The Early Works.
Back in 2001, when I still lived in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Art Museum was featuring an exhibition of early sketches from some of the greats, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso and others. One fine weekday afternoon, I wandered over on my lunch break to take in what I assumed would be the raw seeds of genius. Now, let me preface this story by saying that I’m not well versed in art history, and what little I do know was absorbed by osmosis, growing up around a sister who exited the womb with a passion for the stuff.
And so, I entered the museum fully expecting to be blown away…to witness that it’s just in the cards for some people. They are born, and from a young age, talent just pours out effortlessly from their bodies. I hurried past the Greek and Egyptian wings, anxious to see if these preconceived notions about genius would be proven right. As I approached the exhibition, my pace slowed until finally I came to a stop in the center of the main room, where I then sat down on one of the large wooden benches. I carefully scanned all of the sketches, taking in the subtlety and simplicity of the collection as a whole. While some were quite stunning and full of emotion upon close examination, the majority of early sketches were just that. Most of us (common folk) would never know them from the student drawings hanging in our local high school. Continue reading »
Filed under Blackbird Diary | Comment (1)You Could Still Be Talking to a Wanker.
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while back I went to see my third recruiter at an agency that places people in “creative” jobs. We talked, I gave them my portfolio consisting of some marketing blurbs, a couple of gardening articles, and a series of paragraphs copywritten for websites that sold either shoes, electronics, psychic readings, or constipation meds (I like to think this makes me versatile). I left feeling like she and I had connected and that this would surely lead somewhere. Three long months rolled by…
I had pretty much decided I would never hear from this person again until she called me last week. She had a lead, and so I had an interview! Much to my dismay however, it was the dreaded phone interview. I loathe a phone interview. I can’t tell what they’re thinking! There’s no body language! The whole time I imagine the interviewer rolling their eyes, stifling a yawn, or doing the “yap, yap, yap” gesture with their hands. The last phone interview I had, I’m pretty sure the guy was eating. Continue reading »
Filed under Lost Demographic | Comment (1)Before You Call it Quits…
Whether it is a decision to pursue a degree, try a completely different job, or start selling handbags at your local farmers market, there will be moments when you think to yourself, “my idea is stupid, and I’m a douche bag.” It comes with the territory of putting yourself out there, and it is in the very moment that these thoughts come on that most people curl back into their shells.
Well, I’m going to try and discourage you from such a retreat by reviewing two ideas that are easily much more ridiculous than anything you could possibly be trying to market, and yet they have been wildly successful.
1. Manheim Steamroller. Chip Davis, and his merry band of old men with pony tails make what he describes as “18th century rock n’ roll.” Well, yeah, of course they do. And somehow they’ve managed to sell 20 million albums. If they haven’t already completely destroyed Christmas for you, then get ready because at some point they will. Continue reading »
Take Those Ridiculous Things Off.
Nothing ever goes the way you imagine it will. And I suppose that’s the wonderful and horrifying side of taking a chance. Wouldn’t you know it, that on the very day I could hear the last pretty penny of my business loan clink against the bottom of my piggy bank, I landed a freelance writing job, which partly explains my two month absence from the Blackbird blog. And now that the job is winding down, I’m faced with a strange irony. Rather than earning a respectable living through my t-shirt business, the business itself landed me a different job that allowed me to reclaim financial stability.
When I launched back in February, this scenario never would have crossed my mind. Blackbird Tees was either going to be a hit or not, and being a hit equated almost exclusively to sales. In fact, it was in the very area that I dreaded most–PR and marketing, that I achieved the most success, which ultimately led to a writing stint with a marketing company. I guess the point of all of this is to say that notions of success should be flexible. If you take a risk, start a business, go on an adventure around the world, etc., you will experience some level of success, but I’d caution anyone that homes in on just one definition of the word. You might miss all of the other rewards for your efforts. Even more, the significance of each step is lost somehow when you have blinders up. The small moves made everyday are complete actions in their own right. They’re choices, sometimes difficult ones, that shift your position, move you forward or sideways, and each has a stake in what happens next.
If hiring a web designer had been more affordable, I may never have felt compelled to learn how to build my own site. And if I had experienced even modest success in the first month of business, I wouldn’t have brushed up on my marketing skills. In the moment, it feels like you’re just doing what’s necessary to meet an immediate need, but over time, the ability to bend, problem solve, and change course builds a unique brand of endurance. So, the day-to-day decisions may feel small, but just like with any type of transformation, there will be moments when you get to pause and look back at the cumulative effect, and if you’re lucky, perhaps even surprise yourself.
Filed under Blackbird Diary, Lost Demographic | Comments (2)