the business of creativity – Susan Black

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williams

A favourite quote of mine

Greetings & happy new year. Sorry I missed my Dec 20th post but I was preoccupied with a sweet-as-can-be 12 week old abandoned ginger kitten I’d rescued, I named him Cyrus. We already share our home with 3 cats & 2 dogs so Cyrus took up residence in my office – just to keep some semblance of peace in our home & for his own safety. But I’m back, with bells on, & my plan is to continue posting here on Deanne’s blog every 20th of the month. About design & making a living as  a creative person.

I call myself (currently) a designer/illustrator … I can’t, and might, never be comfortable with the word “artist” but there is no question that I consider myself a creative person – in fact being creative is almost all I think about. I’ve been making my living from being creative for over 25 years. Lately I’ve been extremely frustrated by the lack of time I spend actually being creative. My time it seems to be completely absorbed by the day to day business of having a business – of growing a business – I have an etsy shop, a daily personal blog, a portfolio blog. I do freelance/contract work whenever I can. I’m always looking for new opportunities. I submit my work here there & everywhere & try to market myself online – which is so key in growing any creative business. I currently have 3 wholesale accounts (Inkwell, Love me, boutique in Halifax & Freedom Clothing Collective in Toronto) I keep track of inventory, giclee prints, packing supplies … yikes !! &  all left brain stuff, not exactly my forté. I am a planner, I’m pretty organized, I love a to-do list  … it feels like I’m doing all the right things yet I can’t remember the last time I just allowed myself to mess just around & play with being creative – something so essential in any creative person’s life.

Thanks to a reminder from Deanne I’ve been soaking up as many videos & podcasts as I can find on the subject of the business of creativity. She & I are also taking an e-course about that same topic & plan to get together twice a month to play & do homework & chat. So until next time I’ll leave you with a few of my finds – inspirational, mostly free stuff to help remind you, me …  it’s the universal problem in growing a creative business – not losing yourself or feeling smothered by the day to day dry, often boring detail stuff of having a successful growing business. I am determined that this is the year I figure this out.

a few links

- a video chat about DIY businesses with Tara Gentile

- an article about the creative personality

- a plethora of crafty business podcasts at Craftypod

- a 99 cent podcast interview with one of my favs Lisa Congdon on having & growing her illustration business

- Stephen Johnson – where good ideas come from – the slow hunch

- Steve Jobs on success

- from Rena Tom profiles of successful creative entrepreneurs

if you’re not making mistakes … you’re not trying hard enough

Seth Godin