1. start with the commute

i think i spend a minimum of eight hours driving to and from my jobs per week. i’ve decided to use this time to fill my own creative well and create a playlist of podcast episodes from voices who inspire me deeply. 

my personal recs:

• the sapphic studio podcast with halie torris

• clearpilled with sigh swoon

• make art not content with father bronques

• the florence given show with florence given

this playlist also has interviews with patti smith, chappell roan, rick rubin, joe dispenza, and more. everyone who makes me remember who i am and what this is all for.

2. steal sticky notes

behind the register at my retail job, there is a whole drawer full of stacks of sticky notes. i steal them to plot, scheme, brainstorm, sketch, and jot down ideas during my shifts.

no one’s caught on yet… so until they do, i will continue taking notes.

3. brainstorm

i don’t need to write my thoughts down to brainstorm.

my mind is the one thing that no one can take away from me, even if i have people surveilling me to make sure i “look busy”.

in meditation, you're supposed to notice when your mind wanders and refocus on your breath, your surroundings, the sensations in your body. my version of this is refocusing my thoughts on my creativity, my projects, my art while i’m working.

4. keep the blood circulating

pacing the shop floor, stretching, getting my blood moving and circulating helps the inspiration stay circulating, too. 

5. do product research

i want to train my observational eye when i walk the floor.

i want to notice the color combinations, textures, and materials of different products, especially the clothing we sell.

as someone who’s planning to branch out into the world of wearable art, i want to do product research- touch the fabrics, compare the different fits, take note of what i like and what i don’t like.

6. take breaks outside!!!

i like to walk the long route outside to get to the office instead of going down dingy back hallways.

when the weather’s nice, i’ll eat my lunch on the grass instead of in the breakroom.

i will seek out any opportunity i can to feel the sun on my face.

7. talk to strangers

the best way to collect data is through real life interactions. engaging face-to-face with strangers, asking them questions, and paying close attention to their answers.

i’m lucky enough to work at a theater gift shop that brings in interesting artists and creative people of all ages from all over the world.

i would describe myself as an outgoing introvert, but i choose to tap into extroverted side while at this job. not because i want to be a “great employee”, but because i want to find clues in my conversations with strangers. i truly believe that when you have that intention, you receive more magical nuggets of information.

8. compliment women

women put so much care and detail into their self-expression, and i want to acknowledge that. i never want to keep love inside my chest.

i will always act on the urge to compliment a woman, because i see it as another expression of my message. i want women to feel powerful and ignited and telepathically seen when they look at my paintings, and i want them to feel the same way during brief interactions with me, too. 

9. look like art

i can also express my message through my outward appearance- my outfits, my makeup, my hair, even my body language. when i show up looking like (and carrying the aura of) one of my paintings, i expand the limits of what my art can be.

by dressing as audaciously as possible, i give others permission to do the same.

10. say “i’m an artist”, without a trace of apology

customers often ask me if i’m an artist, perhaps because i dress like one.

in the past, my response to this question has been one of hesitation, often followed by an awkward laugh: “i’m trying to become an artist”, “painting is something i do on the side of this job”.

i tend to speak about it like it’s just a hobby.

but one of my goals for this year is to trade modesty for audacity, and that means speaking about my creative pursuits unapologetically, like they’re worth being taken seriously- because they are. 

“i run my own art brand, and i work here to fund it.”

it’s not a dream, it’s a plan.