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MY⚡️Feature
featured piece of advice for creatives and creative leaders
Origin Stories
I have an Aunt who is really into genealogy. She has spent many hours and a lot of effort to learn about our lineage as a family, track down distant relatives, and educate us about our family history. I really love it. In fact, I have a print of a painting that was done by a relative of my Uncle Bill’s home in Greenville, North Carolina. The house stood a few generations ago and to our knowledge, Uncle Bill was the first musician in the family. He used to sit on the porch of that house and play his banjo.
It’s important to me to know where I come from and it inspires me creatively. Our creative origins are meaningful for a few reasons, but there’s a couple I want to talk about specifically.
First, our creative origins can remind us where our passions began. Think about how inspiring it is to listen to that first record that captivated you and made you fall in love with music. Think about that first book you read that ignited your imagination. Remember that first time you saw a painting or piece of art that just made you wonder how someone could create something so beautiful.
Think about the first artist you met that encouraged you, shared wisdom or insight with you, and what that meant. I thought my first guitar teacher was a superhero.
These moments, these pieces of art, these people, are all part of the origin of our love for creativity. Remembering these things can re-ignite our passion when we lose it and make us grateful when we feel discouraged or alone in our creative pursuits.
Secondly, knowing our creative origins can help us build a healthy respect for our art form. If you haven’t ever done this at a personal level, I highly encourage you to find out as much as you can about your family history with creativity. There’s just something bright about knowing that there were generations before you who were into what you’re into and maybe try to find some of their work. I sure wish I had my Uncle Bill’s banjo or a recording of him playing.
But also, discover the origins of your craft. I produce music, write songs, and play a few instruments, but guitar is my passion. Specifically, electric guitar. I read books all the time about the origin of guitar players, genres, scenes, gear, technique, and more. It’s encourages me to find something fresh, it reminds me that there were people who had to work really hard to discover the sounds and techniques that I use every day.
The point of knowing where you come from isn’t to get nostalgic, even though that can be inspiring. The point is the fill up your imagination and give you the courage to go forge a new path for yourself and keep creating, because the truth is that soon the next generation is going to be looking to you.
I try to inspire people every day through creative coaching. If you want to try creative coaching for FREE just click the link below to fill out a short form and get started booking a free coaching call. I’d love to help you.
MY⚡️FI Podcast
a podcast about the journey of creativity
Ep. 047 :: Lorraine Lewis
This episode of MYFI features the incredible rock vocalist, Lorraine Lewis. Lorraine began her great career in the 1980s as a solo artist and fronting the groundbreaking band, Femme Fatale. She’s now the front woman for the legendary band, Vixen as well as leading a fantastic solo career. Join us as we talk about the movie “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”, how seeing David Lee Roth changed the trajectory of her life, and how she discovered that being on stage is where she truly belongs.
MY⚡️FI Blog
monthly blog for creatives and creative leaders
Max McNown Videos
This month on the blog I share a little about my experience shooting music videos and some other content with an incredible rising artist named Max McNown. Check out the blog by clicking here.