Create & Inspire Podcast with Aunia Kahn

Do you want to become a better artist but don't know where to start. Have you thought about going to art school but don't have the financial resources or time? If so this video, podcast, and blog post is for you! Since I felt this topic was important and I want you to make the things you love and improve on your craft, I created this blog to showcase both the video episode and the podcast (both a little different but have the same information).

Grief and loss are things that Western society has not fit into its cultural idea of acceptability. Unlike other cultures, we find it very hard to accept the process of loss and rarely talk about death. What to Say (and What Not to Say) to Someone Who’s Grieving https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/smarter-living/what-to-say-and-what-not-to-say-to-someone-whos-grieving.html What Not to Say to Someone Who is Grieving | Kay Warren https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyQMh9j56r4 We don't "move on" from grief. We move forward with ithttps://www.ted.com/talks/nora_mcinerny_we_don_t_move_on_from_grief_we_move_forward_with_it

Be wary of living most of your life in the moment outside of the present because you will end up dwelling on things in the distant future and waste the only power you really have- the power of now.  

SHOW DETAILS 1. Be compassionate towards yourself and limitations.  2. Try not to overdo it when you feel good. 3. You can always work on ideas even if you execute them right now. 4. Understand you are more creative when you are tired and worn out and not at our best. 5. Be adaptive. 6. Do something that is collectively creative. 7. Recognize even healthy people have issues around creativity in general. 8. Little successes are everything, You did one brush stroke – good. You thought about writing your book – great! You thought of a great idea – wonderful! SHOW QUOTES “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, but rather, that which is most adaptable to change.” – 1963 speech delivered by Leon C. Megginson Brené Brown’s research showed 85% of people (surveyed) remembered an event at school so shaming it changed how they thought of themselves and the rest of their lives. And half of them said their shame wounds related to creativity — being dismissed, embarrassed, or belittled in their attempts to “make things” SHOW LINKS 5 Inspiring Artists with Lupus & Other chronic Illnesses Your Best Creative Time is Now When You Think Constructive Criticism VS Criticism Think & Destroy Podcast

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In Episode 35 I give you 6 tips to help you navigate Facebook's ever-changing Algorithm. These tips will help your posts have better visibility and connection with your audience.   SHOW LINKS MyModern.Met Canva Think & Destroy Podcast

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Episode 34 shares 6 pointers to help artists sell their artwork more effectively online.   SHOW QUOTES “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” – Zig Ziglar   SHOW LINKS How to Take Great Photographs of Artwork  

Social Media has become a platform for individuals to stand vehemently on their soapboxes and share their voices. I would like to share my thoughts - thank you in advance for reading. I don’t speak out much about social issues on this professional profile, however, I feel I have some things I would like to share. Maybe more understanding of the people around us, opening up discussions between people and agreeing to disagree would help us come to a more loving place where there are less division and more embracing

ABOUT THIS EPISODEThe importance of business cards is often overlooked now that we rely so heavily on the digital age of communication and connecting. In this episode, I provide 3 reasons business cards are still important as well as providing 5 ways to improve your business card design. SHOW QUOTES “To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” – George Kneller SHOW LINKSWhy You Need A Professional Portfolio & Website 30 Unconventional Business CardsOvernight Prints Vista Print

ABOUT THIS EPISODETitling is an important aspect of the creative process and we will give you a few reasons why you should consider a unique or creative title. SHOW QUOTES “You named your sword Fire? Fire? What kind of a boring name is that? You might as well name your sword ‘Blazing Blade’ and be done with it. Fire indeed. Humph. Wouldn’t you rather have a sword called Sheepbiter or Chrysanthemum Cleaver or something else with imagination?” ― Christopher Paolini

ABOUT THIS EPISODEHave you shipped work to the gallery, and can’t seem to get them to send your work back? Has there been a lack in communication, no communication at all or have you been given the runaround? If so, in this episode we give you some ways to help you work with the gallery in getting your work back safe and sound. Sometimes it’s a simple miscommunication, or confusion about a contract however other times it can be a very difficult and upsetting situation. SHOW QUOTES “Charity never made poor, stealing never made rich and wealth never made wise” – English proverb SHOW LINKSLost Art RegistrationLegal Demand Letter  

ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday we talk about the Create & Inspire 30 Day Creative Challenge. Join us for the month of October! SHOW QUOTES Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way. – Edward de Bono The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configures new perspectives and conquers fears. – Dan Stevens SHOW LINKS Foster A Pet

ABOUT THIS EPISODEAs creative people, we need a space to be creative and make things, and all the better if it’s a dedicated creative space and not the kitchen table. In this episode, we give you some unconventional space ideas to help you carve out ideas to help create your own dedicated space. We show you how any space, big or small can be transformed into an area all your own.  SHOW QUOTES My studio has a personality of its own. It can be a monstrous clutter from one end to the other or, at times, the very model of simplicity.  – Harley Brown  To have a sacred place is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a room or a certain hour of the day or so, where you do not know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody or what they owe you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. – Joseph Campbell SHOW LINKSLaundry Room StudioArt  Studio Spaces on PinterestHome/Art Studio Ideas Pinterest Best Lighting for Art Studios & Work Spaces

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In this episode we talk about self promotion and how to use it to better further your career. Many artists and creatives don’t want to partake in self-promotion since it can seem ego-driven or very self-serving, however, it is a vital part of building a career. Here are some tips on how to better self promote and why it’s important. Also, we are sharing with you our 30 Day Creative Challenge which starts Oct 31st, 2014. SHOW QUOTES It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Muhammad Ali Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. – Albert Camus SHOW LINKSThe Art of Self Promotion: 6 Tips to Get Your Work DiscoveredBoomer Business Podcast 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Today marks the 13th anniversary of the tragedy of the world Trade Center. This episode we take a short moment to reflect on that day. We will be back to our regularly scheduled program next week. SHOW QUOTES Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. – Og Mandino SHOW LINKSArt Heals, It’s Just That Simple

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIt’s a good exercise to take a moment out of our crazy lives and acknowledge all of the people, places, situations, and experiences that have helped us along the way. What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today? It’s important to note that most people don’t choose to be thankless or unappreciative. Often an unapologetic drive to be successful, complete a task or live a better life means sometimes “living in the now” or remembering those that have helped us is overlooked. It takes practice to live in the now, and time to stop and be thankful for everything – the good or the bad. Doing so can be a golden key to a better career and further your journey as an artist or creative person. SHOW QUOTES Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. – Henry Ward Beecher  What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today? SHOW LINKSLeonard Bernstein’s Moving Letter of Gratitude to His MentorThe Leonard Bernstein LettersWhy Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You HappyA Practical Guild to GratitudeLetters to a Young Artist

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Art Therapy is not just something that happens in clinical settings, art therapy can be exercised in the privacy of our own homes. It can help work through trauma, loss and as a tool for stress reduction, however, it can also be utilized to express joy, create a memory and/or memorialize something special. Creativity is cathartic and can be used by everyone, at any time! SHOW QUOTES “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change this world.” – Robin Williams [Dead Poets Society] “Art is to console those who are broken by life.” – Vincent van Gogh Creativity brings hope when we are broken. – Aunia Kahn SHOW LINKSThe Ten Coolest Art Therapy InterventionsArt Verses Illness

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  Mentorships can be an important asset to personal developmental whether it’s career driven or more personal. Working directly with a person that is more experienced or more knowledgeable than you are can open doors, help nurture of new ideas and advancements, keep you from costly mistakes and you could even build a life long friendship. SHOW QUOTES “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” ― Plato “Remind yourself that a mentor’s time is not free. The actual time they spend with you is worth money, and the years of advice or area of expertise they are helping you with required significant investment on their part” – Inc. “It was my teacher’s genius, her quick sympathy, her loving tact which made the first years of my education so beautiful. It was because she seized the right moment to impart knowledge that made it so pleasant and acceptable to me. She realized that a child’s  mind is like a shallow brook which ripples and dances merrily over the stony course of its education and reflects here a flower, there a bush, yonder a fleecy cloud; and she attempted to guide my mind on its way, knowing that like a brook it should be fed by mountain streams and hidden springs, until it broadened out into a deep river, capable of reflecting in its placid surface, billowy hills, the luminous shadows of trees and the blue heavens, as well as the sweet face of a little flower. Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his, whether he is busy or at rest; he must feel the flush of victory and the heart-sinking of disappointment before he takes with a will the tasks distasteful to him and resolves to dance his way bravely through a dull routine of textbooks. My teacher is so near to me that I scarcely think of myself apart from her. How much of my delight in all beautiful things is innate, and how much is due to her influence, I can never tell. I feel that her being is inseparable from my own, and that the footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of me belongs to her–there is not a talent, or an aspiration or a joy in me that has not been awakened by her loving touch.” – Helen Keller SHOW LINKSEpisode #3: Criticism VS Constructive CriticismWhy Successful People Do Not Want To Mentor You

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Visual Journaling (Art Journaling/Creative Journaling/Art Diary) has been around for years and is an activity that can help us be more creative, aid in working through issues or promote happiness by having a fun and expressing ourselves. Visual journaling is often rooted in art therapy to work through trauma, loss and as a tool for stress reduction, however, it can also be utilized to express joy, create a memory and/or memorialize something special. Creativity is cathartic. SHOW QUOTES “Art doesn’t have to be pretty. It has to be meaningful.” ~Duane Hanson  “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~G.B. Shaw  SHOW LINKS Psychology Today: 10 Visual Journaling PromptsStrathmore Visual Journals   Journals by: Pam Carriker and by Lou Ann

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  When following our dreams and finally achieving them we often find that they are not exactly the way we envisioned them, however that is life! In this episode we take a journey with host Aunia Kahn as she talks achieving a specific dream, the challenges and what we need to do when we feel stuck or in a place of transition within our own dreams. SHOW QUOTES If I can inspire people by showing that following a dream by working hard and being determined is possible, it’s amazing. – Leona Lewis SHOW LINKS10 Things That Will Happen When You Start Pursuing Your Dreams

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  One of the most coveted experiences by artists is securing a solo exhibition. There is a lot that goes into this aspect of an artists career, but we got you covered! In this episode, we provide useful information and direction to any artist interested in pursuing a solo exhibition of their dreams. SHOW QUOTES Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection. Kim Collins  SHOW LINKSC&I Episode 7: Getting You Art Into Art Galleries C&I Episode 4: Why You Need A Professional Portfolio & Website  

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Con artists are everywhere and in every industry. One of the greatest atrocities of the world are people who feed on others vulnerabilities and naivety with deception and lies. In this episode, I share a couple personal stories of con artists I have encountered, while also providing you with resources to help you avoid being a victim of a scam. SHOW QUOTES The reason con artists get away with what they get away with is, their victims are ashamed of their own blindness and their own gullibility, and they tend to just quietly go away. – Walter Kirn And I think it’s because good cons are all based on the victim’s need, and the successful con artist is the one, I guess, who can exploit that. I remember reading something about this, that one of the great traits of confidence tricksters is the level that they flatter their victim. – Alfred Molina SHOW LINKSKnown Art Scammers Names & Email ListKnown Scammers / Art Related Email ScamsArt Scams: Tips to Protect YourselfHow Stuff Works: How Con Artists WorkJim Carrey Commencement Speech  

ABOUT EPISODE In Episode 18 we have our second installation of advice from 30 artists, galleries owners, magazine editors, authors, creative business owners, etc answering this question: “If you could give one bit of advice to an artist just starting out what would that be?” This is part 2 of 3. Find the first installation: Episode 8 (1 of 3)   SHOW QUOTES 1. Put miles on the brush…or pencil. – Suzy Smith 2. Don’t put your focus on sales. Focus instead on finding yourself, finding your medium, finding your motivation and drive. Once you have a portfolio you are proud of, start showing it off. – Archer May Dougherty 3. Not everything you make is a Grandslam. Sometimes you strike out but see each piece leading to the other and so forth. It is a constant practice and learning experience. – Matthew F. Dougherty 4. Contracts are your friends. – Emily J Moore 5. Read dali’s book. 50 secrets of magic craftsmanship, published 1948. Memorize them all!! – Norm Goodwin 6. Curb the ego and work. – Jeremy Cross 7. Don’t be scared to try something new. – Alecia House 8. Compete with yourself and no one else. Don’t try to be anyone else because you can’t. Do the work you love because often that’s the only reason you’ll be doing it. Be generous with what you learn. Be happy when other artists succeed, more art means more possibilities. Every rejection is a step closer to finding success. Find out what recharges you and remember to do that even when you’re on deadline. Discover what you love about making art and remind yourself regularly. Draw or paint even if you don’t feel like it, inspiration will come. – Steve Cleff 9. As someone who only picked up pencils a year ago – Draw draw draw! Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration. Draw some more. Ask your friends for honest feedback. Draw more and find your own style. Try heaps of different mediums until you find one that suits your style. Don’t give up it takes time to get good at anything. Did I mention draw more?  – Jo Jette 10. Know why you make art–even if you don’t understand it intellectually and you can’t explain it to other people (or even yourself) Know it in your soul, feel it, focus on it and follow it. – Heather Watts 11. It has to be the art you love. Don’t second guess ‘what art is selling these days’. Find a way to combine all your passions (non-art too) into your art. The passion is tangible and is at least half the reason people will respond to your artwork. – Derek Gores 12. Get a non-refundable deposit of half upfront on commissions. – Christina M. Anderson 13. Never give up. – Wanda Ragsdale 14. Many artists find joy in creating whenever they get the free spirited notion or an inspiring idea. But when you are commissioned to create for a buyer or required to produce a specific number of pieces for a showcase/project by a certain date, art can be tedious. You cannot reach your highest heights by only being capable of creating “whenever I’m in the mood” art. You must prepare yourself for “on demand” art as well. – Zeus Luby 15. (a) Experimentation will have breakdowns, but can evoke some awesome breakthroughs. It’s ok to borrow techniques from others, but don’t limit yourself from standing out from the rest. Then people can borrow and learn from you. – Adam Layne 16. (b) Don’t limit your exposure to just posting art on social networking sites. There are many people who still get their foot in the door from face-to-face meetings, emails, snail mails, submitting to art shows and publications, and supporting other artists’ exhibitions who in turn will become your fans right back when you have a show. Creation is only part of the equation. Having a diverse action plan to get all sorts of eyes on your work will open the door for many more opportunities. – Adam Layne 17. Don’t do your work with sales in mind, do what feels right to you for you. A gift of art far outweighs bought art. Question yourself as to WHY you are creating. Art is as personal of an experience as religion ought to be. – Jeremy La Belle 18. Work hard, network and get your work out there to be seen. – Leslie Ditto 19. Don’t give up. Be careful of false promises. And learn from other artists. And you can be easily replaced. – Krystopher Sapp 20. Don’t give up! Your ideas are better than you realize. – RussPhoto Art 21. Adapt or perish. – Erich J. Moffitt 22. Follow you heart and trust your inner voice – Simone Young 23. Don’t be a pushover, stay humble, and don’t lose your integrity. – Luciano Martinez 24. Be fearless, be brave, be ready to have your heart and ego stomped on, but never ever EVER give up. – Julie Zarate 25. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. 100’s and thousands of them. There are hoards of happy accidents just waiting to happen. Just free your mind up to make room for growth always, and keep going. – Elly Ehrnst 26. Don’t let the cost of materials get in the way- learn to use found and recycled materials, garage sale items, Goodwill items, and hand-me-downs- this will make it easier to make mistakes without fear – Bradley Cahill 27. Set a goal of 20-30 pieces to complete within 6 months, exploring style, subject matter, media, and other challenges. You’ll come out of it with a direction to follow! – Kelly McKernan Cavanah 28. Young artists shouldn’t copy established artists just to get social feed validation and get into galleries. They should develop their own unique voice with their own unique library of icons and symbols. Just because it exists and is on the internet doesn’t mean it’s there for the taking. Less entitled, more humbled… Brandt Peters 29. Study: know your art history, a bit of philosophy of art, learn what true art means so you won’t fall into the “fast food” art scheme, and will have better resources to judge your own work. Know yourself, so your chances of doing something that truly belongs to you will increase. Prepare to work hard, but that should not be a problem to the ones who have a powerful drive. Persevere. Never think you are “good” enough, chances are that you are not. at the same time, give yourself chances to make mistakes and evolve. Pay attention to what more experienced and schooled artists have to say and learn from them, stop thinking that knowledge equals elitism and snobbery. Be humble and never stop exploring. – Patricia Ariel

EPISODE INFO So you want to be a working artist that exhibitions work around the world, actually makes money for your creations and enjoys what they are doing, but you are not sure if you should go to art school or keep on with independent studies. In this episode we talk about both sides, give you some advice and tools to help you better make that decision.   SHOW QUOTES You have to work your ass off, to be taken seriously in the art world. The world is a university and everyone in it is a teacher. When you wake up in the morning, be sure you go to school. – T.D. Jakes  You can do anything you want to. Follow your dreams because if you say you can’t do it, you will spend the rest of your life proving it. – Yog   SHOW LINKS How Much Does Art School Cost Skillshare

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  Ah, art marketing! The thing most artists and creatives hate about having a career in the arts.  Marketing is so important, however, it’s sadly missed as a part of the everyday process of being a working artist. Most artists and creatives just want to create pretty things, and hope that their work gets seen and sold, but that never happens without some effort in marketing. For example, if you had 100% of a day, it is said at the very least, 20% of that time should be spent marketing. Yet, some of the most successful artists and business people of the world treat it more as a 50/50 ratio. There are many ways to market your work; from social networking, contests, works in progress shots, going places to meet people and also giving back to your community. Marketing can be creative and fun, but if you don’t like it anyway I spin it, the truth that it’s still a necessary aspect of a successful career in the arts.  SHOW QUOTES The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. – Jimmy Johnson T Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. – Calvin Coolidge SHOW LINKS Instant “NOOOOOO” Button Mail ChimpSocial Media Templates Google ImagesChet Zar & Aunia Kahn Talk Art MarketingSocial Kit

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  It’s very common for artists to want to be shown in galleries, but how can you tell if a gallery is reputable or not? Does it matter? Are there warning signs to avoid as an artist so that you are treated well in this vast world of fine art? Yes, there is and I will give you 10 tips to help you navigate your way to working with galleries that will love and respect not only your work, but you! SHOW QUOTES “Your reputation is more important than your paycheck, and your integrity is worth more than your career.” — Ryan Freitas Tweet This SHOW NOTES 1. Bad mouthing others on social networking and showing a lack of professionalism with their dealings on a public platform. 2. They do not pay their artists on time or at all. This is a huge red flag! 3. Galleries upselling artists work. 4. Galleries that do nothing to promote or support the artists that they work with. 5. When a gallery asks you to lower your prices to sell more work. Don’t do that. 6. Galleries that don’t share sales of your work with you in a timely fashion, and if you have to nag them to get updates and payments. 7. Galleries that want to want to micromanage your career, especially how and what you create. There is a big difference between a gallery being helpful or being a dictator. 8. They refuse to negotiate and are more apt to dictate. 9. You can’t get ahold of the gallery and the communication seems broken. Communication is key to any partnership. 10. If a gallery does not treat your work well, run away fast! Your work is your passion, your life and your world and should be treated us such and with respect.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE So you’re sitting there looking at a blank canvas/paper or the piece you are working on has become so frustrating and not even close to the idea you had in the first place that the local trash can is looking mighty tempting. It’s common to go through creative block, are we offer some advice, along with some website, books and quotes to help inspire you to work through it and get to the other side – where greatness is just a step away! SHOW QUOTES Comfortability KILLS Creativity! Tweet Quote Fall down 7 times, get up 8. – Japanese Proverb Tweet Quote Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. – Neale Donald Walsch Tweet Quote A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown. – Denis Waitley SHOW LINKS My Interview on Entrepreneur on Fire Runner Falls Down 6ooM Dash, Gets up = WINS!The Jealous Curator Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas. Advice & Projects from 50 Successful ArtistsThe Science of Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone (and Why You Should)

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIn Episode 13 we interviewed artist power couple Julianna and Joe Menna. Julianna is a painter producing highly detail and frighteningly fashionable oil paintings and Joe is best known for his sculpture work in both traditional and digital media and classical drawing abilities. In length we discuss 3D printing and how digital art plays a big role in the past and future of the art world.  We also discuss DC Comics, Dark Horse, and how Julianna recently became sponsored by Grumbacher. They also share their passion for their partnership together, their family, and upcoming projects. UPCOMING EXHIBITION November 2014 Sick Angels Gristle Art Gallery 26 Bushwick Ave Brooklyn, New York 11211 SHOW QUOTES Art is not a sporting event. – Joe Menna Click to Tweet SHOW LINKS Joe Menna Julianna Menna Gristle Arch Enemy Arts DC Comics Dark Horse Grumbacher

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  Pricing artwork can be very hard for artists just starting out and even those that have been at it for some time. More than anything it feels good to sell work, and feel like you are honored for your talent, however, you also have to make sure you are valuing your time, effort, talent, and creativity with a monetary value. In this episode, we help you with ideas on how to approach pricing your work. SHOW QUOTES Pricing is actually a pretty simple and straight forward thing. Customers will not pay literally a penny more than the true value of the product. – Ron Johnson If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. – Henry Ford SHOW LINKS A Simple Formula for Artwork Pricing7 Ways to Price a Painting (Depending on Personality)

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In Episode 11 we interview California based artist Chet Zar who is notable for his dark visual art, make-up effects, and digital animation. He is most widely known for his work with Tool’s music and live videos and he designed and created prosthetic effects for movies such as The Ring, Planet of the Apes, and Darkman, but after being unimpressed with politics in the film industry, Zar took the advice of horror author Clive Barker, and decided to pursue his passion of producing original works and oil-painting which he is widely known for today as well. SHOW QUOTES “Enlightenment is not imagining figures of light but making the darkness conscious.” Carl Jung SHOW LINKS Chet ZarChet’s Studies & Art for SaleChet in My Hyde Makeup Tool Art Marketing 101

ABOUT THIS EPISODE We have all wanted to give up at some point or another in something we are doing. When the going gets tough, it hard to now want to throw in the towel. You ask: “Is this even worth it?” In Episode 10 we share stories of failure from some of the most successful and influential people in the world, provide some insightful quotes and resources to help you navigate the feeling of giving up and bring you back to the notion that “presence” is key! SHOW QUOTES A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. – Elbert Hubbard Tweet This Energy and persistence conquer all things.  – Benjamin Franklin Tweet This Fall seven times and stand up eight – Japanese Proverb  SHOW LINKS 22 Reason to Never Give UpThe Dip by Seth GodinStar TrekLucille BallStephen King Steven Spielberg

ABOUT THIS EPISODEGoogle+ plus still seems very new and also many people are unsure if it’s worth their time, since time is precious and already spread throughout many social networking platforms. In Episode 9 we want to provide some information to help you consider if using Google+ is right for you. SHOW QUOTESAs for the data, GlobalWebIndex says that 25 percent of worldwide Internet users are now active on Google+ at least once a month — second behind Facebook (51 percent), but ahead of YouTube and Twitter (both 21 percent). – Marketing Land SHOW LINKS Learn About SEO @ Moz.comHootSuiteMarketing LandGoogleGoogle+Aunia Kahn’s FB Art Page

ABOUT EPISODE In Episode 8 we got advice from 30 artists, galleries owners, magazine editors, authors, creative business owners, etc answering this question: “If you could give one bit of advice to an artist just starting out what would that be?” This is part 1 of 3.    SHOW QUOTES 1: Follow your heart, not your wallet. – Martine Johanna 2: Make a 5 year plan and write down what your goal is. Be conscious of who you are making art for and why. – Tina Imel 3: To educate yourself with the business side of being an artist. – Maria Pabico LaRotonda 4: Don’t worry about what other people might think. (Except this!) – Jack Lind 5: Do not confine your work or technique within the limitations of the medium. Always experiment and search for new discoveries! Sometimes the best things happen when you push materials to do what they are not traditionally designed to do. – Matthew Dutton 6: Don’t let what is popular or selling in the marketplace dictate your style. – Arabella Proffer 7: Respect the arts. Be appreciative to your supporters. – Patrick Thai  (FB) 8: Never be afraid to try new things, sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone opens a whole new portal to ideas and techniques you might not ever have discovered otherwise. – Danny Bryant 9: It’s not easy… Prepare for it to take over your whole life. – Luna Milly 10: Make sure your skin is thick like a rhino’s. Learn to say “thank you” when someone tells you that your work stinks. Realize that people don’t listen. When you find a collector (or, when a collector finds you), thank them often, and value THEIR opinion. – Flannery Grace Good 11: Get a marketing degree.  Draw/create everyday even if it’s just a doodle. – Karen Preston 12: Be business minded. People are probably not going to just find you because your art is so amazing (even if it is)..you need to market your work. If you want to make a living as an artist treat it as a business. – Lea Barozzi 13: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There are always “duds” made in the process to something great! – Janae Corrado 14: There will always be a heavy demand for fresh mediocrity. Learn to rise above it. – Kyle K J Johnson 15: If you want to get into galleries, do the research. Find out if the gallery you want to be shown at is a fit, and then approach the gallery via email, not facebook! Don’t get too dejected if they turn you down. They may not want your work now, but maybe they will later on! – Carisa Swenson 16: Don’t overlook the business of being an artist. Websites, social media, accepting credit cards, responding to email. all these things pull you away from the studio but they are vital. – John De Jesus 17: Be professional in everything you do. – Erich J. Moffitt 18: Experiment, don’t be afraid to ruin it, some of the best discoveries come from taking it beyond what you know and are comfortable with. – Nina Pak 19: Never stop exploring. Work through the blocks because great things are waiting on the other side. – Maria Memmolo Cooper 20: Stick with it, one’s skills are rarely at the same level as their ambition- it takes a lot of time and patience to develop those skills. – Bradley Cahill 21: Be professional. Don’t complain. Learn how to spell. – Ulla Anobile 22: Pay attention to the details when it comes to marketing. Oh… and never stop learning from others!- Jackie Phillips Weatherly 23: I think the number one thing I have told budding artists, is to make sure to never use your influences as the main ingredients, but more like spices when developing your style. – Josh Geiser 24: Do not overbook yourself on commissions and remember that they are coming to you with an idea did they already have in their head and let them know what your idea looks like before you even begin on that commission because it’s going to be completely different and in a complete different style! – Kimberly Ann Art 25: I would say never let any critique stop you from your work. Everyone is unique in their own way. – Douglas Craig 26: You will be rejected more than an old dollar bill in a soda machine. – Karen Preston 27: Focus on creating and practicing and being true to yourself. Style will come – your personal style will be elusive if you look for it or try to force it. – Audrey Smith 28: I think the worst thing to do starting out is copying a highly stylistic artist. Being inspired is fine, but keep in mind what you put out there is what you’re building as a foundation to your career. It’s easy to get stuck, or rest on laurels… you’re best off following your vision and voice the best you can, struggling and finding different avenues to fit it into. As things go on you’ll have much more freedom and build your style/career organically if you dedicate all of yourself. If it takes a waitering job to pay the bills, do whatever it takes to launch what you believe in. Thinking *what’s a style that will make me money* will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. – Matt Dangler 29: To quote Arianna Huffington, “Work as though the entire universe is rigged in your favor.” – Marianne Erickson 30: Patience. – Kolja Steinrötter

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In Episode 7 we discuss how to get artwork into galleries as either a represented artist or part of an exhibition. We also talk about how to approach galleries, some things to avoid, juried vs invitational exhibitions, and much more. SHOW QUOTES I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together. ― Lisa Kleypas  

ABOUT THIS EPISODEWe interview Jim Mckenzie who is a New York based director, designer, and animator for TV shows, commercials, and films as well as an established painter, sculptor, musician about upcoming his solo show at Copro Gallery, and his visions as a creator.  SHOW QUOTES I know one thing: that I know nothing – Socrates Tweet This LINKS Jim’s Website Copro Gallery Chet Zar The Making of King Gordo Video  

ABOUT THE EPISODE In Episode 5 we discuss fears associated with being a creative person. We touch on specific fears, what you can do about them and ways to move past them. SHOW QUOTES I believe so much in the power of performance I don’t want to convince people. I want them to experience it and come away convinced on their own. – Marina Abramovic “The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it. Because of its only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on. If you can change the way people think. The way they see themselves. The way they see the world. You can change the way people live their lives. That’s the only lasting thing you can create.” –  Chuck Palahniuk Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? – Marianne Williamson SHOW LINKSPhobia List How to Believe in Yourself in the Face of Overwhelming Self-Doubt – Tiny Buddha

ABOUT EPISODE In Episode 4 we touch base on what it means to have an online professional portfolio. We talk about hosting, urls, WordPress, SEO, CMS, and how important it is to have a portfolio that best showcases your best more relevant work. SHOW QUOTES The lavish presentation appeals to me, and I’ve got to convince the others. – Freddie Mercury SHOW LINKS Wix, Weebly, WordPress, Squarespace

ABOUT EPISODE It’s important to understand that not all criticism is bad. Episode 3 takes a look at constructive criticism VS criticism. SHOW QUOTES Do you have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. – Winston Churchill Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots. – Frank A. Clark SHOW LINKSHow to Deal with Criticism Well: 25 Reasons to Embrace It

Ira Glass Video on “Good Taste” “Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years, you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.

ABOUT EPISODEHost Aunia Kahn tells you the story of her life, and how she has taken her inspirational lectures and turned them into a Podcast to inspire other creative people.. Create and Inspire is a Podcast hosted Aunia Kahn, that shares tips, tricks, and advice to help you MANIFEST your DREAMS.