Artist Journal Volume 5
What an intense couple of weeks. I’ve worked 14-16 hour days every single day. I launched Promoting Passion. It was insane. I got a much better response than I ever thought possible. Full disclosure, my goal was 200 sign-ups in the first week and 300 total. I got 600 in the first week. I’m flabbergasted.
But in addition to launching my event, crunch time came for a series I’m working on. I started working on it seriously 3 months ago. Nothing worked. I hated everything I shot, I didn’t feel connected to it. I was trying something really different and it didn’t resonate.
I tried changing ideas and forcing my way through it. I did this up until a week ago. I found myself up to my knees in mud with a heavy cobblers shoe shooting hundreds of pictures that I knew in my gut weren’t going to work. To boot (pun intended), I did the whole shoot with a drunk man yelling at me about how interesting I looked and how life is better naked. It was weird, and I was unhappy, and well, don’t I look it in this picture?
So a week ago I did something to change my circumstance. I scrapped the series as I knew it. I changed the theme slightly. I made myself sit down to a serious brainstorming session. And it worked.
By letting go of what I thought I had to do, I embraced a whole new vision. The ideas flowed effortlessly. I started to feel connected to my creativity again. And when I went out for that first shoot, I was so happy. I felt alive.
Every shoot since then has evoked the same feeling. I’ve been out shooting every single evening for a week. Experimenting. Attempting. Succeeding. Failing. I’ve managed to make four images this week for the series. Two of them I’m iffy on, but think will work out once I edit some more. Two of them are some of my favorite images I’ve ever made.
I’m ecstatic, through the roof, so happy for my creativity to be in full swing and embracing every day. Even though the days are long, and dinners have been late, and my Star Trek consumption and book are slightly neglected…I’m so happy.
I’ll debut the series in June in NYC. More details on that later.
Sending inspiration,
Brooke
P.S. If you want to join the Promoting Passion Tour, here is more information.
2 thoughts on “Artist Journal Volume 5”
I needed to hear this today! You give me hope. I’ve have been trying to force creativity lately and have been getting nowhere. I know my frustration is just going to make it worse. Brainstorming with a fresh piece of paper sounds like a good idea! : )
I’m so glad you are back to happily creating! And that grumpy looking picture with your muddy feet is hilarious: )
Thanks for the message!
In this photo, you look like you are a minute away from beating the drunk with the cobbler’s shoe. You really look fed up! And I see why. I can’t stand being around anyone that has been drinking at all. Probably due to my history, but I just want nothing to do with it!
Two out of four is really good! And the two you have shared a bit of on Instagram look really great!
I have been burning the midnight oil as well (it is 12:28 AM right now” my brother and I have been loading and hauling scrap metal to sell all day, and then I write until after midnight. It is a little rough, but I have to keep doing something creative.
Can’t wait for the release of the series in June.