for the Creatives

The obligation of an artist

You know your education is more than the word on the page, the brush on the canvas, the graceful movement or theatrical quip, more than the combination of melody and harmony. I've been pondering the role of an artist, what our responsibility is and what can depend on our brand. What qualifies as our role and what is "out of our lane". I don't have that all figured out, but here's where I'm at right now...

exchange mac n cheese for exclusive autographed copy of book characters...You in?
for the Creatives

Creative coaching for just $2/month

My Patreon is for two types of people. 1. Do you believe in my dream? If you've been following me awhile, maybe you've bought in wholeheartedly to what I'm doing. Maybe when you say you believe in me, you actually believe in me. If that's you: Do you believe in my dream, like that my… Continue reading Creative coaching for just $2/month

peoria il arts community, wishing tree, communal art
Central IL

Ignite Peoria & 500 wishes

Ignite Peoria is a creative arts event in my city. It's happened a few years now, but this was my first year attending. Of course I had to dress creatively for the event, and had to get a picture of my fun outfit: It's not quite like most creative arts fairs where you attend and… Continue reading Ignite Peoria & 500 wishes

author write stories to mail
for the Writers, Showcasing other Creatives, Stories

Stories on why we create

Creativity isn't finite. The more you give, the more you have. That's a philosophy I want to live by, and Ksenia does too. Ksenia Anske sends cards with personalized stories to her readers. So when she sent one for my writers' group, I volunteered to facilitate our writers prompt and had everyone write her a… Continue reading Stories on why we create

for the Creatives

We’re all pirate queens

Under-appreciated. Emotional. Irish. I'd like to think I'm two of those things, but the Pirate Queen musical gets all three 😉 So while recommending this soundtrack that I just can't be rid of, I thought I'd share how we all are basicly pirate queens. Us creative souls, us dreamers, we can relate to the ups… Continue reading We’re all pirate queens

Fashion, for the Creatives

Creative Fashion on an Artist’s Budget

Maybe you're a writer. Or painter. Or dancer. Or card maker, flower arranger, or really any type of creative soul. Now it's time to look the part. One thing about artists, they know how to pick their wardrobe. It's not boring. It's rambunctious. Daring. Eclectic. Bold patterns, bright colors, varying styles. (Side note: Maybe you're one… Continue reading Creative Fashion on an Artist’s Budget

for the Bookworms, for the Creatives, for the Writers

Huffington Post Isn’t the Only Problem

Writers (and creatives in general) are up in arms about getting paid. A Summary of the Discussion thus far: Kristen Lamb has recently been posting about the problem with Free. She started by urging writers not to diss Amazon while promoting used bookstores, since Amazon actually pays authors and used bookstores do not. She then… Continue reading Huffington Post Isn’t the Only Problem

for the Bookworms, for the Writers

What the L’s in a PenName?

To pen-name or not to pen-name - for any writer, that is the question. There is a lot of factors that go into choosing between one's own name or a pseudonym, and I thought I'd give you a brief sneak-peek at the process. (Writers: Kristen Lamb has a post discouraging use of pen names in… Continue reading What the L’s in a PenName?

Faith, for the Creatives

The Tortured Artist Mythology: A Christian Artist’s Dilemma

This is part 3 of the Tortured Artist series: you can check out Identity Crisis and Difficult to Love here. The story of Christian singer/songwriter Rich Mullins, "Ragamuffin," was recently released on DVD. A great movie that exemplifies the tortured artist stereotype. And I think it brings up two of the most difficult problems with being both… Continue reading The Tortured Artist Mythology: A Christian Artist’s Dilemma