Nourishing Your Creative Soul, Or How to Avoid Becoming a Crack Fiend

Often times we can get caught up in doing what we have to do, whether that's pay the bills, or cook dinner, or go to work.  We have outside obligations, rent to pay, etc. etc.  However, as artists, sometimes you get a sudden wave of inspiration, or maybe you've just been putting off creating for too long, and every fiber of your being screams "Create!"

In these cases, unless it's not totally dire (and really, how bad will it be to take an hour off before doing the laundry?) you need to take care of your inner artist and make something.  If you don't nourish your artistic soul, you may find that you'll end up like a crack junkie.  How?  Let us explain.

Scientific studies have shown that if people have a finite amount of mental capacity (we'll call it 'brain juice.')  When you're working on memorizing the alphabet backwards, you're using up brain juice.  When you're doing a calculus problem, or trying to draw a 2-foot straight line freehand, or are trying to juggle ten different client accounts and write five urgent emails, you're using up brain juice.  You only really have so much, so when you're super mentally exhausted (ie, running low on brain juice), you don't have any brain juice to make good decisions.

Still with us? Heavy mental strain = bad decisions.  Cool.  We'll get to the crack addiction in a minute.

So when you feel that urge to create, and you don't listen to it, you're really spending brain juice to fight that primal instinct you have to do what you love to do.  Of course you'd rather be creating that making spreadsheets.  Of course you'd rather paint than write all those emails, or practice your trumpet rather than file all those receipts.  So when you fight down the urge to do something creative in deference for some other task, you're using up twice the brain juice.  Not only are you using the brain juice to do the task, but you're also fighting down your inner spirit that's trying to make something awesome.

If you're out of brain juice because you're trying not to create, then you could very well make some terrible decisions.  What if you're finalizing that cost-benefit analysis when you really wanted to work on that novel and then a co-worker asks you to a bar after work, and then you go and get drunk, then someone offers you crack and you try it, and then you get addicted and end up losing everything and living on the street addicted to crack?  What would you do then?  Well, you'd be doing crack, but besides that?  Nothing, that's what, so if you want to avoid becoming a crack fiend, then nourish that creative soul!

"But Monkey + Seal, what do I do?" you might ask, "I really have to file my taxes, I can't just stop and write my novel, the IRS will take away my house and I'll still end up addicted to crack!"  Well friends, we're not advocating you to drop everything forever.

We all understand that you have obligations.  Everyone does.  We do, so do you.  However, when your inner artist is screaming to create and you won't let it, you're doing yourself a serious disservice.  You see, when you desperately want to paint, or sing, or write, or dance, you don't have to do it full force.  If you're looking to write a novel, maybe take a 10-minute coffee break at your desk, writing out some dialogue. Or if you're looking to produce a mammoth of a graphic novel, start slow and maybe sketch out the layout for a page while you're at lunch.

The trick here is to give yourself little bits of the good stuff.  Ideally, you could just stop and sit down and make your magic happen (because remember, what you do IS magic), but the reality of it is that most of us can't do that.  So feed your inner artist little art snacks here and there, and you'll find that you'll feel much more rested, happy, and you'll feel less guilt about not creating as well.

Ideally you can even schedule times to create so that your inner artist will never feel so totally deprived that your brain shuts down and you start doing illicit narcotics.  By taking a few hours out of the week in order to make sure that you're still creating, you can plant the seeds that will grow into a more productive, creative, crack-free life.

Overcoming Artist Block: Shame

When I was in high school, I told my school counselor that I wanted to be an art director. She handed me some pamphlets for technical schools around the city and with pity in her voice, suggested that I should consider nursing or being a mechanic.

I tried not to listen. I took my very first film class at city college and made my very first film project. Looking back, it was the beginning of my experimentation with cinematography and the bud of my love for storytelling. The film I made was a 10 minute clip of a "cat-and-mouse" chase between a spy agent and ninja thief.

Granted it was my first film, the editing was a bit crude,  and I was on a steep learning curve. . .but
I was very proud that I had created something out of nothing. I had created a story out of 8mm tape and a camera. I showed it to my boyfriend at the time.

He laughed. He rewinded the tape and laughed again. The sound from my film was drowned by his laughter. My film wasn't supposed to be funny at all. "You've got a long way to go," he added.

I tried not to listen. My film teacher acknowledged my camera skills. He wanted me to help him with his storyboards for a commercial pitch he was putting together for "famous tv executives." I thought it was my chance to break into the field and learn from someone who was a professional. Then I found out that he was fired from his last studio, had to take up a gig teaching at city college, and was desperate to break in again. He also made a comment about the color of my skirt. Was it my talent and help did he want or was it something else?

I tried not to listen.

Though I kept getting back up, each incidents chiseled at my budding young artist self. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. I was blocked. I hadn't picked up a camera in seven years.

Most artist blocks are grown from toxic shame. As artists we are often shamed into silence. "You think yourself an artist? Don't make me laugh." "Just who do you think you are?!" "How dare you disturb the lineage of doctors, bankers, lawyers, etc in our family?" "How dare you write and paint stories about your own life, think of your parents!" "how dare you make that? (it's awful, lacks substance, it's kitch)" "How dare you make anything at all?" "How dare you make monsters? That's creepy and no one will want it hung in their living room."  "How dare you paint in that weird style when James Jean is what's in." "What will the neighbors say about you going to art school?"

Being artists often means being visible. We are bringing to light stories about ourselves, our cat, our mom, our neighbors, about our country, the state of human beings, the world, things that people don't want to hear. Don't want to see. And being visible scares people. We "draw from our own experience and we draw our experience" (Julia Cameron) and people often don't want to face the truth of what we are projecting in our art. So they try to sweep it under the rug. With a smirk, a scoff, a pity, a laugh, with some under-the-breath words that are painful to feel.

So we hide ourselves. For our own safety, we bundle up our artist self and hide her under the bed until it is safe to come back out. We lock her up and throw away the key for until when we think society will be ready for us. And so we wait.

We wait. The artist self knows the waiting game all too well. Wait until I make that big break, then people will recognize me. They will value me. They will not dare treat me like that again. Wait until my parents accept my art, then I can become an artist. Wait until the kids are old enough, then I can take some classes at city college. Wait till I have more money for a better art equipment, then I can finally tell my grand story. Wait till I polish my skills in secret, so that he may never laugh at me again.

But the problem is, it is no one's job to give us the signal that it is safe now. The power is in our hands. We cannot wait until our mothers, uncles, lovers, teachers or the art world recognize us and allow us to make our art. The signal may never come. Your artist self may be dead by the time we open up the closet again. So it's time to take her out. Give her a big hug. Assure her that she is safe to make art now. She will be protected from nay-sayers. That she has the power, right now, to choose yes to life. Yes to art. She has the power. And she does dare disturb the universe. She dares to make art.

And you can too. Shame can be broken when the experience is brought to light, in full honesty, to supporters, therapists, or artist-friendly people like Monkey + Seal who understand the pain of creating. The doubts and the intimacy of making art needs to continually be nurtured. Take a step forward today, even if it is awkward, even if you've forgotten how to draw, write, knit, make one small commitment to re-awaken your dreams within. It is never too late. And you are not alone. You can do this. You have the power to step forward.

The Power of "Just a Little Bit More"

"I will not fail my friends..just a little bit more..."

In our everyday lives, we often slide down the slippery slope of mediocrity.  Whether it's sleeping in "just a little bit more" or it's "just a little bit more" before you turn off facebook and get back to creating,   "just a little bit more" ends up rolling into a huge pile of procrastination.  This, in turn, transforms itself into a barrier from you becoming extraordinary.

While there is nothing wrong with being ordinary, if you really wanted to be ordinary, I doubt you'd be reading this.  You're here because you hate that feeling of mediocrity that we all get (no seriously, from painters who are known the world over to Monkey + Seal) from time to time.

That dull feeling of not doing enough, that there is not enough time, that your work isn't ______ enough, that you don't know the right people or that it's just so damn hard to get up and stop watching anime and crappy horror movies on Netflix.  Mediocrity is that feeling of "just a little bit more" of watching television, or playing video games.

While we always want everyone to stay healthy and be sustainable, don't confuse sustainability with procrastination.  Also, while we believe that everyone will make it to their dreams someday, you can make "someday" come a lot sooner if you hustle and get down to creating.

So how do you defeat "just a little bit more" and move on to realizing your amazing true self?   We admit, it's especially hard since it's so easy to ride that slippery slope into "just one more," then "just one more," on repeat until you have bed sores and your eyes are burning from too much exposure to computer monitor radiation.  Well, you don't.  The thing that you change is what you do "just a little bit" more.

When it's late at night and you're working on a painting, think "just a little bit more."  When you're dancing and your legs are getting tired but you're wondering when you should quit, think "just a little bit more."

Overnight, no one goes from unknown to mega-celebrity, from student to master, from hobbyist to professional.  No one goes from being shy about your art to speaking about it in front of curators, or from getting stage fright to completely owning a stage without hard work.

We get it.  Doing stuff that helps realize your true potential is really difficult work.  You have to do things that you know you should be doing even though they might make you feel uncomfortable.  But if you do them "just a little bit more," they'll become easier and easier.  So try pushing yourself "just a little bit more" and start to realize that badass artist that you really are.

Top 3 Reasons To Be A Solo Artist

Some say that it's better to go it alone in life.  After all, you only have yourself to take care of, nothing to hold you down, and plus you get to take all the credit for yourself.  Who would want to find a close-knit, supportive community of artists?  Who wants artist friends or a support group of others who have been there and done that?

We assume you don't, so today, we wanted to bring you the top 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Find An Artist Community.

1.  You Don't Want To Get Far

Finding a community of artists, whether it's in person or via online, usually helps you create connections with other artists.  Monkey + Seal have found that through these connections, we've been able to both help careers along, as well as be helped ourselves.  Through our networks, we've found jobs, gigs, cool new opportunities, and friends.  So if you don't want any of that, and you want to slave away by yourself doing everything the hardest way possible, please, by all means, stay away from communities.

By communities, we mean don't find friends who like to go to gallery openings, or don't join online communities like Deviant Art or various Facebook and LinkedIn Groups.  If you went to art school, make sure you cut off all contact with your classmates and former teachers, and don't take part in any alumni groups or meet-ups.

For the love of all that is holy, make sure you stay away from communal art groups, or drawing meet-ups, or any sort of art making that might happen in a public place with other people - these are the most dangerous of all if you want to fly solo.

2.  You Enjoy Artists' Block

Often times, when we get stuck in the process of creating, besides pushing through it, an easy way to get past it is to find new inspiration, or ask for help from other artists who you trust.  We're sure you can see where we're going with this.

If you enjoy the gut-wrenching frustration of Artists' Block, be sure to not make other artist friends who you can get opinions from.  Definitely don't live with another artist, as we've found that living together has shattered our Artists' Block countless times.

Other artists provide new insights into our own work, or perhaps they might share a resource that might inspire you or give you more information that you needed to push through.  Maybe a fresh pair of eyes might help that composition you were struggling with, or maybe they've worked with an epoxy that might help out your sagging sculpture that you've been fighting.

So please, if you just absolutely love getting stuck and not being able to get past the block that stops you, make sure that you don't make other friends who are artists!

3. You Love Feeling Unsafe and Like Poop

Multiple rejections are a part of being a professional artist.  Our field is highly subjective, and having a barrage of blows to your self-confidence can be crippling if you're by yourself.  Obviously, if you love feeling beat down and potentially scared to make art, having a group of like-minded people alongside you to remind you that your art IS VALUABLE and IS IMPORTANT would not be your cup of tea.

Having a network of other people who have been there, or are there fighting alongside you can help restore your confidence.  Hearing stories of successful artist friends who have also been rejected or have had to submit portfolios again and again to finally land that dream job can really help someone who is going through the rough time that being an artist can entail.  So if you don't like to feel great and be reminded about how totally subjective our field is, then please, stay away from artist communities.

You need to be especially wary of having good artist friends who are willing to honestly and safely critique your work when you are trying new things.  Whether it's a new style, subject matter, or new medium, showing it to your core group of trusted artist homies probably isn't a good thing if you want to be ruthlessly beat down and told you suck.  If you want to feel like crap, create for a void, where you will have no one to validate your ideas, and you can let that monstrous whirlwind of self-doubt win out over your logical mind and crush your artistic dreams forever.

So please, dear artists, if you have any disregard for your own artist's soul, your artistic well-being, your ability to create, or your professional career, please, stay away from finding your tribe.  Don't make close friends who you can trust to nurture your art and your vision.  Stay away from artist communities that foster new work and will help you grow both as an artist and a professional.  Please, please, please do not continue to read this blog, as Monkey + Seal are working to create a new community of artists who are supportive and caring over competitive and criticizing.  Don't look for our new updates on how to become members of the upcoming online cabal of artists!

Creative Energy

"Some days I can take on a storm. Other days, I am a worm crawling towards the finish line."

The act of creating takes up a lot of energy. This energy is usually different for every artist and it is also different at every stage of the creative process. Too often that not, artists don't understand their own energy flow and it creates a kind of logjam that prevents them from being effective or doing anything at all.

Usually when we start a project, we're swept away with the fervor and excitement of something new, then towards the middle we run out of steam, then we either crawl towards the end, jog steadily, or sprint by exhausting all our muscles and crash afterwards.

Image your creative energy is like water in a kettle, sometimes it is low, cold inside the steel pot, and still. Other times, it is boiling, hot, full of steam and you can hardly contain yourself. But if you are too still, your water will mold. If you are too much full of steam, you'll evaporate and run out of water. So if you are in either extremes, you are not being effective with your energy.


In order to create most effectively, you need to figure out which energy patterns you have. What works for you and what doesn't work and how you can turn on your internal stove to just the right temperature at a given moment.


For someone who has a lot of ideas, but can't settle on one to start with, their energy path is a like hurricane, wind blowing every which way, but there is no predictable direction. For someone with tunnel vision for  mini tasks and details but not the overall picture, their energy is like a tornado, unaware of the peripheral. For someone who needs a rushed deadline, an audience to perform in front, and a build up of excitement in order to create, their energy is like a tsunami, overwhelming themselves and others.

It is also possible to create with the energy of a steady low murmuring boat ride across a still water while blaring an anthem over the speakers. The same as it is also possible to create with the energy of paddling upstream against choppy waves while humming a lullaby. Over time, you'll discover the right energy patterns for yourself and your creative process.

With Seal, sometimes an idea comes with a loud bang, but most often than not they come as a quiet whisper, "hey, it may be fun to try this." It is hesitant, timid, but curious. Then as she mulls over the project over the span of several days and weeks, she starts to pick up speed. She finds references, inspirations, jots down notes, and the project catches wind. But towards the middle of her creative journey, the boat slows down. She is full of doubts, "is this the right way to go?" "where was I going with this?" But instead of wasting energy mulling in circle she uses up and contains her energy through meditation in other activities. She hits up yoga, do other hobbies, and comes back, with affirmative answers. "Yes, keep going." or "No, wrong way. Time to shelf that idea until it matures for another time. Back to square one." But knowing that she has similar energy patterns, Seal is able to remedy the sluggish slow areas by doing other activities and to practice containment during the rapids.

For someone like Seal, whose energy tends to be low. She needed some excitement.
Last week, she went to the trampoline warehouse called House of Airs. Even though she had creative deadlines looming,  by jumping up and down, she was getting "pumped" to tackle the next project. She even thought she could soar if she flapped her wings a bit.

For someone like Monkey, who has a lot of energy to bounce off the walls naturally. He needed some containment. In order to contain the energy, he needed to figure out which projects to prioritize, how much time he could allot to each, allocate specific energies to get each task done. He also uses up the extra energy on computer games, screen printing, and producing multiple works at one time, so he's not just focus on one project intensely then run out of steam later. He also practices containment by genuinely enjoying each moment, whether that is work, driving, painting, screenprinting, walking to the gallery, or seeing friends. In each activity, he focuses on the enjoyment of every breath, so no energy is wasted.

So what is your energy level like? Do you have a pattern? What activities or "non-activities" can you do to balance and or call upon during specific areas in your creative process?

Keeping It Fresh - Fighting Apathy

Over the course of an artist's career, you may find yourself getting apathetic about art.  WHAT?  How can that be?  Art is my lifeblood!!  We can hear the collective gasps.

But seriously, when you're doing art for a living, you can start feeling almost hostile to it.  But it's not like you're putting it off because you're procrastinating:

"Hey you painting, shut up!  Just sit over there in that corner, unfinished, and don't bother me until I'm done with this super-important game of Settlers online!"

It's more like you know the painting is unfinished, but you've stopped caring.

"Huh?  Oh yeah, hey painting.  Not done?  Wait, what's for lunch again?"

Obviously, this is not a good thing.  No one wants to find that you have stopped caring about what is supposed to be your passion in life - then it wasn't your passion in the first place, right?

Wrong.  If you're finding that the single thing that you've loved to do isn't getting you excited, it's probably because you 1) have not been rewarded properly, 2) are overworked, or 3) a combination of the two.

How do you shake this funk off and get on with it?  First, we should identify why you're feeling apathetic, and then we can talk about how to freshen up your mood.

If you're doing art (especially art you actually care about), but it's not gaining any traction, it's easy to get discouraged.  Maybe you're doing stuff you love but for a boss who doesn't care.  Or perhaps you've just designed the coolest building ever, but the client wants something boring.  Or maybe you've busted your ass to come up with a whole new body of work but people keep telling you that they like your older work better.  Whatever it is, if you've been working hard and were really excited about whatever you were doing, the biggest buzzkill is for other to not share your excitement.

You see, apathy usually is created as a form of self-defense.  Because you've been disappointed in the past, your brain tells you that you shouldn't try as hard, or that maybe you shouldn't try at all, because it doesn't want to get disappointed again.  Just like with most things, you are your own worst enemy.  The more you care about something and the more that care doesn't get translated into rewards (whether that's winning a prize or getting lots of compliments or selling a piece), in the case of apathy you start to get discouraged, and think "Well, it wasn't what I really wanted anyway."

A slightly different instance that might create apathy is known in some circles as "just plain exhaustion."  If you're being overworked, chances are that you're just literally too tired to create.  Whether you're being overworked in your art or a volunteer position or in a job, your body is trying to save itself from exploding in a huge ball of fatigue, stress, lack of sleep, and what is probably a bunch of caffeine, sugars, and other things that you stuff yourself full of to keep going without having to pause to eat a healthy meal.  Once again, your body is kicking into self-defense mode to preserve you: "Eh, it's not really that important to me.  Well, that frees up some time to maybe nap or actually eat something."

In either/both cases, the feelings of apathy are created as a means of self-preservation.  It's either fear or lack of energy that's causing your body and mind to literally avoid your art.  To be honest, getting excited about your work and doing it takes up a lot of emotional and physical energy, and your body is lacking either or both.

So how do you keep it fresh and re-energize yourself so that you can find your passion?  Well, we hope it's obvious  how to fix the second scenario - the one where you're running on fumes (if it's not - remember sustainability and take care of yourself!  Get some sleep!  Rest!  Meditate and destress!) However, for the emotional side of things, it really helps to take a step back and remember why you're an artist in the first place.

You're an artist because you love to create.  Sure, we'd all love to make a million dollars off of every creation we make, but really, you still go out there and create because you love to do it.  Deep down, we just want to create, but because we live in a world of media hounds and capitalism, these outside indicators of success (praise, money, etc) have grown to replace that inner joy you get from making something that you love.

External success are usually a good thing, but when the business end of art becomes more important than making art, we're losing a crucial part of ourselves, and we start to rely on that outside affirmation for the buzz that we used to get just from creating.  This is usually okay if you're getting all those outside indicators, but we feel like you shouldn't rely on it.  What happens if you stop getting praised, or sales of your work has slowed?  

So in the end, you have to treat creation like you'd treat a relationship.  After years, you may think you know most everything about your partner, you might fall into a comfortable routine, you might sort let yourself go.  Long-term relationships, like the one you have with your art, are all about communication and keeping it interesting.  The best thing is that you're not committed to your art like you probably should be with your partner - your oils aren't going to get jealous if you go dabble in some collage or printmaking.  Maybe you should try painting in a new style, or maybe you just need to take a small break.

The key to fighting apathy is really to rekindle that love you have for creation.  As your career progresses, there's a lot of pressure to "make something good" or "create something that sells," but you need to keep in mind that art should be fun.  Let yourself make something without judgment of whether it's good or not - just make sure it's fun.  Draw a stick-figure comic if you're a photorealist painter, or go take some photos if you're a writer, or write a short story if you're a woodcarver.  Just remember to have fun and to savor that feeling of creating just for creation's sake.  You'll remember why you picked up art in the first place.

Get a hobby, that’s not art!

  

One day, I woke up and I didn’t want to do art anymore. I thought it was boring. I wanted to read, to see the world, do crossword puzzles, laundry - anything but art. Though I love it and give it everything I’ve got. That was exactly the problem.

Here at Monkey and Seal, we are always encouraging you to follow your art. To cultivate it. To dream it. To pursue it wholeheartedly with focus and intention. Now we encourage you to get a hobby that’s not art.

To put art in a special jar. Water it. Now, go do something else.

The funny thing about art is that it stagnates when you look at it too much, but grows faster when you are simply enjoying life fully. That means, going to the movies, seeing friends for coffee, or trying something new like belly dancing.

If you lock yourself up in your room, studio, or office to create art for long periods of time, it’s pretty much the same thing as a work prison for your inner artist. You can be inside one of the most spectacular hotel suite, or dream studio, but if you don’t have anything else besides art and art is your only goal, you’re still going to feel like a caged bird performing tricks doing the expected routines. Stare at the same four corners every day and you’ll find yourself quickly drained of new ideas. 

When art becomes the sole focus of attention, then art becomes very “serious.” And when we become “serious,” we become very uptight, solemn, and predictable. BUT hobbies, take the “seriousness” out of your art-making process, and introduces playtime.  

Yes, there is more to life than art. GASP. And by exploring other aspects of your life and interest aside from your main art, you’ll be greatly rewarded by creativity. By doing other things you'll expose yourself to new inspiration, outlook, and experience. With art, you can’t predict when an inspiration strikes.

So walk about. Take up biking, container gardening, fencing, or whatever hobby suits you.

Our brain is wired to process new information. While you are taking a “break” from art, your brain is furiously making connections with your new activities. Your next sculpture idea can come from the anatomy of a flower. The next film idea from the latest crime investigation news or the local mysterious Laundromat. The next crochet pattern idea comes from the sushi bar where you and your friends last ate.

Other than being an artist, what 5 other hobbies and lives can you have?

For Seal, she is a crime investigator journalist, a dancer, martial artist, a chef, and an architect. One of her hobbies is actually to investigate a crime through multiple news reports and spot inconsistencies. She is an arm-chair detective and her interest in journalism brings up many novel ideas for a film she’s working on. When she’s stumped on her painting, she also likes to do yoga or go for a run in the neighborhood. She has made friends with some of the local cats and she always stops by the row of stargazing lilies growing on Presidio and Broadway St. These activities actually help her to focus on her art when she’s back in the studio, and bring fresh takes to an otherwise repetitive art-making patterns.

Hobbies allow art to always become new adventures. Instead of a dreary day of art making. Art becomes a wink and a smile before and after work. With stolen glances in the middle of a busy street. A surprise visit during lunchtime. An afternoon nap. In bed with cinnamon hot cocoa. When art is balanced between attention, care, and immersion, with playfulness, distractions, and leisure, every time you return to the canvas, it will be refreshing.

So, what 5 other hobbies and lives can you have?