Artist Resources: The Artist's Struggle/Creativity
I will add to this as I think of things, but the creative/artist's struggle is real and taking care of your mental health is something I'm passionate about. Since this comes up in conversation a lot with peers, kids I work with, etc. I figured I'd put together a post for people to refer to. This isn't the end-all, be-all, but it's a list of my favorite resources.
Art & Business: The "Starving" Artist
The starving artist is a myth. It doesn't have to be this way. We just need to get smart about the path we take. If you think this is the way, then it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. *Recommendations to follow.
Art & Fear
It takes bravery to make art. There are so many mental roadblocks that pop up because society has conditioned us that art is only a hobby and doesn't allow us to schedule it in.
Book: "The Crossroads of Should & Must" by Elle Luna.
Forget about your 'shoulds' and 'musts' and go with your passion and gut.
Podcast: The Couragemakers Podcast. https://therebelrousers.com/couragemakers. *1
Whenever I'm down or wondering where do I go next, I listen to this podcast and it helps. You don't have to listen to it in order. Go to whatever episode topic most identifies with your current struggle and press play.
Book: "The Heart To Start: Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating" by David Kadavy.
This really hits many of the roadblocks that keep you from starting and I love it. I hop to whichever chapter has the subject that's blocking me and it helps.
Book: "Wabi-Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers" by Leonard Koren.
Helps alleviate the pressures of perfectionism.
Creativity
Creativity is a fickle thing. *Recommendations to follow.
Inspiring Stories
Book: "The Queens of Animation: The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History" by Nathalia Holt. *1
I grew up loving Disney animation, but wondered where were all the women? This deep dives into that and I love it.
Workaholic-ism
Remember, it's a marathon not a sprint. Take care of yourself along the way.
Book: "Burnout" by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA. *1
Written by two badass sisters who specialize in science and music, this is targeted towards high achieving creative women, but will apply to anyone.
Notes:
*1=Geared towards women.
*2 = Geared towards neurodivergent people.
