the confidence to try any sort of modelling other than what we did in classes at modelling school. After a very strict upbringing by my grandmother, and being so afraid of social interaction that I never even went out on a date until I was well past 30, I finally decided to try nude modelling because it was something I found interesting and beautifully artistic, and I wondered if I could. Well, I found out that I could, at age 35! I loved every minute of it and haven't looked back and don't intend to ever stop. I'm currently expanding into other genres of nude modelling such as erotic and fetish, and learning that I can do those as well as more traditional art and glamour type poses. You have no idea what might be possible until you work up the courage to try! Dec 02 15 08:08 am Link What "art" means has changed to me over the years. A decade ago, I was active in the literary scene, organizing a reading series through an art gallery, and writing prolifically. I was doing readings of my own work at independent bookstores, literary salons, and editing others' poems for small press publications. I worked as an art model for groups and schools, but I mainly thought of myself as a writer and editor. I never really saw myself doing anything different. In 2007 and 2008, I started getting my first paid jobs as a model for photography, and then modeling consumed my life. It required so much time and energy, and mental focus, that it really replaced writing for me - for many years. Modeling is fast-paced, active and interactive. You are becoming someone else's vision most of the time, rather than building your own. I no longer had the long moments of introspection that were always required for me to be able to write well. Modeling sort of took my very internalized and private way of thinking and forced my mind to start working "outside," interactively with other people. I started to find it very hard to write, because I trained my brain to view creativity as a collaboration, rather than a private experience. In 2014, I quit modeling for profit (though I continued to do some local trade work) and took a job ghostwriting business books and personal memoirs. I actually loved it, because it was both interactive and collaborative and personal and reflective. The ideas belonged to others, but the words were mine. This job had a lot of problems with it, and was not meant to last forever, but it got me writing again and introduced me to "New Media." Back when I was initially writing and editing, we were still reading off sheets of paper, and making edits with red pens. A refresher was good. I also did all the reasearch for and ghostwrote a book on SEO. During that year, I learned soooo much about interactive media, online marketing, branding - basically how to build a small business today. Prior to taking that job, I followed some blogs and read the newspaper online, but I knew nothing about writing (or marketing online). Today, my artistic outlet has mostly blossomed into preparing uncooked meals of raw fruits and vegetables, and I'm starting to find a lot of joy in educating others who want to learn about plant-based lifestyles, fitness and living well without animal foods. I'm starting a YouTube channel in January, and buckling down on the Instagram, and generally working my butt off to build my brand. This will include all the things I'm best at: writing, presenting, un-cooking, and sharing my knowledge with others. I'll also resume work as a personal trainer in 2016, and am continuing my education (regarding fitness, my original college education was in Literature) some time this winter - as soon as I have some money to order course materials. In all honesty, I'd prefer to still be sitting outside, in a park, and marking up people's poems with a red pen. I wish I could have spent the past decade doing that, and that society hadn't moved on so quickly and changed so radically. I wish social media didn't exist and everything had stayed the same. But, that's not life. We adapt, or we die. I guess it's time to adapt. Dec 02 15 08:13 am Link I am not really sure what to put here. I am a very shy and quite, antisocial/introvert person it takes me life days-weeks before I get comfortable to hold a conversation with anyone, this maybe due to my child hood.while growing up I grew up ahead of my age. While school age I got made fun of a lot, I HATED school. then came age of 14 my life became amazing everything was going right everything finally felt 'normal' until 2 years later everything just fell apart. I got to high school and HATED that. got made fun of because i was shy, quite etc. had no friends no one. my family broke apart. I became angry, depressed etc, so I made not so great choices took a wrong turn in life. Dropped out of school, ffwd till 2011 had a beautiful child I changed my life around. 2014 I went to a learning center to get my high school diploma I worked my ass of at getting it, graduated an walked across stage June 2015. While I attended the learningcenter to get my diploma they are who made learning enjoyable, didn't judge me, took the time to help me one on one I was able to work at my own pace which was the best thing for me (although I am sure the teachers got annoyed by how fast I got the work done weeks in advance). But they got me to realize what I needed (determination, drive etc) to do to get to my goals how to make my dreams reality, and here I am doing what I want reaching my goals doing something I enjoy an love. My life today is far from perfect but each day I am getting it right and one day it will be how I want it. so the quotes I'd like to pass on are https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 … 1d0886.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23 … abce65.jpg https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/imag … 9FmjsGLjpg **sorry if my story is all over the place, multitasking** Dec 02 15 08:24 am Link Very great posts. I'm greatly enjoying reading them. A few other thoughts: Find your community. This could be online, locally, whatever. People are social beings. (yes, even introverts need a community.) not only does it serve as a source of inspiration for me to see what others are doing, it can also be a great source of support. I've been stuck on ideas before, and had a few people give valuable input that worked out the kinks and got me back on track. I've had very valuable criticisms from people; in general, if someone criticizes you (constructively), it means that they believe you are capable of doing better otherwise they wouldn't waste the energy. At least in terms of modeling, I have never viewed anyone as competition. We all have our own different skills and qualities that set us apart. I have preferred to meet other models, get a sense of who they were and how they were as a model (easy to do when I shot or drew them), and passed their info along to artists I think they would be compatible with. This has especially been helpful now that I'm a local model, because between myself and a handful of other models, we manage our own individual lists of people we recommend and it's much easier to pass along gigs and contacts. I had one artist tell me the other day that he was shocked how organized I was (what a fucking lie if you saw the state of my backpack), and I think it's something more models should do. Another traveling model maintains a group of traveling models where we can do pretty much the same thing. Every time I start a new project, I try to approach it from a clean slate. If I feel like I can't, it means I'm probably overworked and need to take a break. I found that for myself, what made the most sense was to spend roughly 2 months in one market, 4 months in another, 1-2 months going to new markets as a test, and the rest of the time I'd try to take some sort of break. Usually that meant going back to Boston to do manual labor for a season, build my savings back up, and then continue on. Everyone will have their own method that works for them, and it will take a lot of trial and error. Don't give up! Dec 02 15 05:42 pm Link better to spend an hour cranking out a heck ton of work then to spend an hour trying to perfect ONE piece (think there's been a study on this) POINT IS, crank out work nonstop, even if it's shit, even if it's just for shits and giggles, don't spend all of your time and energy perfecting a single project for months, years- that leads to quicker burnout Dec 06 15 11:40 pm Link khiapetal wrote: Dec 07 15 05:56 am Link udor wrote: I love the story of the ceramics class where half the class is graded on quality, the other half quantity. The half graded on quantity ended up creating the higher quality work. Dec 07 15 06:55 am Link Brian Diaz wrote: I am in a very similar situation like you are, Brian! Dec 07 15 07:58 am Link Breathe in. Breathe out. It's seriously good to be alive.  Dec 07 15 11:24 am Link Brian Diaz wrote: Thanks for pointing that out. It's actually a refreshing and profound point. It inspires me to produce more. Dec 07 15 11:27 am Link Good points everyone. I've been slacking on sketching recently, which is bad because it is a major outlet to manage stress. Trying to make it a point to draw once a day at the very least, and once I get one thing down that usually leads to another thing and another thing... Also, a really great mentor of mine lives by the phrase "if it ain't fun, it ain't done". I am prone to feeling guilty over doing/not doing stuff easily, but if it brings me no joy, if it's not an adult responsibility necessary to living, what's the point? Focus on the things that bring you joy and that makes everything else easier to deal with. Dec 07 15 05:22 pm Link OP...nice work in your portfolio! Being an artist is tough. There are no magic bullets. Even with talent nothing is for sure. My best advice is...if you do it for love of art you wont disappointed. https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/201 … an-artist/ Dec 08 15 06:22 am Link Dec 08 15 07:06 am Link All I can really say is the moment I came to the realization that the crap art I was making similar to everyone else's wasn't working & resolved to follow my own path, was not only the moment I not only saw improvement but significant improvement was also the day I started liking the process of creating it. Dec 09 15 11:39 am Link It also doesn't hurt to take a step back every now & then. After all, if it's good enough for John Lennon, why is it not good enough for me? Dec 09 15 11:41 am Link le chat dort wrote: love you, Hun Dec 09 15 06:15 pm Link One thing I've been doing recently is making little doodles on receipts and leaving them around wherever I was killing time. It is a lot less stressful to draw on trash than to draw in a pristine new sketchbook. Also, I'm a really really stubborn person. Like, really stubborn. I think that most successful people are those that just didn't give up and kept trying. (sure, there are plenty more people who don't give up and aren't "successful", but how do you define success...). Everything is interconnected so when I get stuck, I seek inspiration in unlikely places. (lately, really dry math textbooks.) I got on the good side of model coordinators by being on the fill-in list and showing up early and just being consistent and persistent. I totally learned something I had zero background in on the fly, and do that again and again with other things, and just know how to work with my strengths and ask for help when I need it. I like to push myself when I get too comfortable. But, of course, everyone is different. I know people who can only create when they are comfortable and have had their midday tea. I lowkey envy them  Dec 09 15 11:58 pm Link le chat dort wrote: I personally work my best with a strong midday tea yes... Dec 10 15 12:09 am Link |
I'm planning days off for myself starting in the new year... I overbook myself >.<
