I'm Quitting EVERYTHING And Going Back To College for FREE. You Can Too...
Here are three books that have inspired me to go back to younger, crazier, and braver artistic days. Also: I made a weird YouTube video.
One of the things that made me a pretty decent high school teacher was that I could relate to the students.
I actually remembered what it was like to believe I could change the world. To look the future in the eyes and say: “I can do this.” I could relate because I thought I was actually practicing what I preached.
At the very least, I thought: if I tried to build my classroom on kindness and propping up the students to inspire them to fight for a better future… I’d be doing my part. The world would be a better place.
And then… we get older and after decades of dealing with NOT dealing with our emotional baggage… at some point we crack a bit. The years catch up to us, and it becomes hard to deal with things:
I hurt my back and drowned myself in alcohol and painkillers for a few years. Covid happened. Trump happened. I quit my job.
Trump happens again and it’s worse this time.
People close to me start to have health problems… And suddenly my advice all these years rings hollow to me. The world doesn’t seem better than it was when I was younger - and I take that as a personal failure. I realized something:
Sorry kids: I was full of shit.
…
As you can tell, lately, I’ve lost a bit of hope… and that sucks.
It’s impacted every aspect of my life, and it’s not a new cycle for me. I crash and get back up - but eventually I need to stop crashing. The people around me deserve more.
So I’m moving forward, and I’ve decided to “go back to college” in order to work out some of my issues through art.
We all can - TUITION FREE!
All it takes is the bravery and foolishness of youth to believe we can change the world through our art. So that’s what we’re going to do - take our minds back to a college frame of mind, when we didn’t care about mistakes, and just wanted to write poetry, create wild and crazy art, and smash the status quo.
In order to do this, I’m turning to three books that I’ve recently read (and read again and and again) in order to help inspire and fuel my inner artistic jedi mind powers.
Here are the books:
1. The Creative Act -
A lot of people have talked about Rick Rubin because he’s one of the most celebrated music producers in music history.
What’s fascinating is that Rubin doesn’t really know much about music - he doesn’t actually create it himself or offer that kind of advice.
For Rubin, it’s all about diving in and pulling out the inner STUFF that makes us unique - and putting that fully into the art.
It turns out his advice is also perfect for pretty much any kind of artist out there, including photographers and YouTubers like me (and you).
So his book rocks.
It’s full of tons of fantastic advice, and the chapters can be read almost randomly, so it’s easy to thumb through, stop on a page and find something to relate to or be inspired by:
Regardless of whether or not we’re formally making art, we are all living as artists. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.
To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead.
Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.
2. Feck Perfuction -
James Victore is a designer with a singularly messy, hand-scribbled style at first seems too “amateur” to be professional:
And of course that was my first reaction because I’m an idiot.
I first saw his designs online illustrating a magazine, and I thought it was kind of weird. So I moved in closer to study the design.
Only now do I realize how genius it is - and how nearly impossible it is to reproduce.
The success lies in how deeply James channels himself into his own work, and how confidently he lives that journey. From his book:
3. We Need Your Art - Aimee McNee
My wife bought me this book out of the blue for my birthday recently… and I’m so thankful for her gift!
Aimee is a writer who teaches us to drill down into our deeper souls in order to pull out the real stuff. The brave stuff:
It’s only then, when we’re able to really put our inner truth into our creative acts, that we can have meaningful artistic conversations with others… and maybe even ourselves.
It’s a fantastic book full of incredible journaling prompts!
I MADE A SUPER WIERD VIDEO!
Yesterday, the fading evening light was looking beautiful. Full of hope for getting some pretty shots of the light and leaves, I grabbed my closest cameras (X100vi and OM-3) and headed out the door.
“I’m making a YouTube video about embracing the moment and appreciating the light,” I told my wife with a smile.
She nodded a tentative “you go do you, you crazy person” smile, and then I headed out the door.
I took this series of shots:
And then I immediately declared myself a “hack” and questioned my very artistic existence. I suddenly didn’t want to take photos or engage with the world using a YouTube video.
I felt choked - on what? I’m not sure yet - but it almost stopped me.
I kept shooting though - and I moved to this part of my back yard that I have yet to take a good photo of this season:
And… I did find a really good one! Here it is:
But of course, in my state of mind, I just shrugged. I almost deleted this photo on purpose because? Why?
I don’t know. But - instead, I closed my eyes. I breathed (slowly… in through the nose… out through the mouth).
I recognized my inner turmoil… and I tried to take a moment to understand it.
In that moment I was able to shift my mind a bit and embrace my mindset. Lately (years), as challenges have mounted (anything living has challenges), I’ve struggled to meet the moment with the kindness and bravery (everyone needs help sometimes).
So I put my anger, my fear, my uncertainty into the experience and took some really weird photos, followed by a really weird video.
I’ve always been fearful of talking about politics or taking sides since I was a teacher. My philosophy was that I would answer student questions truthfully, but I’d never say too much or post too much online about religion, politics, etc.
I’m just kind of sick of acting like everything is normal when it’s not normal at all. Ya know?
So while I’m terrified of the political environment right now, and talking truthfully about some of these things, including my struggles, seems almost dangerous to me… I’ve got to do it.
But maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s time to believe the advice I’ve always given: “my voice matters.”
I’ve not dealt with my inner truths for far too long, and art might be one small component of my way to more clarity and peace.
That’s the hope anyway.
THANK YOU for being along for the ride!
If you can, I’ll be doing a live chat tomorrow night with some friends. I’d love to see you there:
