Every decade of my life I have had the undeniable urge to create, and I followed it, until someone would pop up to invalidate my efforts or remind me of other responsibilities or creativity not being a priority or a serious endeavor. So, agreeably, I’d quit. The 30th decade of life was no exception, and 2024 has been the year that urge resurfaced, but this time with objective reasoning—the need to test some ideas for creative thinking and perspective-shifting essential for building my next business.
What started as an experiment soon evolved into a living organism—an experience shaped by people’s reactions, exhibitions, travels, exhilarations, frustrations, likes, and dislikes. Yet, this intentional playtime taught me a few valuable lessons on my journey as a creative that I believe apply to every area of life, both personally and professionally.
- You’ll never fully meet everyone’s expectations in your work.
Channel your energy into the act of creating. Forget about the audience and their perceptions—it’s a waste of time and, more importantly, energy.
- Immerse yourself in the creative process with love.
If you fully immerse yourself in the creative process and approach it with love, finding ultimate joy and satisfaction in the act itself, people will naturally resonate with your work, regardless of what you create.
- Always tell the truth.
We are constantly influenced by what we see and who we are surrounded by, and we simply don’t know what kind of information we’re absorbing from various sources that get stored in our subconscious mind. Deviating into something that’s cool and trendy while you’re still figuring things out can be tempting. Always aim to tell the truth—sometimes it will come out funny, sometimes sad, sometimes good, sometimes not—but the act of telling the truth is where authenticity always shines through.
- Look for fear and treat it with curiosity.
Feeling anxious or fearful about starting a new piece (which I sometimes call a project) usually means you’re doing something you have never done before. And it’s always a good thing—you are about to do something exciting. Welcome fear as a good sign and let curiosity guide the process. This year, my fear points in art are longer format sketching—detailed work that takes time. I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
- Art is always a dialogue.
I have always loved that aspect of art—that every artwork you create or interact with is a dialogue between the creator and yourself through space and time, like time traveling that connects you to the creator’s core essence.
If you are on the verge of doing something, whether it’s a business, a project, or a hobby, it’s only wise to do it now. And if you need encouragement, let this be it.