Living in the space where the risk lies is the only way we’ll produce work that’s beyond normal, the new normal, a one-of-a-kind.
Author: Matt Shanks
For prestige
And so if awards are, generally, bogus and out of our control, how do we ever know if our work is any good? Well, that’s probably the wrong question.
Passion through persistence
I can’t help but think that the romantic notion of ‘passion’, that we’re born to do one thing on this earth, is entirely false.
Going Pro
Maybe you don’t need to write or draw everyday. If it’s just a hobby and you’re not planning to go pro, then what’s the point of everyday?
The joy of unsubscribers
Everyone will tell you to grow your audience or increase your market share. But good art isn’t for everyone, so maybe picking a side is better?
Making time for art
How do I make time for art? I don’t, in the same way I don’t make time for brushing my teeth. The time is already there.
Practice doesn’t make perfect
Practice doesn’t make perfect; it makes better. Aiming for ‘perfect’ is a problem because every time we practice, we learn. Every time we learn, we improve. Perfect implies an end — a finish line. But when you’re playing an infinite game, the finish line keeps moving forward; your expectations are always a little bit ahead… Continue reading Practice doesn’t make perfect
The usefulness of constraints
It’s easy to put limits on ourselves. To see these things as barriers that prevent us from doing what we want to do. My desk is too small. I don’t have enough time. I don’t have a ‘space’. I can’t afford to do art. I can’t draw. But barriers are only barriers if you see… Continue reading The usefulness of constraints
The power of teachers
In year 7, I was asked to write a story for a class assignment. It was a pop-creative-writing task. I ended up writing a derivation of the Jonah and the Whale story from the bible. It was a Catholic school, the class before this one was Religion, so it was the first thing that came… Continue reading The power of teachers
Head, Hand, and Heart
When I’m working with my hands, and not a computer, things are different. I think better. I write better. I make better. Maybe it’s the same for others.