your creative space

I've been thinking about the separation of creativity from the work it takes to be creative. By this I mean, we artists spend a tremendous amount of time filling out grant applications, hustling to get our work seen, sending out resumes or samples of our work, schmoozing at events so we can meet the "deciders" of our fate, going on auditions, trying to lock down an agent or manager, applying for residency programs, etc.

And then, add on top of that that a big percentage of us still have to have a "safety job" as I like to call them - a job that might be completely unrelated to our creative work and where do you find the time to actually CREATE???

TODAY'S CREATIVITY CHALLENGE:

Look at your current creativity space. How much of the space is devoted to pure creativity and how much is devoted to "the hustle" of being an artist?

Do you have bills, applications, gym schedules, your "to-do" list, headshots, resumes, etc. stacked on top of that script you're trying to finish, that painting you just sketched out, that table that's supposed to be for collaging, designing, dreaming?

Do you have files of your past taxes, your car repair log, your press clippings hanging alongside your inspiration file, your notes on a character, your dream file? Do you even have a dream file???? A file that holds images of things you hope to one day do, see, be, own or create. Get one!

Is there a way to create a division between the two sides of your business as an artist?

Because we have two major goals: Create and Give The Creation To The World. That's it. That's all we're supposed to be doing.

Of course, we also have to eat and pay the rent so...we apply for grants, we fax press releases, we do the Artist Hustle.

Can we atleast use our physical surroundings to separate the two? Separate the Creative from the Hustle?

Look at your space. It can be a physical, visual, spiritual, mental separation - whatever works for you.