As creators, we all dream of being considered professionals. But where is the line that separates the two? Is it definite or arbitrary? Or are these just labels that don’t mean anything? Join me as I look into what it takes to be a professional artist.
With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it’d be a good time to recommend a couple of things to get you in the mood.
First, you can grab a copy of my dark fiction collection, Dark Journeys. It’s a mix of horror, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. Perfect for reading alone in a darkened room (if you’re using an e-reader) or by candlelight (if you grab the paperback version). The stories include seductive demons, patchwork lovers, marooned astronauts, and an assortment of creepy things to haunt your dreams.
If you’re looking for something auditory, then you can listen to a couple of my podcast episodes. Last year I read one of my short stories, Consumed, for my Halloween episode. More recently, I recorded an episode about the Art of Fear. The first one will give you a few chills, while the second one will inspire.
There’s no shortage of horror-related stuff out there for the discriminating fear aficionado, and nowadays you don’t need books or movies, just read the news and you’ll be horrified.
Why are horror and fear popular subjects in the art world? For centuries, we’ve continued to seek out ways to scare ourselves and we keep coming back for more. Join me as I explore the reasons behind our obsession with fear and how we explore it in our artistic output.
I was recently asked to write a guest post for the website, Originality by Design, and was told to write about something that was important to me. So obviously, I chose to write about creativity.
Please give it a read and let me know what you think. I’ll respond to comments on both sites.
We all dream of making money off our art, but how realistic is that dream? In this episode, I talk about how the monetization of art has changed over the centuries and what modern artists can – and should – expect from the market.
We see ads around us every day. Some are good, some are bad. But have you ever considered advertising to be art? Join me as I discuss advertising as an art form.
We often take for granted how important it is to have a sense of wonder about the world around us. Not only for our own mental health, but also because it can fuel our creativity. Join me as I talk about regaining our childlike sense of wonder and how we can use it to improve ourselves and our art.
The topic for this episode is “Who Cares?” It’s easy to lose your motivation when you don’t have an audience or you aren’t getting the attention you think you should, but this doesn’t mean you should give up. Join me as I talk about keeping your focus and staying motivated.
It isn’t always easy to receive feedback on your creative output, but it’s an important part of being an artist. Join me as I talk about giving and receiving constructive criticism.