I’ve been a Shakespeare buff all my life. There weren’t many cultural events in Boise when I was growing up, but we did have the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and my family went every summer. Two years ago, I was contemplating a major change in my business and feeling hesitant, no, scared, about whether I should...
Tag: passion
Art Cafes – Great Ideas Giveaway
Think of Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald hanging out in Parisian cafes in the 1920s. Think of all those writers and critics and actors exchanging barbs at the Algonquin Round Table in New York City. Think of the many movie stars, singers, and musicians who waited on servicemen during World War II at the Hollywood...
I’m Done With That
As human beings, we reserve the right to complain once in a while. And lament and regret and maybe even whine. As artists and entrepreneurs who are somewhat solitary in the work we do, it’s especially important to know where we can find a sympathetic friend. When I’m listening to people talk about their troubles,...
The Power of Art
“Black Lives Matter” may just be one of the most powerful political slogans of our time. And it all started with a Facebook post. According to an article I read, Alicia Garza was upset when George Zimmerman was acquitted of killing Trayvon Martin. She wrote a heartfelt post on Facebook that contained the words, “black...
The Happiness of Art
There are two lines in the book The Artist’s Way that read, “A productive artist is quite often a happy person. This can be very threatening as a self-concept to those who are used to getting their needs met by being unhappy.” Yet we, as a society, continue to hold on to the concept that...
An Open Apology to My Creative Self
I’m sorry for the times I pushed you to move forward when you weren’t ready. I’m sorry for the times I believed people who said that in order to do your best work, you had to starve. I’m sorry for the times I drove you to the point of exhaustion and frustration, and for the...
Love What You Do
My daughter is taking a college class on a subject she should enjoy. But the professor is monotone and dry and, frankly, boring. If you have lost enthusiasm for your subject, quit teaching. After a minor surgery, I mentioned to my nurse that I have sensitive veins and asked if she could please remove the...
It’s All About Me
That’s what I tell my husband and my kids when I’m feeling excited about something. Does that sound selfish? Maybe arrogant? Well, it’s true. When it comes to my art, it is all about me, because only I can bring my particular art and vision and message into the world. Only I can choose when...
Does the Whole World Think Like You?
We’ve had an unusually cool and rainy summer in Colorado. The other day, my friend was complaining about the weather, fully expecting me to agree with her, as I’m sure most people have. “Oh, I’ve loved this summer,” I said. “I hate being hot, plus I’ve hardly had to water.” She stared at me in...
Art Nights – Great Ideas Giveaway Series
Yesterday I attended the awards ceremony for my daughter’s speech and debate team. They had a stellar year, and I most enjoyed watching the video, which showed talented kids working hard to win, but also creating memories as a team. As artists we often work in isolation. As entrepreneurs, we handle every aspect of our...