Can Play be Work? Answering 8 Questions About My Art Career
What surprises you most?
Hi there!
Here’s another follow up to the AMA (Ask Me Anything) survey from earlier this month. If you missed the first part, you can read it here:
Today I’m sharing an impromptu interview of myself by an unknown interviewer…(?!) I know that sounds funky. But when you send out a survey through Substack, the author (me, in this case) cannot see who answers unless it’s explicitly written somewhere.
As a result, I was found with 7 brilliant thought provoking questions too good not to address and thought: I’ll make this an improvised interview in the hopes that the undercover interviewer will reveal her(him)self?! ❤️
Without further ado… let’s dive in!
1) If you would recommend one thing to someone wanting to transform their passions and dreams into a dream-driven business on the side of a full-time job, what should they focus on to build sustainably without burning out or losing their why?
The absolute first thing I would do is to create a habit of regularly making your art as often as you can fit around your day job. Focus on building up a repertoire + regular practice before anything else.
Because once you turn your passion and dreams into a business, the biggest mistake most artists do is to stop making art and only resort to running a business, which makes you lose sight of the dream… (I mean: admin, marketing, sales, tech, networking, YOU NAME IT).
If we loose sight too soon, our passion and dreams dissolve into utter despair quicker than we can say art (and I think this is why there are so many artists discouraging others to “monetize their art”, which is A SHAME and SAD and SHOULDN’T be that way!)
So before anything, and especially when designing a dream driven business, solidify your art practice. Ultimately (or so I imagine), the dream involves to make a tonne of art, which is why it’s essential to make that the cornerstone from the beginning. Make your art religiously. Fall in love with the entirety of the practice, because once you’re working with it fully, there WILL be days you don’t feel like it (even if it’s your dream!).
I started my artistry on the side of being a fulltime university student + working additional jobs to pay rent. I committed to make “one stitch a day” for one year (my main medium is hand embroidery though I do everything as a true multi-hyphen haha) and it’s without a doubt what catapulted my artist career.
It was a slight shift in the mindset of “making art when I feel like it”, to “showing up consistently for my dream no matter what”. And whenever I feel lost I always resort to that same basic practice (connecting to the why to some extent) of “making a stitch a day”. This can also be “make a 5 min sketch a day, or write 100 words a day”.
The key is frequency, not quality nor quantity: FREQUENCY.
If you’re able to get this first stone in place, you know that you’re in for a sustainable practice that you can maintain even when life throws you a ball.
2) What do your children think your work is? (love and am fascinated by the snippets you share about creating with your hands and limiting screen time in front of them and would love to bring that into my family).
Love this question!
My kids think my work is to cut in paper, draw, embroider, write, read books (and talk to my friends through voice note haha! I do 1:1 mentoring through voice notes and chat). Because that’s what they see me do when I’m with them and tell them “I’m working”.
My four year old refers to all her play as “her working” now.
Like,
“Mum, I can’t go out just yet because I’m working, I have to finish drawing this princesse”,
Or
“Mum, I’m sorry I can’t come and eat now because I’m working. I’m making a bag out of paper. It’s very important”.
I find it endearing and I truly hope she’ll always think that works means play, because it can! If you want it to.
We’ve all been brainwashed to think that work can’t be enjoyable and that it’s a chore that “just has to be done”. Of course, not every part of independent artistry is fun (ahem… accounting… taxes….), but it’s the same with everything.
The problem is when we don’t allow ourselves to play for work, especially as artists and people in any creative industry. Play is how you get new ideas, play is how you connect with others. Play is truly at the base of everything, and my daughter has reminded me to play more ❤️
3) What does a typical creative day look like for you, and how do you stay inspired and "creatively productive" (whatever that may mean to you)?
Hahaha I’m always and never productive. That sounds frustratingly paradox doesn’t it.
What I mean is: I’ve resorted to the reality that I cannot control when I get new ideas or when I feel inspired and creative. It just happens when I let it happen.
As a result I expect nothing out of an individual day, knowing (thanks to time, experience and the process in Q1) that I will get to my goal when the time is right. And that each baby step (like a stitch a day) is still a step in the right direction.
The most frustrating is to have dedicated work time and get nothing done.
So I just go about my day (I have two toddlers at home full-time), and try to fit in whatever concrete art where I can (some stitches on an embroidery, a drawing while they draw, some creative play with whatever they play etc.). If lightning strikes I bring out a notebook quicker than the lightning itself and scribble it down.
If it’s for a writing project I’ll read the notes into my Notes app on the phone and clean it up at night in bed when the girls sleep (hopefully). It saves time to read it vs to type it… Plus I can read it when I’m with the girls but will avoid to stare and type into my phone as best as I can.
For example, if I get an urge for an idea for a Note here on Substack I might quickly scribble it while in the bathroom, when the girls are busy playing or whatever other odd non-schedule:able time available.
4) I’m simply not made for structured time and I’m finally accepting that reality.
It has taken me very long to realize, but repetitive routines kills my creativity more than anything, so our days rarely look the same (though the overarching things like eating etc. are the same, of course).
This became a very long answer to simply say;
—> I go with the flow and trust that it will come (because I know it will).
5) Do you ever feel creatively uninspired and how do you move through that?
Yes every day!
I think I addressed it somewhat in the previous question… I simply try to not give attention to it. More like an accepted reality that I won’t be creative or “a perfectly cool artist” all the time (it’s physically and emotionally impossible in this season of motherhood).
But this doesn’t mean that I’m not making baby steps towards the dream… I’ve simply come to terms with knowing that I can’t move mountains daily. And when I do… It gives such a fulfilling rush that I live off of it for another few days. Like a rollercoaster and it perfectly describes not only the artist life but the mother-artist life too!
6) As an artist, do you have long-term dreams for your business and art practice?
Yes absolutely. I have loads of art dreams of places I want to go and art mediums I want to learn and practice.
I also have a lot of dreams relating to my writing and all the books I want to write and put out into the world…
For example: I dream to have my own gallery and bookshop where I can exhibit and sell my work in exactly the way I want and enjoy….
7) How do you deal with copycats (mentally)?
It was a real struggle the first few years. When I exploded with my architectural embroidery scenes on social media nobody was doing similar things.
Within a year or two there were increasingly more popping up everywhere, copying anything from style to business offerings etc.
But truth is, I don’t feel happier thinking about it, nor does it make me feel more creative, inspired (or generate more money).
Similar to my approach with creative productivity, I just accepted copycats as part of the deal when operating on social media.
Not only that, my husband Charles always helped to ground me with the truth:
“What makes you think that you’re the one who came up with the concept first?”
Considering that art has existed for as long as humans have walked this earth and how many people we are - maybe it’s actually us who unconsciously “copycat:ed” someone else?
It’s liberating to think in this way, because it takes you off your high horse and down to earth.
The goal isn’t to be unique.
The goal is to make art that feels good.
And as long as I get to keep making, then I can only be happy if others keep making too, no matter what that may be.
To change my mindset has been the number one biggest influence to no longer late it suck my energy out.
Oh! An old client used to say “if they copy you, they’re already behind you”, which I also thought was a pretty neat thing to think about.
8) Are there any books, podcasts, or resources that have profoundly influenced your journey as an artist and creative entrepreneur?
Since motherhood and the pandemic I’ve been very restricted with my consumption to not drown myself (I frequently feel as though I’m on constant overstimulation as it is…).
But before that, it was definitely Pat Flynn’s podcast “Smart Passive Income” that entirely changed my business.
It’s him who introduced me to email marketing and to build complementary offerings on the back of my artistry. Until that point I’d been like any artist profoundly neglecting the need to learn sales and marketing or try to build multiple income streams.
Something hit home with email.
I love to write, I love storytelling and deeper connection. Rethinking how I could use my art practice to create exponential products (for example I have 100+ digital downloads in the form of embroidery patterns including a monthly pattern program), it changed the game.
Today I have a combination of recurring and one off offerings of both products and services, which reduces pressure on any one outlet while increasing the stability (and ability) for me to keep going.
Thank you so much for reading and taking part of this impromptu interview! And especially thanks to the beautiful soul who asked all these questions!
What was your main takeaway? I’d love to know!
Warmly,
Elin xx
Ps. If you’re interested in 1:1 mentoring you can reach out through DMs
Or why not start by reading my book “When Will You Get A Real Job?”
For further reading you may like:
Or browse the archive
For more embroidery art, go follow:
"The key is frequency, not quality nor quantity: FREQUENCY."
This is so interesting to me Elin. I never thought of it this way before. I've always thought this was very binary with artists--choosing between quality or quantity. I wrote every weekday for a few years, and I always felt a little weird about calling that "quantity." For me, it was just me practicing what I loved, and sometimes the stuff I wrote daily WAS quality. The framing of these this dilemma in the creative community always felt a little weird to me. You just added a lot more nuance to it. Thank you.
It’s so cute to think of the little ones calling their play ‘work’, but also so valuable! Still learning every day to regard play as something sacred 💕