When someone believes in you . . . (Part I)

As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to be an artist. I gathered my random drawings and doodles and applied to Art Center College of Design. I received a four-semester full tuition at their illustration department. During the rest of my high school years, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, my father was laid off from his office job due to work politics, and my sister developed manic depression. So when I finished senior year and couldn’t afford to continue at Art Center, I took on two jobs and schooled myself through city college while helping to pay the bills at home. The first semester of junior college, I took painting, acting, and dance classes. To this day, that was one of the most memorable years. As I immersed myself at my jobs and academics, I slowly lost track of my direction. My parents, though well-meaning in their quest for our family’s survival, told me to “stop dreaming,” that “art was just a hobby,” and “it won’t pay the bills.” They told me that even if an artist were even able to “make it,” it would be because they started out already really, really good, that they had talent and had wanted it since at a very young age. Since I didn’t express my interest in art until high school, I believed them: I believed that whatever passion I had for art, was not enough to begin with. I didn’t show an overwhelming promise. I didn’t start early enough, I thought. They took me aside and looked at me with pleading eyes, “You don’t really want to go into art now, do you?” I was confused. I nodded. I would forever regret my own collusion and betrayal.

I doubled my focus on work and academics and found that I loved Literature. In my last year of English class at city college, my teacher Ms. Allison Murray assigned the class to write personal essays based on the UC school application themes. It was a required final essay to pass the class. I turned mine in, not expecting much. “You should actually apply to the UC with this essay, “ she confronted me in the hallway. I thought of my entire extended family, most of who never finished beyond junior high. I thought of my mother who finished her masters in engineering, whose degree wasn’t recognized in the US, who worked at Gatorade bottling juice and vacuumed offices as a janitor, and my Dad who would glue little tabs unto A frames so when people had displays at stores, these A frames would stand properly. At that time, I worked two jobs and didn’t even pass the ESL test even though I grew up in the US, there was no way a four-year college was possible for me. For the next two weeks, Ms. Murray pestered me, emailed me, called me, “Did you turn in your essay and application to the UC?” The answer was always the same, “I’ll think about it.” Seeing my mother worried about bills at night by the kitchen light, my father pulling double work shifts, and my sister struggling through her own school, I didn’t think I had a right to apply.

I prepared myself to disappoint Ms.Murray by telling her I wasn’t going to apply after all. After class, I took my time to leave, hoping to talk to her alone. She said goodbye to the students leaving and our gaze met, her eyes narrowed, her voice quieted and slowed with intensity she said, “You.Can.Do.This.”

I thought about why it was I was drawn to art and literature in the first place and even though it was hard to pursue, why I wanted to continue: I wanted to find the key to myself and I wanted to express myself through art and writing. I also wanted to encourage others to climb their own mountains and grab a hold of their own individual keys. I turned in my essay to the UC system. In the spring, I was accepted to all of the five schools I applied for: Berkeley, UCLA, Irvine, Santa Cruz, and San Diego.

When someone believes in you, it is the greatest selfless love that one can give.

Has someone believed in you and made a lasting impact on your life? Be sure to thank them and let them know how you’re doing!

I have many people to thank in my creative and self-discovery journey (Rick, Martha, Carlos to name a few) and they all deserve their own post and recognition.  So please stayed tuned for Part II of “When Someone Believes in You . . . “

Gratitude 2012 Edition

Hi all.  This is our annual Thanksgiving / Unthanksgiving / National Day Of Mourning post, where we take some time to focus on something that is too often overlooked: gratitude.

So one of the authors Monkey reads, Chris Guillebeau, wrote a great post based on the writing of a 14th-Century Sufi poet named Hafiz.  In it, Chris talks about the difference between dropping keys and building cages.

This post pretty much changed the way we think about life. We highly recommend reading it, but to sum it up, you can either build cages (kicking people down), or you can drop keys (empowering people).

If you're asking "Why help everyone else out and create more competition?" you're looking at this all wrong.  You can try to eliminate the competition and create a bunch of enemies, or you can help people out and build a League of Badasses.

So the obvious take-away is that you should be a Keydropper and help other out.  However, when you're in a mentality of lack, you often feel like you can't afford to give.  While we're not suggesting you give your last $5 bill to a homeless person when you're struggling with paying your rent, we're talking about being grateful for all the good things going on and giving away stuff that you can afford.

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In life, we can focus on stuff like being hundreds of thousands in student loan and credit card debt.  We could focus on our crazy families, or on how life wasn't fair because of XYZ.  We can focus on low balance bank accounts, or the calls from collection agencies.  We can focus on the messy desks, the smelly buses, the lack of recognition, the lack of XYZ.  We can live in a world that's lacking...happiness.  Or, we can change our mindset.

We can focus on the humble roof over our heads.  The friends we have.  The fact that we don't have to worry about drone attacks or airstrikes killing us or our loved ones.  We can be grateful for the fact that we even have the opportunity to chase our dreams (however improbable or realistic they might be), and that we always have a choice of how to live our lives. We have the internet!  By framing our own worlds in a lens of gratitude, we can feel empowered ourselves.  We can then afford to drop keys.

If you're sad because you only sold a few items at a craft fair, you're not realizing that people just paid money for your work.  If you are bummed because you just had a breakup, you're not realizing that it's better to find out that you weren't going to work out now rather than twenty years from now.  While we're not advocating that you sugar-coat everything and just lead some blindly optimistic life, you do have to put things into perspective.  Failure is rarely fatal, and the human spirit is surprisingly resilient - after all, you're still here reading this, dreaming of achieving greatness in what you love.  What you fear probably isn't as terrible as you might think.  Learn from your mistakes, and press on.

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By living with a lens of gratitude, we can afford to drop keys.  Mentor someone who asks for help.  Connect friends who you think could mutually benefit from knowing each other.  When someone offers advice, give it.  There are a lot of things you can do for other people that don't require the loss of your own assets.

Just remember that while you can drop as many keys as you want, people still have to open their own cages, and that's not something you can force upon them (because then, you're really doing it for yourself and not for them).  We know it's hard, especially when your own world can look bleak, but if you constantly try to give, you'll find that people will want to give in return.

We have personally found that the more keys you give, the more you get.  So this Thursday, take time to reflect on all the good stuff that you do have, and think about how you can drop some keys.

PS - For all you artists out there who want to make a living off your work - Monkey has written a Marketing Guide for artists.  He usually sells his Marketing 101 for Artists: How to Sell Art Without Selling Out for $29, but in the spirit of dropping keys, we're doing a limited time (now through 11:59pm PST on Monday, Nov. 26th) offer of the guide for just $4.99 (aka more than 80% off).

If you want the guide, make sure you get it while it's on sale and go through this special link (that will vanish soon).

Lessons from Indonesia, pt. 3 - Putting it All Together

Monkey here for round 3 of our "Lessons from Indonesia" series. So in Part 1, we talked about cutting out distractions and getting some important work done. In Part 2, we talked about being grateful for what we had. Today, I want to talk about mixing the two and getting some work done.

So last time I talked about how we need to be grateful for what we have. While this is very important in the way that it makes us happier and (I would say) better human beings, it also lends itself to giving us a call of duty.

While those with video game inclinations might think that gratitude is going to give you a high-quality first person shooter, the call of duty that I'm talking about is your call to action. Whether you want to be a firefighter or an artist, a lawyer or a designer, being grateful for what we have lends itself to you following your dreams.

Confused yet?

The connection between realizing how awesome we have it here in the United States compared to developing nations (or even first world countries ruled by despots) and following your dream is that the single greatest way you can express your gratitude is to succeed. Think about it: we have youtube to teach us practically anything, free or low-cost tools to create a business overnight. We have cell phones, hot, clean running water, sanitary food, large places to live, cars or buses, police who don't steal from you (although pepper spraying is another matter entirely) - we have it pretty good. With all these privileges, it is actually a huge slap in the face to everyone who lives in a shanty town and forges through garbage to survive if we don't live up to our potential. You see, we've got what they dream of: opportunity.

Say what you will about our crappy economy, we still have more opportunity for artists, writers, thinkers, developers, designers, creators, dancers, and game-changers than a vast majority of the world. While we're struggling to pay rent and making the tough decisions like canceling cable and choosing to bring our lunch rather than eat out, other people are dodging bullets daily and walking three miles every day just for water that is not completely toxic, just dirty. It is an insult for us not to do the work, to put in the hustle, to fight for our dreams.

Chances are, we never were maimed by land mines, or had our houses robbed by the police, or had to live in a dump. So for all those that have faced trials beyond our imagination and dream of computers and soft beds and four walls and running water, let us do our part by not feeling guilty and get down about the state of the world. We need to make use of our tools and what we've got to make ourselves the best we can be.

Eve and I both believe that we can change the world through art. It's our calling. Whether that means inspiring someone or building a business that incorporates giving a portion of the proceeds to charity, or making it "big" and being able to donate money to nonprofits, or teaching, or whatever, we believe that our path in life consists of not only creating art but positive change as well. We believe that you can change the world for the better by fighting your own fight, no matter what it is, and realizing your true potential.

We can't save anyone else unless we can save ourselves, so strap in and get your tools of the trade ready. It's time to get down to work and rise towards our dreams together - after all, as fortunate as we are, how can we not?

Lessons from Indonesia, pt. 2 - Gratitude

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's Monkey yet again with another post about some of the things we learned from Indonesia.

We thought it was a bit of perfect timing, since tomorrow is Thanksgiving (or Unthanksgiving, or National Day of Mourning, depending on which coast you live on and what your beliefs are about the settler's immigration to this continent). Regardless of whether you're frustrated or just happy to be eating tofurkey, I think it should most definitely be a time of reflection.

While it shouldn't have taken a trip to Indonesia for me to really grasp the sense of extreme poverty that many citizens of the world face (after all, I should just check out Detroit, or New Orleans, or even my hometown of Stockton, the most miserable city in the country), seeing that sort of poverty first-hand really tore me up.

While I don't want to take away from the Occupy Wall Street Movement (where I proudly stand as part of the 99%), just as we are fighting for our own well-being domestically, we also just need to be aware that we're most likely part of the 1% globally, just by living in the United States.

While I currently make enough money to register well under the poverty line, I'm also typing this right now on a mac, and I'm someplace warm, drinking some tap water. I'm not living in a cobbled together home made out of bricks, plaster, and some sheet metal for a roof. When it rains, it doesn't splatter into my home that doesn't have a front door. I don't have to buy bottled water everyday because tap water makes you sick (assuming I'd even be able to afford bottled water). I can be assured that my city inspects restaurants to ensure clean practices.

There isn't an actual war (with suicide bombings, ak-47's and the like) going on in my backyard like people in the Middle East and parts of Asia have to deal with. I don't have to worry that Eve is going to be kidnapped and sold into slavery (at best) like the women of Juarez, Mexico have to worry about.

While I don't want to belabor the tragedies and trials and horrors that our world has seen and continues to see, we do need to recognize these things. As Cal sociology professor Dan Brook has said about the massacre of the Native Americans by the Pilgrims and their successors: "We do not have to feel guilty, but we do need to feel something. At the very least, we need to reflect on how and what we feel."

If anything, I think that we should all feel extremely grateful to have what we do have. If you're reading this, chances are you're trying to pursue some sort of creative endeavor, and that is something to be extremely grateful for. Often times we (or at least I) get bogged down in how tough the struggle can be sometimes. Trying to find the energy and motivation, trying to find ways to survive as an artist, new clients, dealing with problem clients, trying to explain to your family what you do, dealing with your dayjob...it can be rough. However, what I try to focus on is the fact that by choosing to follow your dream, by choosing to work your butt off until you're exhausted for what YOU want to do (not what society tells us we should be doing), we're part of an even luckier .01% that does what WE want to do.

So however you want to celebrate this upcoming Thursday, whether it's with food and family or with friends or with your pencils and paints in your studio, or with strangers in an #occupy protest or whatever, know that you do have something to be grateful for. So as long as you're still breathing and doing what you need to do, be thankful for what you have, and make the most of this crazy little thing called life.

Gratitude (repost)

This post is from April of last year. We'll see you next week when we're back from vacation! Woo!

-M+S

Monkey has been doing a lot of reading the past week, and constantly, he's stumbled across the notion of gratitude being one of the main forces that moves the universe. Being grateful is definitely difficult when you're facing tough situations, but really, if one can manage to do it, one will definitely enjoy life more.

Whether or not you believe in the power of positive thinking, or visualization, or the Law of Attraction, or any of the new-age, life coaching movement stuff, the sheer logic of being grateful for everything in your life will lead to much more happiness.

If anything, Monkey + Seal have found that when we stop and think about it, we have much more to be grateful for than to be angry or frustrated about. Yes, in the past week Monkey lost his wallet on the bus, and Monkey + Seal got news of not being juried into Spectrum and not getting into the SF Renegade Craft Fair. Also, some of our student loans' grace periods are ending, so we'll have large loan payments to start paying off.

However, Monkey had his wallet returned, there's always next year for Spectrum and Renegade, and Paper Hat Productions (which is basically Monkey + Seal) is working on their next art riot extravaganza. Additionally, Seal just finished some freelance work, we got to go to our good friends' wedding this weekend and take a small mini-vacation, and we somehow managed to run into a friend when we went shopping for Indonesian snacks! Additionally, we have jobs and a cozy apartment in one of the most awesome cities in the world, and we're pretty healthy, and get to follow our dream of becoming professional artists. We could go on and on, but we're sure you get the picture.

Anyway, it's a proven fact (although don't ask us for citations, sorry) that negative events affect us about 10 times as a positive event. No wonder its so easy to get bogged down in the negative. But we find the trick is thinking about all the other good things in your life (that we often take for granted) to say "hey, although xy and z sucks, we've still got a,b,c,d,e,f,g,etc. going for us."

So, to wrap things up, don't wait for Thanksgiving to be grateful for all the little things in your life. Make it a daily habit and your life will be way more fun and meaningful!

5 Qualities of Successful Artists

Today we wanted to share with you the qualities that we have seen repeated over and over again in successful artists. We've seen these qualities again and again in successful people, actually, so it doesn't just apply to artists. No matter what you want to do in life, if you develop these traits, you'll definitely achieve all your goals.

Ready for the secret formula? Here it is:

1. Be true to your Inner Artist
First off, if you aren't being true to your Inner Artist, you're never going to fully reach your goals, because if you aren't going for the goals that the Inner Artist inside you really wants with laser-accuracy, you aren't really following your dreams at all. You're getting distracted, and the fastest path to a goal is going in a direct line, right? So listen to your heart and what you really want and pursue that dream with all your heart. In the end, you really gotta do what you love.

2. Work Really, Really Hard
Pursuing that dream with all your heart is tough, because it requires a lot of work. It's drawing or painting every single day. It's staying up late at night to make sure that your project is done on time. It's doing that tenth revision even though you got bored on the second. It's relentlessly and doggedly following your goal. It's not easy, but by doing the best you can at any given time, you'll get that work done.

3. Don't Be a Jerk
At the same time, while you're chasing your dream, we don't recommend being a jerk. People with bad attitudes are just as memorable as those who are super cool, only while we're anxious to help friendly, respectful, kind, wonderful people, we're just as anxious to do our best to not work at all with the jerks.

4. Be As Generous As You Can
Going along with inspiring others to help you, be generous in return. No person makes it all on their own - we're social beings that thrive with the help from others. By being generous and giving what you can (it's also important to note that you should never give more than you realistically can), the rewards, in whatever form that they might take, will always outweigh any benefits you could have gotten by being selfish and hording information or resources.

5. Never Give Up
This one is pretty self-explanatory. While one might assume that every great is this perfect, unfailing person, the opposite is actually true. The most successful people you've met have failed many times. The difference is that these successful people have learned that failure isn't fatal, and that each failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. They've then taken those learned experiences and knowledge to come back bigger and better, and that's what's gotten them where they are.

Kinda boring, right? Not the most world-shaking revelations. Sadly, there is no magical formula for success overnight. Sometimes the road to success is longer than you might want it to be, but there are really no shortcuts. If you do discover any shortcuts, just figure out what that trade-off is, as there are always trade-offs (you just might not realize there are, depending on where your values and moral compass lie). Now that you know what you have to do, what will you do now?

Go get 'em!

Graduation

Yes, Monkey just had to silkscreen/heat emboss his cap

Today, Monkey + Seal will be graduating from the Academy of Art University. After 3.5 or so years of all-nighters, cutting mats, and painting like our life depended on it, we will be trading all that in for all-nighters, framing paintings, and painting because our livelihood does depend on it. While that may sound grim, in all honesty we get to paint, draw, illustrate, and generally live our dreams, so we're not really complaining!

Although we're excited about the commencement, we look at this milestone as a marker in our lifelong journey as artists. Now is the time to really focus our energy and move on to bigger and better things - to keep learning, to keep striving, and to keep moving forward. Graduating is a stepping stone that will open more doors, and create new opportunities for us. We'd like to thank all the people who have supported us over the years, whether it be financially, emotionally, or simply understanding why we always seem "too busy" to hang out. To our teachers, parents, siblings, friends, and everyone who came to our shows, bought our art, commented on our blog, followed us on the blog or on Facebook or on twitter - Thank you. We couldn't have done it without you.

Congratulations to all the other graduates who are all embarking on a new stage of life everywhere! Party, celebrate, and take a short breather, but don't let it get to your head and make you lazy or complacent. Keep on working and chasing after the dream.

Gratitude

Monkey has been doing a lot of reading the past week, and constantly, he's stumbled across the notion of gratitude being one of the main forces that moves the universe. Being grateful is definitely difficult when you're facing tough situations, but really, if one can manage to do it, one will definitely enjoy life more.

Whether or not you believe in the power of positive thinking, or visualization, or the Law of Attraction, or any of the new-age, life coaching movement stuff, the sheer logic of being grateful for everything in your life will lead to much more happiness.

If anything, Monkey + Seal have found that when we stop and think about it, we have much more to be grateful for than to be angry or frustrated about. Yes, in the past week Monkey lost his wallet on the bus, and Monkey + Seal got news of not being juried into Spectrum and not getting into the SF Renegade Craft Fair. Also, some of our student loans' grace periods are ending, so we'll have large loan payments to start paying off.

However, Monkey had his wallet returned, there's always next year for Spectrum and Renegade, and Paper Hat Productions (which is basically Monkey + Seal) is working on their next art riot extravaganza. Additionally, Seal just finished some freelance work, we got to go to our good friends' wedding this weekend and take a small mini-vacation, and we somehow managed to run into a friend when we went shopping for Indonesian snacks! Additionally, we have jobs and a cozy apartment in one of the most awesome cities in the world, and we're pretty healthy, and get to follow our dream of becoming professional artists. We could go on and on, but we're sure you get the picture.

Anyway, it's a proven fact (although don't ask us for citations, sorry) that negative events affect us about 10 times as a positive event. No wonder its so easy to get bogged down in the negative. But we find the trick is thinking about all the other good things in your life (that we often take for granted) to say "hey, although xy and z sucks, we've still got a,b,c,d,e,f,g,etc. going for us."

So, to wrap things up, don't wait for Thanksgiving to be grateful for all the little things in your life. Make it a daily habit and your life will be way more fun and meaningful!