Starling

In this episode I share a little about my own process and what I have been up to since the last episode, almost a year ago. Hint, I have been focused on my work as an artist and preparing a path for my art to be shared. I invited my friend and marketing expert, Michelle Mercurio, on to discuss why generic marketing does not work for artists, or anyone really. We also talk about how I am working to reconcile my own issues with selling, sharing and overall offering my artwork to the marketplace. I also announced that my new art shop is open at www.amymakesart.com and how I am hoping to find peace in the process of releasing these current works into the world. 

Is society's relationship to individuals reflected in the way art is received in society? Is the group more important than the individual. This one dives into how the individual artistic process could help us all restore a sense of balance to the groups we function in. 

In this episode we look at the powerful book The Gift by Lewis Hyde. I share a personal experience of gift economy at work that happened in New Orleans, a city that has offered me many lessons over the years. I know it has been a while so I also share a bit about my thoughts on the podcast and my approach to content creation. Please check out this link for show notes with all the stuff I discuss in this episode, and more....If you wish to connect with me you can find me on instagram @thestarlingcreative or just email me @starlingartstudios@gmail.com

Not that I have managed to actually hide that I believe art is a magical practice and spiritual tradition but in this episode I am more honest about that and share a bit about moving into alignment with the realm of Imagination. And how we are making so much more than a painting and stories when we are working from Imagination. I also share that I am restarting my Creative Mediation Group in 2022 with an effort to cover more esoteric concepts with artistic exploration. To learn more email me (starlingartstudios@gmail.com), follow me @thestarlingcreative or visit starlingartstudios.com

It's been a while.  After a 6th month hiatus, I return with an episode on artist and director Tim Burton. Learn about the life ofTim Burton, his work and consider how making a connection with a living artist gives us touchstones in our own life process. I share my own relationship to his work and give some takeaways for you to consider in your own creative practice. For all the links and more info follow THE SHOWNOTES LINK.

Many people feel like the arts and the sciences are completely different fields that don't have much in common. But, that is just a lie we have been told. The Prussian scientist Alexander Von Humboldt understood how interconnected everything really is and in this episode we look at his influence on American art and so much more. I feel like I was missed out on not learning about Humboldt earlier and hope you enjoy learning a bit this amazing naturalist, explorer, inventor, inspiritor and scientist. Follow THIS LINK for content discussed in the episode and a recap of practices discussed. 

Do you believe that there are mysterious forces and energies behind the creative process? In this episode we explore muses, angels and duende discussed by Federico Garcia-Lorca in his famous essay The Theory & Play of The Duende. Where do we connect with inspiration and what is the energy that moves us into artistic action. Whether you actually sense these personified energies or simply like the ideas and stories, considering how "they" influence human creation is an interesting exploration. Learn more and find resources around this topic at THIS LINK. There you will find a recap of the practices mentioned, tons of content to explore and the playlist around the theme of Duende. You can find me on instagram @thestarlingcreative or see more about connecting with me at my website, Starling Art Studios.

Kinesthetic creative Rachel Martin joins me for a discussion on balance...and we had no idea how much we would have to recenter and remember to direct our attention until we started recording. Let's just say, symbolism and metaphor showed up to help us make the point in unique and interesting ways. You can learn more about Rachel on her podcast Unraveling Rachel and follow her on instagram @unravelingrachel, where she shares a lot about her process and discoveries. She sent me some practices by a favorite teacher of her's Irene Lyon and you can look some of the practices she covers on her blog at this link.I am deep in my own process and am unsure whether the next episode will be an interview or a solocast...I will trust and find balance as I too explore and discover. You can find me on instagram @thestarlingcreative or see more about connecting with me at my website, Starling Art Studios.

How do you wear all the hats as a multi potential creative? In this episode I welcome graphic designer, podcaster and artist Becky Kilimnik to discuss some of the similarities and differences between fine art and graphic design. Becky also use to own an art gallery so understands that side of the art world as well. But, her passion as an art form is storytelling and she uses her podcast Homespun Haints to help other people capture their stories in their voice. Learn more about Becky at The Concept Spot, which is her business site and of course by checking out her podcast Homespun Haints. I meet Becky when I was on season 1 to discuss ghost stories from my time living in the gatekeepers house of Hollywood Cemetery. I love what Becky and her co-host Diana are doing with ghost stories and also really believe that storytelling is an art form worth sharing and exploring. Connect with me through my websites: Starling Art Studios or Starling Creative Living. Feel free to reach out on social media on Instagram @thestarlingcreative of follow me on facebook at Starling Creative Living. I am not making a playlist this week but you can find all the previous ones if you follow me on Spotify.

Imagination is one of the four realms I call The Artistic Realms. In this episode we explore the shoreline of Imagination and I offer you the map William Blake created of the levels of imagination as he understood them. We will explore those levels as well as some takes on the imagination by Coleridge and Barfield, and of course my own commentary. The Human imagination is infinite and awe inspiring. When creating this episode I felt a bit overwhelmed and tried to just pick one map that could be a good guide to encourage you to go deeper into your own explorations. I have all the content I used to research this episode and articles I mentioned at THIS LINK as well as information about Starling Art Studios and how to find me on social media.

How do the images of marketing and advertising connect to our imagination? Is it for better or for worse? And how does it affect what creative people create? This episode looks at the father of modern marketing, Edward Bernays, and considers how his tactics have moved from being used on us to being used by us. It asks us to consider how our imagination is often directed towards creating a parallel reality of what we could buy, have or be rather than being used to develop our own art. Find more information and content including a recap of suggested practice and the Spotify playlist around this theme at THIS LINK

As 2021 starts, I feel it important to discuss how we cultivate our inner critic. After spending time with creative play we have to switch roles and see how our critical self helps the creative self become fully realized.The 4 step process of art criticism is a great guide to build a foundational understanding that can support our opinions, help us reevaluate our ideas and fully develop...not just the art we make, but who we are as individuals. In light of all that is happening in the world at this moment it is vital that we understand how to use our judgement in supportive and useful ways. Art can be a structural system to support our development as individuals in a society, and the critical understanding art provides us in evaluating art can help us evaluate so much more. Explore the curated content around this subject AT THIS LINK. There you will also find information about the classes and groups at Starling Art Studios that are currently enrolling for February, a recap of suggested practices, link to the Spotify playlist around the theme and how to connect.

All work and no play makes us dull...uninspired, bored and boring. In this episode, I share some characteristics of play meant to help us notice the difference between work and play. It is important to think about what the difference is between work and play, and how we can allow creative play to guide us to personal treasure for our creative process. Metaphorically, the American classic film, The Goonies, is a guide to finding the right orientation towards play and I share my own ideas about how it communicates to us. Follow THIS LINK to the curated content around this episode including a recap of suggested practices, the playlist for this theme and anything else I mentioned.

Have you had those moments of aesthetic experience, when all your senses align and you feel in tune with the universe. That is really different than just seeing things. Our visual senses may be overwhelmed, as we live in a world of constant imagery. And during 2020 our experiences have been more limited than normal. In this episode, I invited my friend Beth Griggs-Anderson to talk with me about seeing and experience. This episode is a little different format, cause I rarely have guests. But I have really been working through my own understanding of how our visual experience can dictate our lives, and I wanted to talk it out with someone else. I can imagine I will be having more of these discussions because....observation is a really large realm and needs more time for exploration. Click THIS LINK for the curated content around this episode.

Monsters are so important to know, to create and to attempt to understand. In this episode I share a little about monsters in art and a lot about my favorite monster...The Monster that Mary Shelley created in Frankenstein. We discuss how he is the patron monster for artists and how Frankenstein is a cautionary tale for creatives. Discover curated content at THIS LINK, including images of the art I discussed, links to information about the topics discussed, how to join Starling groups and the Spotify playlist around "The Monster." This is probably my last episode for 2020....as I have a lot to consider and cultivate in my own creative process.

How have the stories you interacted with influenced your life? Your art? Your creative development? What about the stories you wanted to avoid or ignore? How have those influenced you? Humans learn through narrative and artists have always been able to use story as inspiration in their work. In this episode, we discuss the power of "once upon a time" and delve into why we need the dark scary stories as much as the happily ever afters. I also share a little of my own personal mythology before sharing suggested practices around story as inspirational.How have the stories you interacted with influenced your life? Your art? Your creative development? What about the stories you wanted to avoid or ignore? How have those influenced you? Humans learn through narrative and artists have always been able to use story as inspiration in their work. In this episode, we discuss the power of "once upon a time" and delve into why we need the dark scary stories as much as the happily ever afters. I also share a little of my own personal mythology before sharing suggested practices around story as inspirational. Find curated content, the playlist around the theme of story, ways to connect on social media and more at THIS LINK Contact me at starlingcreativeliving@gmail.com or visit starlingcreativeliving.com to learn more

How do artists make discoveries? It often means going deep into the cave we fear to enter....at least we are often afraid to enter it as an adult. Kids love to explore things adults find scary. We know too much and limit ourselves. "The creative adult is the child who survived" - I love this quote by Ursula K. LeGuin and the idea that my adult self has just been a vehicle for my child spirit to have an experience here. If we can bring that child along for the whole ride...without killing them off or losing them to trauma...you have a creative adult. Of course...I believe you can revive that child no matter what. In this episode we consider this idea, while learning about the art that started it all, cave art. Discover more at THIS LINK. There you will find a recap of suggested practices, curated content...including my playlist around this theme...where to RSVP for our Thursday meetup and how to get in touch.

How is your relationship with your muse? This episode goes into the creative process and our relationship with creativity. Learn a little about the Process Art Movement and how process is seen in the music of William Basinski. Discover more about the topics and practices discussed at THIS LINK.

Being an artist means moving beyond subject matter and what we see with our eye and into themes of human experience. Learning to transform a simple subject into a way to discuss deeper personal connections and understandings allows for our own personal development and helps awaken connections within those who relate with our work. CLICK HERE for all the curated content, links and ways to connect. You will find a recap of the practices discussed, the playlist around theme and details on how to join us for our first Zoom meetup on Aug. 27th @7pm.

It's been over a month since my last episode on symbolic living, and a lot has changed. I have had to resign from my teaching job, because I felt it was unsafe to return to school with the rising virus cases here in Tennessee. This has had me reflecting on where I am, who I am and how I got here. The spiral is a symbol that has shown up a lot for me personally, and I have been connecting it to a lot of aspects of live progress and development. I've looked at art, poetry and music that connects with the spiral theme and taken notice of where the spiral appears throughout our natural universe as well. Discover more in the detailed show notes and the playlist for this episode at: THIS LINK. Listen in and consider whether you feel you have developed more linearly or in a spiral.

Many people struggle to understand the difference between a sign and a symbol, and what symbol creation is all about. In this episode we discuss how signs work with our consciousness and symbols work within our unconscious. We also take a peek at what happens when a culture cannot agree on it's symbols. Listen in to the episode at the link below and explore curated content around this topic of symbolic living. Follow THIS LINK to explore curated content around this topic. I also mention that this is my last episode for a while, as I have to prepare for how coronavirus is changing the upcoming school year. Join our private online FB group to meet other like minded artists developing their own practice. We will be having some virtual meetups there throughout the summer there and the conversation continues within that group.

Artists must find a balance between focusing their attention on their creative work and seeking attention to have that work seen. How do the issues around attention help or hinder creative process? How does our personal relationship with attention enable connection with our authentic artistic vision? Follow THIS LINK for curated content around this episode, a recap of the practices discussed and the Spotify playlist around the theme of Attention & Authenticity.

In this episode we move into imagination, and the discussion gets a little more esoteric and metaphysical. Discover curated content and info at THIS LINK. Join in as we drop an anchor into art history and explore ways artists have used avatars to map their inner worlds and non physical reality. Through discussions of avatars used by Max Ernst and Leonora Carrington we see how this device can allow imaginative explorations and help us move from work based in observing material reality, into art from our own creative spirt. For images, resources, a recap of the practices and the Spotify playlist around this theme of Artistic Avatars click HERE.

In this episode we contemplate the influence and idea of home, and its impact on our creative development. We also discuss my favorite artist, Marc Chagall. For curated content around this episode and more information about Starling follow THIS LINK. There you will find information about Chagall, images of places I have called home and a link to the Spotify playlist around the them of home.

Since my last episode, the world has changed. As we face this crisis, we consider whether entertainment, meaning or experience will help us through this...and how the experience we are all living through may be an invitation to return to Romanticism. In this episode we discuss the artist William Blake and the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and how their ideas might be relevant how we move forward from this quarantine experience. Discover all the curated content around the themes discussed in this episode at THIS LINK There you will find information about William Blake, Nietzsche, suggested practices and the playlist that accompanies this episode.

Artists are products of the times we are imbedded in, and we give sound and vision to what we experience and imagine the next evolutions. Sometimes we are harbingers of a coming era, so what do we want that era to be? In this episode we look at rebuilding from the rubble of postmodernism and consider how we start to find meaning in a world that mocks human emotion. Read about the suggested practices, all the artists I discussed and other related content HERE.

Maybe it's time to take a break. How do you nurture yourself so that you can sustain your creative practice? In this season 2 opening episode I discuss the need for fallow periods and I share why that is especially important for me at the moment. We also take a look at how taking a vacation can give clarity to creative vision, as it did for the artist Paul Klee. Listen in and consider the importance of pausing, taking a breath and resting, so that you can have fertile ground for all the seeds you want to grow. I touched base on several topics such as brain waves & artist getaways that you can discover more about at this week's show notes (click this link). There you will find this week's playlist and a link to join the Starling Online Community.

As we wrap up Season 1 of Starling, we look at how our personality and psychological make up influence our creativity. There are many myths around artists and creative people being tourtured souls or egotistical weirdos, but...there is research that says successful creatives are actually something "different". As we explore 10 traits laid out by Hungarian American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, we connect it to other things we have discussed this season. Follow This Link to find tons of curated content around this episode. There you will find the article I referenced, as well as the questions and practices I discuss. The playlist for this episode is there as well as a link to join the Starling Creative Living Member group.Thanks so much for listening in for the first season of Starling!

Have you had an existential artistic crisis? In this episode I talk with Kansas City based artist, Jane Elizabeth Almirall about how she got through her personal crisis with creativity to rediscover her own vision. We talk about the struggle to find a "clear" path to becoming considered successful in our relationship with art & creativity. Learn about her art background and all her plans, then how those plans didn't get her where she thought they would. Jane also gives some great practices in this episode that are perfect for artists looking tp becoming confident in their own work, in their own voice. Follow this link to learn more about Jane, connect to her essay we discuss, review the practices she discussed and find the playlist we made together.

Chaos, Control...Chaos, Control...You Like? You Like? Have you considered how you walk the edge between chaos and order in your artistic practice? In this episode we explore the borderlands, the area that the artist works from when creating art that moves culture forward. Like an explorer, an artist must be willing to move with the unknown in order to create something new. We will talk a bit about the movie Six Degrees of Separation, Kandinsky and Romare Bearden as we discuss the bond an artist must make with chaos and order. I have a ton of content around this episode, that you can find here: Chaos...Control ContentThere you will find information on all the topics I cover in this episode as well as the weekly playlist.

Can you claim the title of artist? How does your personal expression get seen in the world? In this episode we talk with Yoga Therapist Elizabeth Griggs about her creative practice. As a kinesthetic creator, she has had to struggle with the boundaries of where there is a product and if it can be considered art. We discuss how our childhood home life sets up our artistic understanding, discuss receptive and expressive traits, question who we make art for and get off on a tangent about Billy Joel. If you are curious about whether what you do is art, this episode has a lot for you to consider. To learn where to find Beth, hear the playlist we made together and find information on all the topics we discussed follow this link. There I will also put a review of the practices we discussed.

How can we create a structure to make sure we are challenging ourselves? Are you looking for ways to push yourself forward in your creative development? In this episode I discuss a personal creative failure and how that reminded me about the importance of self evaluation. We will also look at several different creative challenges and decide which developmental structures could actually help us get out of our comfort zones and move towards our goals. To learn about any of the topics I discuss in this episode, check out this link. There you will find all the resources I discussed as well as this week's playlist and how to connect and share your challenge.

How do our friends support our creative practice? In this episode we look at a few artist friendships and think about the way we connect to the friends in our life. Did you know Duchamp and Dali were good friends? Let's consider how using the buddy system may help our artistic output as well as enrich our lives. Follow this link to all the curated content for the episode: Click Here

Let's consider the haunting power of art. How does it allow the dead to speak to the living and what will our art say long after we are gone? Indulge in a few art related ghost stories this week as we look at the spirits that dwell within out own creative practice.To learn more about the artists and topics discussed in this week's episode (including links to other art related ghost stories, my own spooky stories and this weeks playlist) follow this link to the show notes.

As we enter the season of the darkening of the light...fall, we look at how shadows shape our reality and our artwork. Discover a bit about how darkness enhances form and how shadows give depth to everything they touch. Learn about how the shadow has evolved through art history and evaluate your own relationship to...the dark. Contemplate what you may be projecting into the darkness and whether it can help your creative practice. Follow this link to the show notes for more about all the topics covered, the playlist for our time in the dark, a link to join our online community and links to Starling swag now available.

How can creativity help us recreate the stories we tell ourselves? In this first ever interview episode of Starling, writer, brand catalyst and firebrand Michelle Mercurio discusses using creative practice to help heal grief. In workshops, Michelle helps grieving families create stories that connect and soothe suffering. Listen in to hear her approach and a little about her personal process. Follow this link to the show notes to learn more about Michelle, the topics discussed and to find this week's playlist that we co created with songs that we both connect to recovering after loss.

How do we organize our thoughts and inner world to bring order to our creative process? In this episode we look at how exploring philosophical and psychological concepts can give structure to guide our artistic development. Follow this link for the show notes that include curated content around the topics discussed and as always a weekly playlist to accompany the ideas: https://www.smore.com/h4k8p

How is what we create connected to who we are? In this episode we look at the role of identity in our artwork and in our existence in general. Follow this link for all the content I discuss in this episode such as personality tests, artist information and of course this week's playlist.

Change is constant, so why not put it to use? This week we look at the way we make transitions in our creative practice, notice habits we might have and consider changes we could make to invite fresh creative energy into our lives. Change can inspire new ideas, so what are you willing to change to get ideas flowing? Follow this link to find a recap of the practices, this week's playlist and other tidbits about change as an inspirational tool.

How does the mundane world provide inspiration and opportunity for artists? This week we discuss what creativity is and discuss practices for finding moments for artistic ideas to flourish, even when we are embedded in our daily lives. There are chances to spark creativity and take notice of simple beauty in even the most boring of situations. You can read more about all that I cover in this episode at this link. There you will find information on Duchamp's "readymades", a recap of the practices I recommend, a link to the playlist and a few other odds and ends that relate to this topic.

Are you pulling or following threads? Have you tied knots that anchor you or knots that keep you tied up and tangled. In this episode we discuss idea threads and understand it mythologically. Finding your way to the center of the labyrinth is a personal journey and our art practice can be part of the threads that guide us through the process. Follow this link to resources mentioned in the episode including artists who worked with the Ariadne Myth, the week's playlist as well as other content to support your search for threads.

Artists develop over time and our relationship with that evolution takes patience and trust. This week we take a look at how time can develop or damage our evolution. Time as a construct, concept and idea is very interesting to me and you can find some links that I find inspirational about time on my Blog Page. You will also find the weekly playlist and a recap of the practices I recommend in that link or on my website, Starling Creative Living.

In college, a professor of mine told me that if I was to teach my students anything, it had to be symbols. At the time I was like “of course”, but it wasn’t until later when I found the meaning and my own personal relationship with symbols that I truly understood why. “Symbolism is the obvious next key to unlocking our creative self.”In this week’s episode, I discuss the power of symbols and how it takes a long time to really understand it’s complexity, especially on a personal level. I share some advice derived from my own passion for symbolism and take a look at the different forms symbolism takes in our lives. Through research into symbols, artists can bring a deepened meaning to their work, allowing them to produce pieces that are more intimate, unique and intimate to their audience. However, symbolism transcends art and becomes a part of our identity and our understanding of the world around us - when we let it. “It is hard to express how significant symbolism is - it just has to be experienced”“Everything we create is a symbolic understanding of the world around us and we take those questions that we have and we try to answer them through symbolic understanding”Research Resources:Every week I make mini courses to help you go deeper with the content discussed on the show. Follow the link below for curated content. Starling: SymbolismKey Points:To be able to see the world in a symbolic way is essential in enhancing your personal development.Symbolic understanding is second nature before we can even read or write. Everything from lucky socks, black cats, religious traditions and a lucky rabbit’s foot are connected to symbolism. Being able to find and utilize symbolic essence can translate things much more quickly and with more meaning to your audience. Right now is the most visually rich period in our history - memes, GIFS, emojis, endless Instagram pictures. Symbolism is used both consciously and subconsciously - in your dream life and your awake life. We are all symbols of something to the people around us. What do you symbolize?This Week’s Suggested Practices:Identify systems of symbolism you are already well versed in Review your past artwork and identify symbols and symbolic themes. (Did you add them purposefully or did they arise on their own?)Document your own symbolic understandings. (Always develop your own understanding before starting research into the universal meanings.)Perhaps create a symbolic journal that documents your meanings and notice how this meaning develops and evolves over timeDecide what you symbolize. What are you a symbol of and how does this connect to your personal identity?Create work around this theme. See what symbolism offers you as you create.

What are you answering with your creative practice. Art can answer questions and push us to ask more powerful questions. In this episode we discuss how questioning can guide us to use artistic development to find personal and meaningful answers. You will find the content mentioned in this episode, including the workbook to help get you started here: The Fundamental Question

Join me on an expedition through The Artistic Realms as we discover the ways towards personal expression. I will take a few moments to point out important landmarks along the way and share a few methods for further adventure and discovery. To download an actual copy of the map and get the mixtape made to accompany this journey follow this link:The Artistic Realms

The theme of fear is one artists have a longstanding relationship with. In this episode we look fear in the eye in order to build an understanding of it, so that it can support our creative practice, not damage it. If you want to check out the playlist I made to accompany the idea of fear click here: Fear PlaylistAs I finished this episode I got another small cancer diagnosis...If you are interested in my fear this week and my personal relationship with fear through cancer you can check out my blog around that here: Starling Blog: Fear

In this episode I cover what I call the 4Ms that help build foundation for your creative practice. Understanding these foundational pillars will set the stage for creating your best work.

How do you move forward in your creative development? By assessing where you are now. In this episode we discuss how to begin the process of personal skill assessment and why it is important. I will give you some questions to get your wheels turning as you develop how your individual assessment will look. This self reflection will lay the groundwork for mapping how your creative practice will unfold. I would love to see what you come up with in you assessment so please share it with me on twitter @artteacheramy or my starling FB page https://www.facebook.com/StarlingCreativeLiving/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Well, here we go...This episode is just an introduction and a little about me, Amy Markham, as I begin Starling. A podcast about enriching our lives through creative practices. I have online course and in person workshops planned to accompany the podcast. As of today this is a work in progress, but at least there is progress. Check out my website to see how this develops http://www.starlingcreativeliving.com