#3: Quieting creativity demons with music
How do you stop your inner critic from blocking your creativity?
Julia Cameron (the author The Artist's Way and a queen to many of us creative folks) calls it the censor. To me they are creativity demons. Any term you use to call that critical voice in your head that arrives when you show up to a blank page, yelling cruel thoughts like, 'what's the point?' 'I'm bad at this' or 'I shouldn't even try.' This is the voice I'm talking about.
I let this voice stop me from simply showing up, even just for myself, for many years. There was always some dumb reason stopping me from creating. The demons and I are in a better place now; it's a work in progress with ebbs and flows, as I think many who relate can attest. I could write a several-part series about quieting creativity demons, but let's focus on music for now…
What I listen to while I make art (specifically to quiet demons):
1) Salsa. Without fail, salsa lifts my spirit to a joyful mental place that's rich for creation. You cannot be sad while listening to salsa; it is simply not possible. My uncle was a huge salsa fan, and I like to imagine that I'm summoning his spirit and allowing him to protect my creative process by revisiting tracks he would have loved. Anything by Celia Cruz or Ismael Rivera will do the trick.
2) A tried and true album I can recite by heart. I genuinely love singing while drawing. Just a few words here and there between brush strokes. It’s healing. Also, brain chemicals stir when I listen to music I know very well, resulting in a rich sappy pool of memories, reflection on the passage of time, and renewed meaning to the words I've heard again and again. This is nice brain stuff for art making. Try it and see what you think; results may vary. These are two of my favorite albums I could recite from beginning to end:
Young Heart by Birdy
If you were to ask me what I couldn't stop listening to in fall of 2021, I would have gone on and on about this album, which to me is so underrated I get a little mad just thinking about it. It is perfect for most occasions, but I recommend it for art creation, long walks alone, drives through the forest, or sunbathing in a park. Blissful.
Blood by Lianne La Havas
A tome for all of the amazing mixed girls just trying to figure out life. I love how this album dives in and out of moods and experiences around creativity, heritage, love, etc. "Midnight" is an especially apt song to pair with time spent enjoying artistic exploration.
3) A simple lo-fi playlist on YouTube. Sometimes it’s too overwhelming to choose just one album or playlist from the robust music catalog our world has to offer. Popping on a lo-fi playlist is often just the thing. These have really expanded over the years; for fellow lo-fi fans, we've come a long way from the iconic Lofi Girl. Lately I've been listening to cutesy Nintendo lofi playlists, which I find kind of hilarious. I saw a video on Instagram yesterday of a violinist playing “Peaches” from the Super Mario Bros movie at a wedding too, which also tickled me… anyway, I digress. Gentle lo-fi playlists or instrumental music of any theme make for a fun and playful mental environment, and I love this type of brain state for art making.
Do you listen to music while creating art? If not, what do you do to quiet your creativity demons? I'd love to know.
What’s Been Going On
Over the weekend, I turned half of my office into a mural painting studio. After working on my first mural last spring, I realized that I had to make more space in my life for large-scale painting. Throwing paint onto all of the outdoor furniture in my house was no longer cutting it… and frankly, I ran out of pieces.
I think you’d be amazed at how small this room truly is. I’ve got maybe 100 square feet in here? In addition to my work desk and a mini futon couch on the other side of the room, there is just enough space for a drop cloth, my trusty 3-tier Michael’s rolling cart, and a free chair I got from my Buy Nothing group because I lost my step stool last year. It’s a makeshift space to say the least, but I’m really grateful I’ve got something! I’ll share how this mural turned out in my next newsletter, but this is a sneak peek:
I’m already teeming with ideas for what I’ll make in this new-ish studio space. The canvas cloth is primed and ready. :)
Until next time,
Cindy