Teresa R. Funke's Blog: Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, page 51

Do Good Problems Really Exist?

One time, I was meeting with a friend who was dealing with a series of misfortunes. We talked about her a while and how I could help. Then she asked about me. “I feel bad talking about my silly problems considering what you are going through,” I said. Her answer was one of the most selfless and empathetic comments I’ve ever heard. “I don’t think of it that way,” she said. “It’s not a competition. Your problems are as real to you as mine are to me.”

But you’ve noticed, I’m sure, that not everyone is as generous with their sympathy and understanding. Let’s say, for example, that you’re an artist excited about two promising new projects, but you fear that working on both is splitting your focus. “Oh, you poor thing,” your friend says. “At least you have two projects.”  Or say you are an entrepreneur whose business is finally taking off, but the workload has left you feeling exhausted. “Yeah, but what really matters is how well you’re doing,” your friend says, and you can’t really argue.

I know our culture today presses us to always look on the bright side, and it’s good advice in general, but comments like, “Sounds like a good problem to have,” can feel so dismissive at times. A problem is a problem, no matter how good. For artists especially, support is sometimes hard to come by. We’re told, “Well, you chose to be an artist” or “Yeah, but you get to do what you love all day” or “I wish I had your problems.”  If we complain too much, people will actually say, “Well, maybe you need to look for a real job.”  So we tend to keep our troubles to ourselves or to joke about them, as if they don’t matter. But they do.

I think we’d all be better off if we sometimes set the positive platitudes aside and remembered that sometimes people just need to vent and sometimes they need some actual advice and sometimes they just need a pat on the back. But mostly, we just need to be heard.

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Are Gatekeepers Still Relevant?

Several times over the past few years, I’ve listened to colleagues tell me that an editor who loved his/her work had called, sometimes in tears, to say they could not make an offer on their book project. Why? Because the marketing and sales departments at the publishing house decided that the book, though good, was not “marketable enough.”

We used to think of editors at publishing houses as gatekeepers. It was an honored, almost revered term. These were the people we trusted to not only recognize quality, but to nurture true talent and to take pride in discovering something new. We also relied on them to turn away the crap. Today, though, the gatekeepers are not always the trusted guards, often they are the jesters, dancing to whatever tune pleases the court. And if the court wants crap, that is what they are forced to deliver, on a silver platter, no less. And it’s not just happening in publishing, it’s happening in music, visual arts, and the performing arts, as well.

The tide is turning now against the gatekeepers. There are those who argue that it is the public who will decide what succeeds and what fails. But this is nothing new. It was always the public that decided. We made sleeper hits out of stories that had received modest launches and we tanked books for which publishers had paid exorbitant advances. We, the “fickle” public, have always been a burr under the gatekeepers’ saddles.

Now that the gates have been flung open, though, and any old peasant can publish a book, the gatekeepers are defecting the castle and heading out into the villages to peddle their skills to the unwashed masses. And I, for one, welcome them. Please bring us your knowledge, your experience, your acute editorial eye, and your passion for quality literature. And bring with you those awesome stories that your publishing houses passed on, so we can read and enjoy them. Work with us to do what an editor is supposed to do, help us write the best damn books we possibly can and bring them into the world.

If, however, you’re still in possession of any high horses, please leave them in the stable.  :-)

 

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The Heart of Artists and Entrepreneurs

I know I keep insisting that this blog is for both artists and entrepreneurs, but you may be thinking I seem to slant more toward the artists. There are two reasons for that. One, most artists are entrepreneurs as well. At least they are once they start selling their art. Two, most entrepreneurs are artists as well. At least they are if they’ve built their business on a new concept, product or service.

And most artists and entrepreneurs share similar traits. The successful ones are highly creative, somewhat rebellious, opinionated, energetic risk-takers. They understand that failure leads to success and that building relationships matter. They’re not afraid to start out with only pennies in their pockets and too few hours in the day. They are willing to do it all, from loading the dishwasher to loading the truck, from running the numbers to running the errands, from building the systems to building the product.

Artists and entrepreneurs are kinsmen, and we seek each other out. We instinctively see that art and business go hand in hand. We lean on each other for support and encouragement. We are also, for some reason, often mathematically challenged. Not sure why that is.

Many of the entrepreneurs I know, just like most of the artists I know, never earned a business degree. Most were working in jobs that did not fill their hearts or souls when they quit to launch their companies. They took huge leaps of faith, often to the consternation of their families. Nearly all of them think their businesses will hit it big. Some will, some won’t. But life is short, and these people know it.

And even if their businesses fail, they’ll never regret having tried. Why? Because if you are an artist or entrepreneur at heart, you know that it’s better to put your all into a job you love and fail, than it is to sit in your cubicle and wonder.

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It’s All About Me

That’s what I tell my husband and my kids when I’m feeling excited about something. Does that sound selfish? Maybe arrogant? Well, it’s true. When it comes to my art, it is all about me, because only I can bring my particular art and vision and message into the world. Only I can choose when and how to create. Only I can decide which pieces to finish and which to set aside.

To truly own this expression – it’s all about me – you can’t come at it from a place of ego. It’s not about garnering praise or accolades. It’s not about proving yourself worthy. It’s not about striving for acceptance or a place at the “cool kids” table. If it’s truly going to be about you, it has to come from a place of purpose and a desire to bring something of value into the world. It’s about tapping into the creative energy that flows through all of us, and has since the beginning of time. It has to come from a place of faith and trust that our art is bigger than we are. It’s not about whether your book sells a million copies, it’s about whether it changes one person’s life, even if that person is you. It’s not about whether you become the next American Idol, it’s about whether you had the guts to try out in the first place. Sometimes, it’s not even about the art itself. It’s about what we learn about ourselves as we create it. In the end, the person we become, the life we lead, is our greatest work of art.

We tell our children they are unique and special. That there is no one else out there exactly like them. If it is true for the child, why is it not true for the adult? At what point do we stop believing we are special? At what point does that knowledge equate arrogance or self-centeredness? It’s just a fact. Only you can create your art. It comes from your talent, your skills, your drive, your passion, your experience, your unique outlook. And whether it turns out to be brilliant or mediocre, it’s still all yours.

So what is keeping you from your art? Is it time constraints, family obligations, financial worries, fear of failure, fear of success? Whatever it is, stand your ground. Tell your kids, your spouse, your mother, your friends, “I’m sorry, but today, it’s all about me.”  Say those exact words. Out loud. Own it. Then show us what you’ve got.

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Daily Deals for Artists – Great Ideas Giveaway

I’ve recently posted a new video in my Great Ideas Giveaway series of business ideas for artists and entrepreneurs. You can view it by clicking on the link below or visiting my YouTube channel, Teresa Funke. This video idea is for a daily deals site that would allow buyers all over the country to purchase that day’s featured art at a reduced price. Cool idea, huh? Please, won’t somebody launch this thing? You can put me down as the first name on your e-mail list! And you’ll find a transcript of the video here to help you get it going.

Speaking of my ideas giveaway, I finally took my own advice and started giving away art via my monthly newsletter. Each month, I’ll give away a book (not one of mine), CD, DVD, painting, piece of jewelry, tickets to a local show, etc. I’ll be supporting artists (as I plan to buy every piece) and helping bring exposure to their work. You’ve probably figured out by now that I think cross-promotion and artists supporting artists is key to advancing all of our careers. And this is a fun way to do just that! Click here to add your name to my newsletter list so you can sign up to win free art. Congrats to Deborah, who won the October giveaway for a free copy of Let the Great World Spin, this year’s Fort Collins Reads book selection.

Here’s the video. Enjoy!

Teresa Funke.

Are You Ready for a Leap of Faith?

This is a picture of me taken during the two months I bummed around Europe as a college student. I had just completed a studies abroad program in London and had assumed I would be heading home after the program ended. Instead, I got an unexpected invitation to travel around Europe for two months with a classmate. I was dangerously low on funds, I had no backpack, and I was still a fairly unseasoned traveler, yet I jumped at the chance, much to my parents’ consternation.

We stored our big suitcases at a friend’s house, and I packed everything I’d need for eight weeks on the road into these two small tote bags. I look utterly ridiculous in this photo, and this was neither a comfortable nor an efficient way to travel, but it worked. It got me around. And those two months turned out to be life-changing, partly because few things went as planned. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

There are times when we need to be prepared, when we need to plan, and save, and project. And times when we just need to take a leap of faith. Are you holding back on a new project or business venture because you think you lack the proper tools? Are you worried because your coffers are low? Are you afraid you might look ridiculous? If so, take a deep breath and ask yourself this, “Does it feel right?” If the answer is yes, then do it. If the universe is telling you to jump, then jump.

Sometimes the only way to grow is to get out of your head and into your heart.

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How Doing Something Wrong Can Sometimes Feel So Right

The other day I was invited to a party at one of those places where everyone drinks wine and learns how to paint the same picture. I’ve never been a good artist, and that night my right arm was hurting from typing all day. I didn’t want to irritate it further by holding up a paintbrush all night, so I decided I would just watch. But where’s the fun in that?

I had a second thought . . . I would paint the picture with my left hand. It would be an experiment in patience to see if I could handle the extra effort it would take to finish the painting and an experiment in creativity to see if using my weaker hand would trigger some other part of my brain. Secretly, I was hoping to make a new discovery. Maybe my true genius with a paintbrush had been hidden because I’d been using the “wrong” hand all along.

You can see the result of my efforts here, although I confess a few of the finishing touches were done with my right hand. I call this style “early pre-school,” and I think it might catch on. To be honest, my piece didn’t wind up looking that much different from many of the others, aside from the fact that the paint on my canvas was much heavier, no doubt due to my inability to control the pressure I was applying.

This experiment served to remind me, though, that we should sometimes break out of our routines in order to challenge ourselves and to reconnect with the pure joy of creation. Using my left hand forced me to pay more attention to each stroke, it caused me to work slower and with a bit more patience, but it also made me laugh.

So today, shake up your routines, take a few risks. Face your chair in the opposite direction, work in a new medium, write something in longhand instead of typing it out, try a new angle in your sales calls or take the day off and go do something you’ve never done. Reconnect to your love of art and have some fun!

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Are We Doomed Through Censorship to Repeat Our Mistakes?

Not to wax political, but it’s almost impossible for me not to talk about censorship this week. As many of my author friends are blogging about Banned Books Week, I’ve been taking note of a different type of censorship.

Recently, high school students and teachers in several Denver schools walked out to protest a school board proposal calling for regular reviews to ensure that history instruction will “promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free-market system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights” and not “encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.”

As an historian and the author of six works of historical fiction, this comment naturally concerns me. To me, the study of history is one of the primary ways in which children can learn critical thinking skills. We should want them to question whether our nation’s actions were always correct or if we could have done things differently. We should encourage them to speak out about injustices and advocate for change. We should, of course, instruct them in how to do it safely and without harm to others, but we should never seek to stifle their ideas.

The old adage that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it stands true. Had we not remembered the injustice of the Japanese internment camps during WWII, we might have listened to the hotheads who suggested we round up innocent Arab-Americans after 9/11.

“There are things we may not be proud of as Americans,” board member Julie Williams said. “But we shouldn’t be encouraging our kids to think that America is a bad place.” This a common complaint I hear from those who think that patriotism can only be fostered in a heart that sees no wrong. I love this country. Always have. But I love it partly because we are one of the greatest experiments in human civilization.

We are the melting pot, bringing together peoples of every race, nationality, faith, and opinion. We are constantly testing our Constitution, our judicial system, our legislative policies. We fail as often as we succeed, but we never stop trying, and that’s why people continue to flock to our shores. Not because we are perfect, but because there’s still the possibility that we could become so.

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Can You Dislike the Artist and Still Like the Art?

I realize I’m often behind on the news, and this story is a couple of weeks old, but singer CeeLo Green’s offensive comments about rape recently came to my attention. Green’s song “Forget You” (also known by another name) happens to be one of my favorites. It’s a silly, catchy, just-for-fun song, and every time it comes on the radio, I crank it up. It used to make me happy. But will it still now that every time I hear it, I will remember Green’s remarks and his attitudes toward women? Must I now condemn the art along with the artist?

This is not the first time I’ve been disgusted by an artist’s off-stage behavior or shocked by the sorry excuses they throw out to the public to justify their actions. Being a fair-minded person, I try to remember that there is more than one side to every story, so in the beginning, I try to give the artist the benefit of the doubt. But in this case, whether Green actually committed a legal crime or not, his words were a crime in and of themselves.

So now one of my favorite songs will forever by tainted, but to dismiss it altogether doesn’t seem entirely fair. After all, a hit record is a collaborative effort. To dismiss the song is to dismiss the work of the co-writers, the producer, even the musicians who played on the track. When an artist is dropped from a concert line-up, as Green was, it affects not only him, but his band, his back-up singers, his road crew. No one ever thinks about all the collateral damage caused by an artist’s poor choices.

What bothers me most (aside from his words themselves) is that I will no longer be able to fondly recall rocking out to this song in the car with my kids or dancing to it in the living room without having a bad taste in my mouth.

Even if I’d like to separate the art from the artist, I’m not sure I can.

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The Arts or Football – You Decide

I was reading a newspaper article the other day hyping a slew of new books celebrating or criticizing our nation’s obsession with football. One quote from a former player caught my attention. He stated that football “teaches one thing that kids can’t get anywhere else . . . how to get knocked down and get back up.” I admit, this comment got under my skin. Never mind that it implies that girls either don’t need or will never gain this ability, but to suggest that football is the only way to teach even boys how to be resilient is also ridiculous.

I do not wish to debate the value of high school sports or to slight anyone who played them, but I would argue that some of the most resilient kids I know are not athletes, but young artists of all kinds. It’s one thing to know that when you get knocked down on the field, your teammates’ hands will extend to help you up; that your coach will always be there to guide you; that your fans will pack the stands to support you; that an entire cheerleading squad will rally behind you.

It’s another thing to work in isolation, as many youth artists do. To spend hours alone in a room with only their creative juices to fuel their efforts; to work for months on a single project, never knowing for sure if it’s any good; to sleep with fingers crossed praying for that coveted role or sought-after solo; to receive rejection after rejection and never give up.

When a football player wins big, he’s met with a round of applause in class the next day. When a young writer gets her story picked up by the school literary magazine, no one hears about it. When a young artist gets his painting hung in a local galley, the student body does not rush to see it. There are no jerseys identifying the truly talented artists walking the school halls. And still they persevere. And that, my friend, is true resilience.

So I would argue if you really want to “toughen up your kid,” you don’t just look to sports. Look to the arts as well. And here’s an additional bonus . . . instead of suffering through possible concussions or head injuries, your child will actually increase his cognitive ability. Just sayin’.

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