meet the artists: TAP clients share their stories

In anticipation of our Showcase on June 20th, 4 members of my TAP group program will be sharing more about their experience so far and what you can expect to see of their work!

It has been such an honor to work with each of them, and I couldn't be more proud and jazzed to introduce you to them here!

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Hanna Agar, Photographer

One of the main things that has shifted in me since starting the TAP program is a shift and clarity in how I think about myself and my photography.  For a long time I have been going through the motions, squeezing in my personal work, juggling a million other jobs, trying to pay the bills.  I wasn’t taking the time to actually think about my own photography or why I was doing it or what it meant to me and what it could mean to others.

At one point during a one-on-one phone call with Jess, after hearing some lack of enthusiasm about a project I was planning, she asked me, “What are you really passionate about?”  I had to really stop and think about that, which made me freak out a little because I should know that right?

This program has made me have to stop and think.  To meditate on what I am really feeling and doing.  What I am really working towards and what I really want to express.  It seems obvious I’m sure, but I realized I had not been taking any time to really process and think about who I was as an artist.  Once I started taking that time I feel so much more clarity around my work.

Taking that time also helped ease some of my stress and anxiety around work and life and has allowed me to be more present and relaxed when I have a weekend off or a trip home.

With the realization that much of what I have been avoiding or lacking is that inward look I decided to do a series of self portraits using some of my favorite objects that I have collected over the years.  I am trying to embody and embrace my history and my quirks and allowing my emotions to be released.  There may be some miniature animals; there may be some armor.  In embracing my work and connecting my interests I have realized that my style has developed to be a little bit silly, a little surreal.

To view Hana's work visit:  hannaagar.com and her blog: thelaughingphotographer.tumblr.com

And don't forget to join her on Facebook & Instagram!

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Marikit Catalano, Dancer

Since starting the Thriving Artist's Program (TAP), I've rekindled my passion for dance as an outlet for emotion and self-expression.

Throughout my TAP journey, I've become more confident in myself and my abilities, more vocal, and more connected to myself and others.  

At the TAP Showcase on June 20th, I'll be performing a dance piece.  My choreography is a modern take on the ancient art of belly dance and explores the emotional experience of letting go.

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Nanya-Akuki Goodrich,

Edutainer / Performing Artist / Creative Writer / Teaching Artist

Co-Founder of Re-write(s) of Passage Ensemble

Through the TAP Program, I’ve gained  clarity around who I am as an artist. Additionally, I’ve gathered some excellent tools and practices that are helping me blossom into a more a thriving artist as opposed to merely surviving as one.

Whether comedic, dramatic, or a delicious mix of both I’m  most often inspired to use my artistry to talk back to the world, give voice to the voiceless and share lesser heard viewpoints, while spurring critical thinking, upliftment and deeper connections to humanity among my audiences.

Check out Nanya-Akuki’s Theater Company here:

Rewrites of Passage Ensemble and on here on Facebook

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Vanessa Rubio, Actress, Visual Artist, Singer

Throughout the TAP Program, I have become more active and comfortable in reclaiming my purpose, my own worth, and the use of my power. I also took the pressure off of myself to create something "perfect" or "larger-than-life." I feel on more friendly terms with my creative process. My creativity feels more like a process I channel and am a part of, and less "mysterious".

Jess encouraged me to define my purpose and use powerful statements to keep the fire going, like -"I am the Star of my agency!" which helped me feel more comfortable being a star! While it continues to boost my self confidence, I also feel more at home in this position, where as before I was at times hesitant to fully embody it.

I am more aware of how I handle my creativity. I am more aware of procrastination and when I am holding back. I am hanging my artwork up more, judging myself less, and having more fun in art making. I started a new series of watercolors which I enjoy making immensely.

I started sharing more on social media, which led to art sales and more interest in my art. In acting I saw I booked more work! So far I booked two national commercials, one international commercial, and a role in an independent comedy.

For the Showcase I am celebrating the watercolor series and what I feel it has given me.

My work can be accessed here: VeedaRubio and here: VanessaRubio

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If you're reading this and feeling inspired and wondering how the TAP Program can help YOU, click here to read more and set up a call with me.  I can't wait to connect!

how to get your idea out there in 5 steps

Do you ever have big ideas - like producing a show or starting a business - but you’re not quite sure how to jump from A to Z?

It can feel like a huge leap with a lot of unknowns, and often it stops us from actually moving forward with anything.

I dealt with that feeling years ago - wanting to dance again but not feeling like it was realistic or possible. I was out of shape, overworking (so it felt like I had no time), and I did not want to step foot in a classroom, nevermind a stage.

Someone once asked me how I went from that stuck energy to a place where dance is a major focus in my life and career. (I’m now teaching dance, making videos, and producing my own show this fall.)

My answer:

I started one dance at a time. I decided to dance at home. Then I made a dance video and shared it. Then I made another one. And so on.

And my answer for you is the same. Start small. The small steps really do add up.

When I look back at the trajectory I followed through the various steps in my journey, there’s a basic pattern I followed and I want to share that with you here today.

It can be scary to step into the unknown and get started, and so I hope this helps. Think of it as a roadmap for your own creative footsteps...

The Evolution of a Creative Outlet:

1.     Impulse

Tap into your desire or inspiration to do or make something. Stay open and receptive until you feel that impulse.

real life example: I started to realize I needed to dance again when I found myself getting jealous and sad looking at old dance friends’ Facebook posts of their latest performances. I had been denying that I was still a dancer, but the impulse started to become more real.

2.     Experimentation

Try something out, plain and simply. If you’re clear on exactly the kind of creative outlet you want to be doing, go for it! If not, try different modes.

real life example: Since I was too intimidated to get back into a dance studio and take formal classes, I started experimenting with dancing on my own. I tried learning choreography from music videos on YouTube, improvising my own stuff, and later making my own dance videos.

3.     Repetition

When you like how something feels or works, do it again! And again! This is how you start to build a practice, or a craft.

real life example: I really loved making my own dance videos. Not only was I dancing more, but I got to exercise a different part of my creativity through the video editing. I kept making videos in various places and it became a practice. (Note: I never had a formal schedule for making the videos, I would just make one when I felt like it. It’s up to you whether or not you feel the need to schedule in regular time for your own practice.)

4.     Sharing

Find ways to share it with others. In the beginning stages of your process, be cautious with who you share it with and only choose audiences you know and trust.

real life example: Before I went public on YouTube, I would share the videos I made with close friends, just to let someone in on what I was doing and test out their reaction. Eventually I started sharing on my Facebook page, and later made the YouTube channel public and no longer anonymous. While it was satisfying to create the videos on my own, I felt that the sharing completed a process and passed on the creative energy.

5.     Shaping

Let it become something else. Your creative process will evolve and take on a shape of it’s own at some point. It will very often feel like it is leading you in a certain way, but there might be some decisions to be made in refining its shape. Some examples of what it can evolve into: a show, a blog, a story, a class you teach, etc.

real life example: Once I had been making the dance videos for a couple of years, I felt compelled to share them in a more formal way and be more visible with them in my coaching practice. I started a tumblr blog for the dance videos and later a wordpress blog called Creative Fridays where I not only shared dance videos, but also tracked my journey into becoming an artist as a way to help others on a similar path. Not only did my whole focus as a coach switch to the creative realm, but my work as an artist continued to grow and I got involved with various dance projects down the road. (It all started with that desperate night making frowny faces at other people’s Facebook dance posts ;)

Notice how it starts with the Impulse and ends with Shaping. Very often our creative minds can start shaping the initial impulse right away – i.e. “Wow! I have this amazing idea! I’m gonna turn it into an international program to make art happen EVERYWHERE!”

While those grander visions are important – and fun to dream about! – you can’t let them overtake everything and stop you from doing the most important thing: starting. That is, taking the first step.

Or the first skip. Which brings me to a real life example that will further illustrate the point...

The Evolution in Action:

Example 1:

In an interview event I did with my former client Michelle Joni yesterday, we discussed her Skipping Club and how it evolved from a weekly drop-in event to an official 3-month “Memberskip Program.” She got the idea (Impulse) on the way to a manicure when she spontaneously started skipping through the streets (Experimentation), and from there knew it had to become a weekly thing that she shared with others (Repetition & Sharing). Every week for 6 months she led a Skipping Club!

Influenced a lot by the work we did together in the Thriving Artist’s Program, she has now found a way to structure it into a program (Shaping) that is going to serve even more people in even more palpable ways.

Check out the interview here as well as her Memberskip Program:

Example 2:

Another awesome former client Deirdre started working with me in the midst of feeling frustrated with her teaching job and wanting to start up her own painting again (Impulse).

Through our work together of getting past fears and connecting to her value, she started making time to paint. There were many times when she felt frustrated with the process and disliked her work, but she kept trying (Experimentation).

Then one day she found a class in Touch Drawing that wowed her and tapped into something really profound in her artistic voice. She began to practice this form more regularly (Repetition).

She showcased her work at the Creative Fridays Showcase twice (Sharing), and now has started a workshop series to teach this form of painting (Shaping). She has a workshop coming up this Sunday that I highly recommend you check out!

 Back to you:

I hope this map and these illustrations help you to feel less daunted by your own creative ideas.

If you’re feeling stuck in any of those phases, reach out to me and let’s talk. My coaching programs are designed with this process in mind so that you can bring your ideas to fruition in a natural and easeful way.

And remember that both Michelle and Deirdre won’t stop here - their work will continue to cycle through those phases and evolve as they do. And so will yours.

So where are you in the evolution?

Share more about your process in the comments below and let’s support each other’s evolution!

to making art happen,

Jess

how to get discovered

Do you ever get frustrated because your artwork (or business) is not being seen by mass audiences?

Do you ever get pissed off that some big company or talent agent hasn’t scooped you up yet to make you famous and make you a ton of money?

If so, you're not alone.

Too often we bust our asses working five jobs just to get by - with barely enough time leftover for our own art-making - while secretly hoping that someone will discover us and grant us all the time in the world to be fabulous and make the art we want to make…. someday. [sigh. waa waaaaa.]

If you’re living this way, stop it.

I’m not saying serendipitous discoveries don’t happen (i.e. the Bieb), and I’m not saying you shouldn’t have big aspirations, BUT either way, you can’t helplessly wait around for it. You need a sustainable, fulfilling plan in the meantime.

This means you need to:

1. make time for your passions, while
2. doing work that also enables you to make an income.

Sometimes these two things overlap, sometimes they don't. But if your day-to-day feels good and keeps you fulfilled, if/when the big break comes along, it will just be an added bonus. Like fresh icing on the cake that you already so nicely baked. No cake to hold it up, and the icing will melt into the plate and be sad and gooey. (Icing is good, especially when it's chocolate, but it's not everything.)

You with me?

Ok.

So how do we go about making this sustainable, fulfilling plan, this solid cake-base?

First thing’s first:

Get real with what kind of artist you are and what kind of audience you want to reach.

Take this quiz:

1. What kind of artist am I?

   1. I feel better when I create my own way (i.e. self-publish, self-produce)

   2. I thrive in the structure of a more traditional atmosphere (i.e. getting into a company, getting picked up by a publisher/agent, auditioning for roles, etc.)

   3. Some combination of the two

   4. Other: ___________________

2. What kind of audience do you want to reach?

   1. I’d be happy just doing it for myself

   2. I’d love to reach a small audience (local shows, etc.)

   3. I’d love to reach a large audience (i.e. going on tour, developing a fan base, etc.)

   4. I’d love to be famous (i.e. millions of hits on YouTube, TV appearances, etc.)

   5. Other: ______________________

3. Bonus: Describe your ideal audience:

Age group? Location? Interests? Values?

Once you are clear, you can start to research and outline the basic steps of doing what you want to do and reaching who you want to reach, based on the kind of artist you are. Find role models. Ask questions. Google stuff. Experiment.

 (In one of my programs, this is the part of the work we'll get to delve into deeper and clarify together.)

While you may not have so much control over exactly how wide of an audience you reach, it is important to be real with yourself.

If your big expectations for fame and fortune are only making you feel like shit in the now, then you gotta reel it in and find a way to source fulfillment with the smaller scale stuff.

If you’re thinking too small and holding yourself back, dream a little bit bigger.

Then...

Either way, there then comes the point when you must do the work.

Remember that the more you do your work, the more it will develop and the more you will grow as an artist. You don’t build confidence and charisma by thinking about it; you build these things by practicing, by getting into the arena, as Brene Brown would say.

Here’s a personal example to help illustrate my point:

What I’ve learned is that I feel better when I create my own way. As much as I tried to fit into the mold of classical ballet or contemporary/modern dance, it never felt right for me. I only realized this when I stopped beating myself up for quitting the traditional path and instead starting making my own videos.

Making the videos while dancing alone really makes me happy, and I also recognize I really enjoy reaching an audience. It completes the circle for me. Sometimes, I’ll admit, I get starry-eyed and fantasize about being famous… millions of YouTube views, appearances and performances at large scale events, chillin’ with Gaga…

And then it takes me down the rabbit hole of comparison. Why can’t I be like xyz person who is talking to a million people everyday? Is what I’m doing even mattering to anyone?

You see, this mass appeal can be a dangerous thing. It can stop us from doing our work.

But I keep making stuff anyway. I follow the drive inside of me that needs to dance. I find fulfillment in each small step. I create atmospheres in which I can dance it out freely.

And then sometimes magical moments happen in which these atmospheres are created for me, like this time at the Brooklyn Nets basketball game:

The video was live-streaming to the jumbo-tron screen for all 18,000 people in the arena to see. It was exhilarating and amazing. As we left the game, so many people congratulated me, gave me thumbs up, told me how awesome it was to watch me dance.

In that moment, I felt famous. I’ll admit, it was deeply satisfying.

But it also taught me a few things:

• Practice leads to opportunities. If I hadn’t been making my own dance videos for 4 years, I might not have had the confidence and drive to get up and do that.

• Bursts of fame don’t translate directly to something sustainable. One experience like this doesn’t actually make me famous or get me “discovered” and that’s ok. I still have to do my work, pay my rent, do laundry, and buy groceries tomorrow. (i.e. I can’t expect one moment in the spotlight to change my reality instantly.)

• Magical moments do happen. It’s a nice reminder that after consistently doing work and working hard, gifts from the universe can happen to cheer you on. And while it may not change my daily reality drastically, it feels great in the moment, boosts confidence, and increases exposure.

Although it was thrilling and amazing to have that experience, it was icing on the cake of what I’m already doing on a small-ish scale. Do I want more icing? Yes! But I still have to keep working on the cake base.

So back to my point - how do you get discovered?

Here’s what it boils down to for me:

If you want to get “discovered,” you must discover yourself first. {click to tweet it!}

Then, create a sustainable, fulfilling plan for living life in accordance with your creative and practical needs.

Then, allow magic to happen.

No matter how big any artist gets, there was a point in time where he or she sat down solo, got real, and started to create.

Now it’s your turn.

Tell me in the comments below -

What kind of artist or creator are you? What are your aspirations? Are you practicing the work now and feeling fulfilled in the process?

This is a biggie, so don’t hold back.

And if you’re saying, “Well I’m clear on all this, but how do a make a living doing the art?!?”

Here’s a post you might find valuable. But don't read it until after you've left a comment below.

I can’t wait to hear from you on this one.

to self-discovery in all its forms,

jess

p.s. Know someone who really needs to hear this? Use the convenient sharing buttons below or good old-fashioned email to share this post with them. We're all in this together.

my TEDx talk: The Dance Less Travelled

why I skipped the SYTYCD audition

My grand plan after seeing Flashdance The Musical in Washington DC was to make a pit stop in Philadelphia to attend the So You Think You Can Dance audition.  

I wanted to do the audition for a few reasons:

1. This is the last year I make the age cut-off.
2. It would be a cool experience to blog about.
3. I had a small glimmer of hope of making it far enough in the audition process to perform Flashdance as my audition solo, really making that final scene of the movie come to life.
4. And if I’m honest, I also wanted to make people in my life proud. I wanted my parents to be like the parents of contestants on the show, cheering and crying as they watched their daughter go for her dreams on national television.

When the reality set in about the traveling and time commitments it would take to make this audition happen, and when I pictured a long, long line of eager young dancers waiting in the cold for hours, somehow being herded in to a factory-style audition room with numbers, judges, and who knows what else, I started to question whether or not I really wanted to go. (You gotta really really want it to withstand that scene. Know what I mean?)

At lunch with two of my good friends, I confessed that if I skipped the audition I felt like I would be “giving up on my dream.” (Did I mention we had just seen Flashdance The Musical?)

Casey asked me, “Wait, is that really your dream? To be on that show?”

I thought about it for a moment.

You see, every so often my mind reverts back to the approval-seeking “pick me!” mentality of my ballet-trained past, and it causes me to go for things I might not necessarily truly want. (You might also relate to this, with or without ballet in your past.)

In actuality, I don’t even watch SYTYCD regularly. And would I want to put everything else I’m doing on hold just to do what seems like a cool thing from an outside eye?

“No.”

And there it was. The get-real moment.

In saying “no” to something that wasn’t truly what I wanted, I was saying “yes” to what I already had.

The truth is, I kind of already am living my dream. I make dance videos. I perform pretty regularly. I get to help people make significant transformation in their lives and reconnect to their own creative and artistic processes. I get to help people dance again.

The things I’m doing may not be traditional and the vast majority may not even understand what I actually do for a living, but I’m starting to feel ok with that.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to be on TV or wanting to make my family proud or wanting to be seen and heard by more people. But I do think that public recognition has to be an after-thought for it to be genuine. It can't be the primary goal.

As long as I’m doing what feels aligned for me, making a difference in people’s lives, supporting myself and loved ones, and creating my life, then why can’t I just do it and be happy? If more people are meant to see and hear me, I trust the right opportunities will show up to make that happen. Maybe next time it will be a TV show I’d really want to be on.

So today, instead of asking Nigel, “So do you think I can dance?”

I’m telling myself:

I think I can dance.

I think I can dance.

How about you?

Do you ever get into approval-seeking mode and go for dreams that might not be exactly your own? 

Where in your life are you saying yes to what others want for you versus what you truly want for yourself?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one. Share yourself in the comment box below. Then share this with someone in your life who you think needs to hear it.

less thinking, more dancing,

Jess

pssst... Did you hear? Spots are open for the Thriving Artist Program that starts in a few weeks. Check it out!

change starts from what's already in you

truth be told,

the wait is over.

be inspired.

create

community.

give a light to inspire

express your natural gift artfully

grow

feel

get pumped

connect

wonder

dance

own it!

This is my version of magnetic poetry, which came from a pile of magazines and discovering the message that I’m living and sharing. My coach Joanna guided us through the process at a recent retreat and it was so awesome I had share it with you. If you’ve been bored with “vision boards” try a “message board” instead.

What’s great about having a clear message is that:

Your message is who you are already.

It’s how you live.

It’s what you believe.

It’s what people come to you for.

It’s how you connect with people.

Your message is fluid, just as you are, so don’t be scared to commit because you can always change it.

What’s most important is that you own it - just as it is and just as you are now.

Whether you have no jobs or 4 jobs,

Whether you write/speak/dance/paint/sing for yourself or for an audience of thousands,

Don’t stop being your message.

Don’t stop being you.

What I’ve learned is that I don’t need to completely quit everything in my life if I’m feeling stuck. The key for me has been to bring out more of my message in everything I do, and the circumstances will naturally adjust or fall away to match me where I’m at. That's how change happens.

So this Friday - or this weekend, depending on when you’re reading this - take a moment to get clear on your message.

Ask yourself:

What do I believe in?

What do I most want to share with the world?

What keeps me going when the going gets tough?

Share your answers in the comments below for brownie points and the chance to get valuable feedback.

Owning your message is so important, especially when you have multiple interests and passions. If you’re in that zone, be sure to tune in to next week’s virtual workshop on making multiple interests work for you. I’ll be sharing 3 concrete steps that will help you clarify, prioritize, and make shit happen. Because a creative life is a happy life. In my humble opinion.

Til then, stay cozy and be true.

getting pumped,

Jess