I’ve talked a bit now about some of my personal masks, but as I said in my first essay, I am also committed to gathering/hearing these stories. I’ve thought a lot about how best to do this, and I’ve landed on . . . A PODCAST! I’ve already conducted interviews with 14 professional artists in the mediums of fashion design, dance, studio art (painting), video game design, music performance, acting, comedy, filmmaking, cooking, creative writing, music production, music composition, photography, and illustration, and will keep scheduling interviews with all kinds of artists (if you have a recommendation, I’d love to hear it).
My goal for the podcast is to gather stories that go beneath the surface of our art professions. I’m looking for stories about how we got to where we are, creatively. Prodigy? Talent? Skill? Perseverance? I’m looking for stories about how we hustle, or don’t hustle. What are our philosophies about balancing art and business? How do we sell what we might find sacred? And finally, I’m looking for our personal truths and experiences about our vulnerabilities as professional creatives.
I am over the moon about this project, and can’t wait to share! Release date TBA (I’m waiting on iTunes) . . . but it’s coming SOONNNN!!!!
Here’s the Abstract:
Art. It springs undiluted from raw human creativity. Almost like magic it reveals itself to the artist—pure. Untouched . . . Or, is art just the sleek result of excellent salesmanship? Does it jump, fully-formed, directly from the creator to the consumer? Or does it filter through algorithms and focus groups before finally making its debut on your screen, in your earbuds, and in stores near you? As with all great mysteries, the truth is hard to pin down. And it depends a lot on who you ask. Today, professional artists run the gamut from snake oilers to oracles. But most of us are just chiseling out our paths through imitation and exploration, through real connection and networking. And we’re doing it with a blend of vulnerability and veneer – each of us finding our own way through the absolute weirdness of our careers.
Join professional musician Emily Merrell for conversations with artists of all kinds. We’ll peel back the layers of mystery surrounding our talents and skills, our hustles, our impostor syndromes, our muses, our beliefs about the origins of creativity, and about what it means to be “successful” in our professions.
STAY TUNED!
EM