Making Yourself Discoverable as a Creative

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Image via Unsplash

Making Yourself Discoverable as a Creative

Your success as a creative—an artist, designer, craft maker, tarot reader, or similar—depends more on your ability to find an audience than it does on how good you are. Essentially, unless you practice a unique art or craft, there are countless other equally talented people doing what you do. Your ideal audience or customer base is likely spoiled for choice. To stand out, you’ll need to make yourself discoverable—which requires serious marketing chops.

A Spacious Place offers a creating connectivity course to take your creative business to new heights. Learn critical skills that help you shine, from interpersonal relationship management to out-of-the-box thinking to create better. In this mini-guide, we offer expert suggestions on how you can make yourself findable as a creative:

Get serious by—constantly—putting yourself out there

First and foremost, persistently put yourself out there. Share your creations, don’t be shy, and just focus on tooting your own horn a little, even if you aren’t feeling as confident as you could be. If you create music or art, you could share song snippets or pictures that you’re proud of. If you sell a service, share a video of a session in action. Set up profiles on leading social media channels. Have a website, blog, or podcast. Focus on communicating who you are. Keep doing it long-term, until you build up a solid repository that will act as a portfolio cum audience magnet for years to come. 

Create a brand identity

A brand identity is more than a logo or product, says bynder—it’s the general impression you leave on your consumers and what differentiates you from the competition. All the most successful creatives on the planet, from singers like Taylor Swift to artists like Takashi Murakami, focus on their branding. It’s what makes them memorable and enables them to form an emotional bond with their followers. As a creative, figure out what’s at the heart of your offering. Then turn it into your identity and let it accompany you everywhere. 

Have a website or a blog

Your website or blog can be an enormously useful asset. Not only does it allow people to get to know you, but it can help you establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Depending on your line of work, you could even sell your creations directly on your site. Lastly, your site could automatically attract customers from search engines. Make sure your website looks beautiful, and follow SEO best practices to increase your search rankings.

Use high-quality images or videos

Human brains are wired to be responsive to images, reports Canva. A high-quality picture or video gives customers an in-depth look at what you do, heightens the user experience, and makes you seem more professional and reliable. Your online promotional content should always be accompanied by a high-quality snap.  

Cross-promote

Cross-promotion is having another creative promote you in exchange for you promoting them. This can be a highly beneficial strategy. You get access to a ready-made user base. Furthermore, the association with a respected creative can be good for your reputation. For the best results, make sure you pick a creative in a complementary but non-competing niche.  

Be practical and set up your own business

If you’re serious about making money from your creative skills, you would do well to set up a lifestyle business or similar. It’s only when you treat what you do like a business will you make money from it. Start by making a business plan, which is a document covering all the practicalities of doing business and being profitable. It will allow you to figure out essential specifics on becoming commercially viable, from market research and product development to sales and customer engagement.

Use an invoicing software to stay in control of your finances

Invoicing software is an essential accompaniment for your business. It will allow you to keep accurate books, figure out your profit margin, and make it simpler for customers to pay you. Always choose software for invoicing with online payment support, notifications for customer invoice views and payments, and the ability to schedule invoicing for recurring payments.

Conclusion

Don’t forget to believe in yourself. Inject enthusiasm and confidence in everything you do. Self-belief can be a very attractive quality to have and will shine through your creations. If you value your offerings and take pride in your work, your creations are bound to fly off the shelves.

Soul & Solace: What Can I Do?

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Perhaps you voiced the words aloud. Perhaps they trouble your soul: felt but unsaid. How do we face the day, knowing what is done cannot be undone? Children are dead. For no reason. Families devastated. For no reason. Students traumatized. For no reason.

The brutality of the Uvalde shooting shatters our hearts. But what can we do? What good are my tears: hot as they are with rage? What good are anyone’s?

I have no answers: just the story of a gift, an Easter gift, long delayed. The package, a present from our daughter, arrived the day of the Uvalde shooting. The creators of the gift, artists Oleg and Darina, included with the present a note, handwritten in English and adorned with hand-drawn hearts: “With love from Ukraine!” Due to the murders we’re calling “Putin’s War,” Oleg and Darina had been forced to relocate, hence the delay in shipping.

The package arrived resealed: my guess is it had been opened and searched. Inside the taped-up box lay six smaller boxes. Each housed an intricately painted fragile egg: in perfect condition. They are, each, a wonder. Staring at them, more tears came: tears of awe, gratitude, and sorrow.

I have no answers. But I think of Oleg and Darina and realize that we live in a world of brutality and beauty. And that which way we lean—toward or the brutal or the beautiful—makes a serious difference in our lives and in the lives of others. Oleg and Davina lean toward beauty in the midst of brutality. Their choice guides mine, between tears.

So, what can we do?

 

Between tears

         Tell someone we love them

Between tears

         Gaze up at stars or down at a flower

Between tears

         Scream primal prayers at the heavens

Between tears

         Stand in another’s shoes

Between tears

         Savor beauty

Between tears

         Drive like a human

Between tears

         Create beauty

Between tears

         Feel water on our skin and the sun on our face

Between tears

         Do the world some small good, just because we can

Between tears

         Know our tears matter.

Ukranian Painted Eggs by Oleg and Darina

How Art Helps Kids With Learning Challenges

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Image via Unsplash

Children, like everyone, have a range of talents and abilities. One child is great with numbers; another has a knack for words and language. All kids learn differently and at different rates. Still, children with learning challenges often face more frustration in their regular classrooms. But there is one subject that most kids enjoy being on the same playing field as their peers. It’s art! Painting, drawing, sculpting, dance, music, and crafts benefit all children, including those with learning challenges — the following article presented by A Spacious Place explains the hows and whys.

A Boost in Self-Esteem

No one’s art has to be just like anyone else’s. Art teachers emphasize the point that “it’s your art, and it can be whatever you want it to be.” This statement is powerful and resonates with kids who have learning challenges. These children often feel a lower sense of self-worth or even like they are less intelligent than their classmates. But, with art, the pressure to perform like everyone else is off, allowing creativity to flow and boosting their self-esteem. 

Expressing Thoughts Is Easier

Children who learn differently sometimes struggle with communication. Art allows kids to express themselves in a way that is comfortable for them. Children who learn differently often deal with strong emotions that are difficult to explain or control. Art gives them an outlet for these feelings.

Improves Concentration and Reduces Stress

When doing art, the brain is stimulated as more dopamine is produced. For children with ADHD, increased dopamine results in improved concentration. As a result, art is enjoyable, and serotonin levels increase too. This feel-good hormone, produced when being creative, reduces stress levels. 

Physical Benefits

Dexterity and fine motor skills improve when kids paint, draw, mold clay, use scissors, or play an instrument. In addition, large muscle groups get an excellent workout when practicing a dance routine. 

A Dedicated Space for Creativity

Art is sometimes messy, music is sometimes loud, and space is needed for dancing. So think about utilizing an unused room or area of your home as a “creativity” space. A spare bedroom or unfinished basement converted into a dance, art, music classroom, or studio has many advantages.

Spontaneity

Setting up a table, gathering supplies, and asking permission each time a child wants to do a craft or practice dancing stifles creativity. An area designated for artistry means supplies are readily available and easily accessible when the mood hits. In addition, a dedicated space means unfinished projects stay on the table or easel. There’s no need to rush to complete a masterpiece.

Living Areas Remain Tidy 

Paint, glue, and glitter get everywhere. A room containing all supplies, instruments, and even a dance bar leaves the rest of the house paint- and glitter-free. Music noise is greatly decreased and kids have a space to practice dance without interfering with the activities of other family members. 

Increase the Value of Your Home

Converting an unfinished space into a finished space increases the usable square footage of your home. This could help boost the appraisal value of your property should you decide to sell in the future or if you need to leverage the equity in your home to finance remodeling or college costs. 

Share Your Teaching With Others

After teaching art to your child, you’ve seen the benefits it brings them, and you’ve enjoyed teaching too. Consider reaching out to other parents with kids who have learning disabilities. Turn your passion into a business and offer art classes in your home’s art room or studio. 

Teaching platforms provide teachers, tutors, and performers a place to list online and in-person classes and activities in Washington, DC, and around the country, and owning and operating a small business from your home has many benefits. Flexibility and convenience rank at the top. Further, being your own boss means you make all the decisions and your creativity has no limits.

Benefits of Art for Learning Disabilities

Children with learning disabilities benefit from doing art. Improved concentration, decreased stress levels, and a judgment-free outlet to express themselves are just a few. Working together with parents and educators, children who learn differently are better served.

~ Brad Krause

Soul & Solace: The Critic

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The worst thing I can do when I sit down to write, is to open the door for The Critic. You know the guy: he strides in, wearing a superior expression, a bad mustache, and chewing on a cigar. In tones at once bored and superior, he launches in.
 
          “What drivel.”
          “Been done a thousand times. And better.”
          “You USED to be a writer. Too bad…”
And the oldie but baddie: “Don’t you get it? You just can’t.”
 
In the sixteen years A Spacious Place has been providing creativity services, we’ve heard The Critic internalized and voiced by people we serve. Perhaps The Critic once spoke at them from an authority figure or someone they admired. Perhaps they just never got the chance to try, fail, and try again in a supportive environment. So, The Critic mouths off at them using their own voice.
 
          “I’m not creative.”
          “Been there, done that.”
          “Creating’s for kids (or not for men, like me).”
          “Waste of time—I need to be working.”
And the oldie but baddie: “I’m no good at this. I just can’t.”
 
We all can—and we need to—create. We’ve just been socialized by The Critic to believe we can’t. And that’s a tragedy, because creating, which feeds our souls, helps us reach our human potential, and connects us with our Creator, also boasts an abundance of fringe benefits. The risk-taking creating demands boosts our courage. Creating that doesn’t go to plan enhances our ability to deal with frustration, to problem solve, and to shift perspective. Creating opens our eyes to beauty and truth around us, which helps ease burnout and depression. And because, most of the time, we create to share a truth of ourselves with others, creating builds healthy community.
 
So, when The Critic strides on to our doorstep, we can silently point to the exit, press the door shut, and
 
plate an appetizing meal, or
plant a colorful garden, or
weave a basket, or
sing a song, or
embroider a pillow, or
paint a still life, or…
 
…whatever silences The Critic so we can hear the truth and beauty of our own voice.
 
How do you respond to The Critic? How do you express your creativity? We would love to hear from you. Share your Soul & Solace thoughts with us at contact@aspaciousplace.com.

Soul & Solace: Reframing Faith

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I don’t know about you, but I get worn down praying. I’m maxed out on prayers for pandemic relief, for the people (especially women and children) of Afghanistan, for equal voting rights for all citizens, for Ukraine to be free from violent assault. Add to that a lengthy list of personal requests
 
            …followed by the three blinking dots of a God text message.
 
I’m worn with waiting and with continued, determined hoping. We’ve entered the Christian Lenten season: a time of introspection and asceticism in hopes of deepening our relationship with God. This season, I’m struck by the number of Scriptures begging God to remember, to help. I think we need to beg God to save the people of Ukraine, to help us vote in leaders who serve the public good rather than themselves, to empower those fighting in word and action for the God values of justice, equality, freedom, and love.
 
I once read a thinker who suggested the only purpose of prayer was to align our minds with decisions God already made. Okay, sometimes, yes. To that, I also offer the example of Abraham praying for Sodom, Moses praying for the Israelites, and the psalmists turning all their creative powers to snag God’s attention and beg for help.
 
We may not have considered prayer, or God, in this way. I think it’s worth a look, even if it discomforts. Lent is an uncomfortable season, because faith grows when challenged. And we sorely need a growing faith now.
 
Join us at A Spacious Place in praying that God, by whatever name you choose, attend to the pain and violence in the world, and then to act as only God can. We may feel maxed out, but let’s keep on trying. It’s what we can do in a world of hurt.
 
What are your beliefs on prayer, on God, on faith? We would love to hear from you. Share your Soul & Solace thoughts with us at contact@aspaciousplace.com

Soul & Solace: Gessoing

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Last month, I embarked on the lengthy process of rendering our Rock Penguins in wood. Yes, that’s Rock, not Rockhopper (well, mostly). Let me clarify.
 
One holiday season years ago, friends gave us a train display for our yard. Our daughters had the awesome idea of creating an Ozzie Osborne penguin to engineer that “Crazy Train.” Being constructed of cardboard, the train lasted only one season of Texas holiday weather, but Ozzie, painted on foamboard and sealed in adhesive plastic, lived on. He looked lonely, so we created him some friends. Rock friends, to be precise (and some are rockhoppers, as well).
 
First Chuck Berry joined the festivities, followed by Joan Jett, George Michael, David Bowie (aka Ziggy Stardust), Tina Turner, Freddie Mercury, and last year’s addition, Dolly Parton. But, even in their adhesive shields, our Antarctic friends began to show wear. Chuck’s guitar bled onto his arm, David’s head hung in a permanent bow, Tina’s feet in striking gold heels turned at the ankle. Our penguin friends began to take on a decidedly Halloween look.
 
We recently acquired a power saw and I saw—pun intended—my husband’s eyes light up in a way that astonished me. To my surprise, I had a Tool Time husband! I thought, why not recreate our Rock Star Penguins in sturdy wood, using paints intended for the great out of doors? We can repaint as needed, because they won’t need plastic adhesive shielding.
 
Emboldened by the idea and recognizing the enormity of the task, we journeyed to our home improvement store, purchased three sheets of four-by-eight plywood, had it cut into fourths, and motored home with possibilities bouncing in the bed of our truck. We toted the boards inside; I covered tables and floor with plastic; and we laid the wood out for Step 1. That’s when I got out the bucket of gesso.
 
Gesso, if the term is new for you, is pronounced with a soft “g,” as if we were a j: Jesso. Gesso is used to seal surfaces for painting: on a gessoed surface, the paint stays bright and doesn’t seep in. Fun Fact: Applying two coats of gesso, front and back, to large boards tucked into every inch of a home’s table and floor space is two things: boring and hard. It is possible that Pelaton might use the necessary moves to create a new workout video. The brush dragged along the wood; I ran out of Gesso and had to procure more; my back ached.


Kicking my thoroughly gessoed self, I thought, what a waste of money and time. But, we’d made the investment, so I might as well get on with it. Besides, the old penguins deserved to be thanked for their service and laid respectfully to rest.
 
Today, the gessoing is done. Looking at the boards, fresh painted with promise, I’m again feeling that sense of wonder and hope. I don’t know how long this project will take or how inconvenient it may be. Still, I want to do it. I hope to provide a smile to our neighbors during a pandemic that just won’t quit. I want to give my husband an opportunity to be Mr. Tool Time. I want my daughters to come home to a holiday welcoming committee straight from the rock stages of Antarctica.
 
Sometimes to get to joy, we first have to gesso.
 
What, for you, is gessoing? What helps you stay with it to the joy? Share your Soul & Solace thoughts with us at contact@aspaciousplace.com.

Turn Your Art Into a Profitable Side Gig: 4 Tips For Success

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(Photo via Pexels)

Have you tossed around the idea of selling your art? The connectedness of our world — and the widespread availability of various technologies — has made it easier than ever before to turn your work into a side gig. In fact, some artists have been able to generate thousands of dollars by using various marketplaces and platforms to promote and sell their paintings, pottery, handmade jewelry, and other creations.

If you are finally ready to begin selling your artwork professionally, yet still need time to create new art and work at your day job, use these helpful tips.

Learn how to legally start and run a business

Although you may be able to get away with it, selling your artwork without the proper permits and licenses can result in harsh penalties. On top of fines, some states arrest individuals who are selling products (even homemade goods) “under the table.” Rather than risk everything you’ve worked so hard to earn, commit to running your business legally.

To launch a business that earns you passive income from your art, research what is needed to operate both online and in-person. Most individuals start this process by applying for all of the essentials, including a business license, sales tax permit, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Even if you never plan on hiring employees, having an EIN (which is also referred to as a Tax ID Number or TIN) helps identify your business more easily. This number is often required for filing your taxes, applying for a sales tax permit, and opening a business bank account.

Promote your work on social media

Once you’ve officially launched your business, develop a social media strategy for promoting your art. Generating excitement around your brand is super helpful when looking to attract attendees for your upcoming events, workshops, and gallery unveilings. It can also help connect you with people who want to purchase your work online and locally.

Rather than simply posting pictures and descriptions of your work, get creative with how you market yourself. Use videos, Instagram Reels, and TikTok posts to give your fans a behind-the-scenes look at your process. Make all of your posts fun and engaging for the best results. 

Approach area galleries, cafes, and event organizers to sell your work

As you begin to promote yourself and your work, begin approaching local organizations that can help you sell your work. This is key when looking to earn a passive income. Approach boutiques, local cafes, art galleries, and the like to see if they’d be interested in carrying your items. Oftentimes, there is an application process involved with arrangements like this.

Additionally, you should begin signing up for local farmers markets and vendor fairs. These are excellent places to display and sell your art. On top of sales, getting exposure within your area is also a valuable investment of your time. Unlike applying to have your work featured and sold at a cafe, gallery, or boutique, being accepted by vendor fairs and markets is much easier. However, keep in mind that selling your art at these kinds of events is a substantial time commitment.

Set up an online store and work space

Another essential component in having a successful side gig is making your art available online. Whether you sell paintings, earrings, or sculptures, this is critical for boosting your sales. It is also helpful for those who love your work, but cannot buy it on the spot at a vendor market or farmers market. Having an online store also makes it easier for individuals to recommend your work to others.

If you create much of your art from home, eventually, you may require more space to work. You can easily find apartments for rent in the Austin area by searching online and filtering for price, neighborhoods, and amenities. Currently, suburban apartments start as low as $600 per month, while centrally located downtown residences start at $1,500 per month.

Thanks to the latest ecommerce platforms, you can have a store up and running within an afternoon. Those with minimal tech experience can effortlessly upload pictures, write product descriptions, and select payment options.

Starting a side business to sell your work is a thrilling decision. Rather than wait for the “right” time, begin pursuing your dreams today.

A Spacious Place is dedicated to helping individuals with special needs create art in their communities. Learn how you can make a difference today!

~Amy Collett acollett@bizwell.org

Setting Up a Nonprofit: A Resource Guide for Beginners

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Image via Pexels

If you’re a creative person, you know just how rewarding artistic hobbies can be. From music to painting, these pursuits allow people to tap into their emotions and find new ways to express themselves. A Spacious Place is a nonprofit that provides underserved communities with the resources they need to get creative. Interested in starting a charitable organization with a similarly creative slant? The below resource guide is here to help.

Select a Business Model and Set Up the Basic Structure

If you want to benefit from the tax breaks awarded to charitable organizations, you must register your company as an official nonprofit business entity.

  • Conduct a needs assessment to determine what unmet need your creative nonprofit can serve in your community.
  • Figure out what kind of legal entity to register your nonprofit as. Generally, the process is the same as starting a business in Texas.
  • Write out a nonprofit business plan to clarify how your nonprofit will be organized.
  • Research your nonprofit tax requirements with the IRS.

Figure Out How to Fund Your Nonprofit

Nonprofits need financial resources to maintain operations.

  • Determine your nonprofit startup costs.
  • Look into charitable grants to help pay for your nonprofit’s foundation.
  • Calculate your ongoing overhead expenses to see how much money you’ll have to fundraise to maintain operations moving forward.
  • Look into diverse ways to raise money for your nonprofit.

Ensure Transparent and Streamlined Nonprofit Operations

Efficient daily operations will help you make the most of your nonprofit’s resources going forward.

  • Map out a management structure for your nonprofit detailing the duties and obligations of managers, staff, and volunteers.
  • Simplify your daily operations with cutting-edge tools like email marketing technology and accounting software.
  • Broaden your network by connecting with other creatively oriented nonprofits.

Starting a nonprofit can be a deeply rewarding way to give back to your community while also pursuing your passion. By giving other people the tools and resources they need to tap into their inner creativity, you can help them live a more rewarding life.

~Amy Collett acollett@bizwell.org

Soul & Solace — September 2020

Creativity/Spirituality, , , ,

The Waiting Room

A houseplant, given by a child from last year’s camp, graces our kitchen table. This year, camp was online for the few who could attend, and while we were delighted to see our campers and their creations, it’s just not the same. We miss the folks we once chatted with, hugged, and created alongside. We wonder about the future. What will happen to them? What will happen to us?
 
We aren’t alone in our wonderings. We’re all hanging out in a global waiting room where, due to the virus, they’ve even removed the outdated magazines. We try not to breathe too deeply as we wait for our name to be called. We perch on uncomfortable chairs, wondering: What will the prognosis be? Will our business, our job, our marriage, our lives survive? Will there ever be a day when we can, again, breathe deep and free? What will our globe look like once the waiting room empties and it’s all over?
 
One of the hardest things we do as humans is to wait. And, oddly, that hard thing can remind us of our mutual connection. Past months have brought plenty to yank us apart. Could the global waiting room draw us together? Might we look at one another over our masks and nod, “Yeah. Me, too?”
 
After last year’s camp, I dutifully watered our plant gift. Even so, the brilliant, waxy red blossoms withered and died. Autumn came, and then winter. Then March with its ill news followed by months of more bad news. But today I look across this screen at two brilliant, waxy red blossoms worth waiting for.
 
And I hope…
 
How do you pass the time in the global waiting room? What gives you hope? Share your Soul & Solace thoughts with us at contact@aspaciousplace.com.

Soul & Solace April 2018

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Wax On…

Sometimes faith is like the Karate Kid. We’re trapped in the middle—wax on wax off, paint the fence—without any sense of purpose or outcome. Are we being played? Used? What’s the point of all this, anyway?

When we’re sweating in the dark, a faith of cute baby angels and “smile, God loves you” just won’t cut it. In these seasons I find myself resentful, confused, fear filled. What is faith in such times? How do we keep on waxing and painting?

  1. We clarify. Painful as they are, paint-the-fence times provide a chance to get clear. What really matters to me? Really matters enough to risk my safety and security? Dr. Martin Luther King did not intend to preach his “Mountaintop Sermon.” With his life was in danger, and he had no plans to attend the gathering in which he uttered those potent words. But when invited, he came. As he speaks, we see him gain courage and clarity. Dr. King was killed shortly after preaching his Mountaintop Sermon. What he died for lives on.
  2. We act. In attending to those tasks which relate to our highest value we apply wax where it is needed. We act in faith, no matter how we feel. And in the acting, we gain soul muscle. A caution: we can over-function during waxing times, believing we’ve somehow fallen short of expectations and more effort will fix things. And that’s where Point Three comes in.
  3. We care for ourselves. Imagine a child enduring a painful season. Would we berate the child with “should haves” or heap on extra chores? Instead, we’d say “whatever you are feeling is okay; I’m here for you.” Enduring these seasons is grueling. Let’s be good to ourselves.
  4. We remember Miyagi. Why does God allow some things that happen—or not happen? It seems to unjust. Uncaring. Recalling God’s daily gifts of creation beauty, love of family and friends, good food, and cleansing water helps us give God the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Miyagi, it turned out, had a good purpose in all those chores.

How do you hang on during trying times? What, for you, is faith? We’d love to read your thoughts.