Atomic Project- Critical Friends

Today I am sharing the second of the creative realizations I have made. Facing these truths made a huge impact on the creative direction in my life. All work featured in this post included creative collaboration with friends.


This week:

1. Do the work

2. Find a group of critical friends

3. Ask the right questions

4. Reach out to others

5. Find you

Atomic Project- Repost of do the work

This is a re-post of my Atomic Project Series. Keep an eye on Sundays for more posts like this.
~Venetia

Seriously, get something done. Make something awesome, or not awesome, so you know what not to do next time you try. Put the time in even if you don’t feel like it if you want a creative life. Let me share my first piece of advice on my creative realization, "Do the work" All of the pictures in this post are a result of at least one of the techniques listed in this post.

Reintroduction- Atomic Project

Earlier this year, I started a series of essays about my creative journey. My journey took a detour this year, and I am restarting the series. For the next five Sundays, I will share my project, and restart where I left off.

~Venetia

This is me.

I’m goofy, artistic, and for a long time, insecure about sharing any work, or the stories behind it. I found that I got stuck behind my own self-judgment, and never put things out into the world, despite a desire to share with others. Doing this was contradictory at best, and an ineffective plan for reaching a goal to share my art with others.

I read a lot written by other artists who blog. What I’ve noticed is that the question: “How do you do that?”seems common. This question comes in many forms (some statements):

“I could never do that.”

“Where do you get your ideas?”

“But I’m not creative”

“I just don’t see stuff like you”

Those questions and statements are mostly excuses. I know. I do it. When I look people inspiring me, I have those same doubts. Honestly, I found myself sitting in the self-pity section and wondering why nothing happens. I decided to focus more on my creative life this year, and through the process, I have come to a few realizations:

1. Do the work

2. Find a group of critical friends

3. Ask the right questions

4. Reach out to others

5. Find you

Over the next five Wednesdays, I am going to address each one of these. Facing these truths made a huge impact on the creative direction in my life. They’ve become a part of my plan for a year focused on joy. As I’ve shared, my word of the year is joy, and one of the things that I came to realize was I found great joy in intentionally pursing my artistic endeavors. It’s become my “Atomic Plan”, which sounds kind of evil, but really, it is a plan to break through self-imposed barriers.

I’m sharing my story because it is real. This has been my personal focus, and as I read about other’s journeys, I realize that humility in the process fosters true creativity. I don’t want this to be a blog that just shouts “Look at what I did!” I want this to be a place to find inspiration, to discuss challenges, and to understand that no matter what, someone has or is facing the same frustrations as you.

Please join me the next few Sundays. Next Sunday: Do the work

Atomic Project- Creative Critical Friends

Today I am sharing the second of the creative realizations I have made. Facing these truths made a huge impact on the creative direction in my life. All work featured in this post included creative collaboration with friends.
 

This week:

1. Do the work

2. Find a group of critical friends

3. Ask the right questions

4. Reach out to others

5. Find you

Atomic Project: My creative journey "Do the work"

Seriously, get something done. Make something awesome, or not awesome, so you know what not to do next time you try. Put the time in even if you don’t feel like it if you want a creative life. Let me share my first piece of advice on my creative realization, "Do the work" All of the pictures in this post are a result of at least one of the techniques listed in this post.

13 for 13- Book 1 "The Happiness Project"

One of my 13 for 13 goals is to read 12 books in 2013.  So far, I have read two. I started with  The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  I read this book because my "One Little Word" (concept developed by Ali Edwards), is Joy, and I thought a book about developing a happiness project would be an excellent start.