We are BACK to regularly-scheduled programming after our May foray into Masks. I have been buzzing so hard with new ideas in the last month, and I’m excited to tell you about all of them. But for now…let’s focus on this Deep Dive!

I’m really proud to have kept the episodes coming over the last two months. I hope you’ve felt a little familiar comfort as you’ve listened.

Gosh. Is it just me, or does April feel like a lifetime ago?

Once upon a time, in April 2020, Artifice featured some incredible artists from Boise, and one lovely Utahn…

As I talked with this outstanding group of artists, I found myself struck by each of their experiences with learning to value their individual strengths, and learning to hold their weaknesses with patience and perspective.

One of Artifice’s most perennial subjects is the question of what allows, motivates, and compels creative children to maintain creativity into adulthood…I believe this sort of creative reframing of one’s shortcomings is an absolutely key ingredient.

Sean describes creativity as “the opportunity to be more of yourself,” or the opportunity to be yourself more fully. I feel so moved by this idea. Creativity IS an opportunity. It’s an opening, an invitation to explore and cultivate your *self*. I think this necessarily means that our creative exploration will lead us to discover our own divergence. We’re required to face what is truly unique about ourselves—and to deal with the complexities of our discoveries. And Sean’s story really reflects his belief in this principle. He shows again and again his willingness to take the path that sits right with him, even when it isn’t the path of his peers.

An adjacent case…Emily, now a professional abstract visual artist, mentions that as a child, she often compared herself to her older brother, whose “realistic” paintings garnered a certain praise that her burgeoning abstract aesthetic didn’t. Alternately, Emily was a great “in the lines” piano student (excellent sight-reading and execution), where her brother had an exploratory approach to music—more inclined to composition and improvisation.

I think it’s such a perfect little microcosm of this larger conversation. We talked a lot about Emily’s path toward fully embracing her strengths, the unique beauty of her abstract expression in her visual art, as well as the overarching merits of her more structured relationship with music. I imagine each strength informing the other. I just love the idea that these two siblings both have one structured skillset, as well as a wilder one. It lights up my brain with the idea that in context, our “weaknesses” may not be weaknesses at all, but rather just some kind of balancing-out of some other part of our minds. An anchor, rather than a millstone. But of course, it may take some creative thinking to recognize the counter weight…

 Jeff talked about the importance of remembering your own context before comparing with others. Measuring your ability against a hero can be a really wonderful exercise in motivation and inspiration, but it’s a crucial skill to round out your observations with context. We need to remember, for example, to consider our age, the age at which we began cultivating our skills, and the age at which we first found great mentors. And of course, age (or relative age) is just one facet to consider. We should exercise self-compassion for all of the pieces of our unique personalities and circumstances that make one thing feel like a hurdle, and another an absolute breeze.

And really, this goes both ways. What’s difficult for you may be truly simple for another person. And what is thoroughly intuitive for you may feel bewildering to your fellow creative. Naturally, this means that a context-less comparison in any direction is unproductive. We need to consider our strengths AND weaknesses, relative to our unique circumstances. We should be in the habit of pursuing what we individually find challenging, as well as nurturing our inherent aptitudes. And…we should be generous and curious about framing the strengths and weaknesses of our colleagues/students/peers, as well. This piece feels critical to me.

Finally, I loved hearing Blake talk about his own apparent lack of natural ability. This is my favorite kind of story to hear from a professional creative. As a child, Blake was never especially adept at drawing or writing or anything…but his natural strength was and is an unstoppable interest, passion, and determined pursuit of the art he loves. We can (should) zoom ALL the way out and remember how valuable “wanting” can be. In my opinion, it’s possibly the greatest strength there is. It’s very difficult to teach, and it’s very difficult to succeed without. Time and time again my guests tell me it’s not a question of talent, and I fully agree. You have to want it. You have to be a little obsessed. You have to give yourself over.

 As we stretch our creative minds, we will inevitably find our own personal superpowers (whether they be skill-based, or more internal/abstract), and we will also certainly expose deficiencies, insecurities, and imperfections. These discoveries go hand-in-hand. I believe you can’t really have one without the other. If you want to really build what only you can build, you must be prepared to find some things that deeply challenge you. Just remember, that’s part of it! We don’t get one without the other. Your “weaknesses” give context to your strength, and vice versa. Let it be a powerful thing.

Thank you for being here with me.

Emily