MamaViews: Marisa from Creative Thursday

You may have seen mention of Marisa's creativity e-course "In the Fish Bowl."  Well today you can get a little mini-course on creativity right here as Marisa shares her thoughts, images and stories about life as an artist and the creative process.  You can read more about her courses here, see the fantastic things in her shop here, and get more Marisa on her blog here.  Enjoy!

In your creative life, how have you evolved as a person and an artist and how has that manifested itself in your art?

Funny how that works isn't it. Choosing to express yourself creatively completely informs and inspires your evolution not only as an artist but as a person. And I'd like to add to that, that the willingness to share my creations as well as my journey publicly through a blog and now teaching has just recently given me a new found clarity on who I truly am and want to continue to be in his world. And I want to stay fiercely loyal to that vision as genuinely as possible, both personally and professionally

You seem to be very much about sharing your insights, discoveries and ideas.  How does the process of sharing benefit you?

I like to believe there is enough for everyone, that we can all succeed and thrive together. Having a competitive nature means this sentiment has not always been easy for me to trust. Acting on this  while still learning to trust it has not only helped those I've chosen to share with, but it has also helped me to see and believe that it is true. There is indeed enough for all of us. 

Where did you get the courage to make the leap to being a full time artist?  What advice would you give to other women who are looking to create more creative space in their lives?

Having exhausted various creative careers that did not inspire me, I simultaneously decided that I didn't really want to work for someone else anymore. I believed that if I fully committed to living a creative life doing work that I love, that one way or another I would succeed. So that's exactly what I did, I jumped in and committed. It took longer and took more financial resources than I thought it would, but it was all worth it. The advice I give to everyone looking to create more creative space in their lives is to just start somewhere and commit to it. You have to care that much about adding creative expression to your life that you make it a very high priority

To me you seem like a progressive pioneer; do you think so too?  In what way?

Yes, I think so! I believed in what was possible when many people around me continuously wanted to tell me what wasn't possible. A pioneer stays loyal to their vision and their dreams and keeps going forward.

Do you ever get in a creative rut?  Tell us a few things you do to get out of it.  Or maybe when you just need to clear your head with new scenery or a new activity, how do you "cleanse the creative palette?"

My problem is usually that I have so many ideas, I get overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. If I do get in a creative rut its because I'm thinking too much about how what I make will be received. The way I get out of this is to gently bring myself back, by tuning into my heart and listening to my own creative voice.

 

Marisa, thanks so much for sharing.  It's so encouraging to see someone follow their dreams and succeed.  Keep in touch!