Behind the Studio: Creative Direction as an Act of Self-Experimentation 🌼

Last year, I wrote in my journal, “I am an artist. And I have so many skills not being utilized right now— what does all this lead to? a new role entirely? how do I promote myself? what’s the goal??”

Let’s explore what this studio represents in my creative development and how I’m using this digital garden space as a way to evolve creatively.

directing, but make it more creative ✦

I’ve been in this incubating phase for a while now, trying to better understand what I’m doing with my creative career. Everything seems to be pointing at the same phrase: “creative direction.”

It’s kind of an arbitrary term because it largely depends on what industry you’re applying the term to. A creative director for an advertising agency is going to look different from a creative director for a fashion house. You can niche into any category like: graphic design, photography, video, architecture, interior design, etc. It’s pretty vastly, creative.

I think what I’m searching for is somewhere within this label because I don’t know what else to call this array of skills, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if I came out the other side of this thought loop with different title entirely.

artsy gal ✦

For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been working as a full time freelance filmmaker & artist for years. This means I’m responsible for everything when it comes to the business, including figuring out how to promote myself. I have to invent the ladder before I can climb it, kind of.

I love what I do (post-production/video editing), but I’m at a point in my career where the outstanding + unique client projects have decelerated. Mostly because my client work is steady which makes it repetitive, naturally. This is a good thing for business and a bad thing for my brain. The conveyor belt of projects can leave me feeling burned out and unable to reflect on how to approach things with fresh eyes. So I need an energy boost every now and then.

The thing about me, is that I don’t mind a tedious project [See: Cutwork Lace Adventure Part 1: Learning Richelieu Embroidery 🌱] when I have some buy-in. But I can sense that I need more of a creative say in the work I’m doing. So I’m really searching for a way to step up the freedom + artistry I can express in the projects I take on. Hence, a little testing.

calalina studio as a lab experiment ✦

As a creative person, I have always made things with my hands— physically + digitally.

A friend of mine was telling me a story about how they used to walk into their local library, see all the books, and think to themselves, “I’m going to read all these books one day, wow.” Just as a fact. No limitations.

When I was little, I felt the exact same way about walking into a craft store. Every creative medium has always felt like a viable option to create an extension of myself. Just as a fact. No limitations.

This studio is not a pretense of who I am. The work I make here is real and it’s how I spend my free time. And I have decided to share this work for a multitude of reasons.

However, this studio is also an experiment. By choosing to share my work in this way, I’m focusing on building up a little swiss army knife of skills that could use more sharpening:

• writing & copywriting
• becoming an expert on my own process
• developing a strong creative philosophy
• reading & thinking critically about the work
• pitching
• collaborating with other artists
• learning to build teams
• refining business management
• managing myself in an intentional & sustainable way
• etc.

There are so many ways to push myself to grow, and this project is already proving to be a cultivator of these ideas. Calalina Studio already existed before I named it, now I’m just sharing what’s happening in my brain. And that process is what I’m calling creative direction.

goals & dreams ✦

My goals are simple & flexible. Four, non-linear categories that expand out like so—

• Work on self
• Work with what I have
• Work with friends
• Work with clients

Directing the Self ⋆˙⟡

This is about building a foundation for good things to thrive. My routines play a critical role in my ability to show up for my work (and life!). Sticking to good habits creates a sustainable base.

Habits like: Meditation, therapy, self-reflection, and time management.

Working With What I Have ⋆˙⟡

This is an essential value of mine, and a reminder that I can accomplish anything with what I already have + that I have plenty to invest in already.

Top of mind: business management, finishing projects well, researching + creating learning exhaust [See: What is a Digital Garden?], recording my inspirations, and building on skills I already have.

Creative Friendships ⋆˙⟡

Part of learning to be a leader is learning to initiate and follow through with projects. I think a great way to ease into this role is by working with my wonderful, talented, creative friends. There’s less pressure, low stakes, plus we get to hang out and make something together— the dream.

Build on: learning to communicate effectively, finding my director voice, project management, and enjoying creative partnerships.

Collaborating with strangers ⋆˙⟡

This is the part that intimidates me, which is weird because this is not a new concept! I’ve done this plenty of times before, but I’m out of practice because, surprise— we’re now all friends. But I want to return to this skill to expand my reach with potential collaborators.

Particularly: pitching & sales, educating myself to be more business savvy, learning what opportunities exist for me, and getting paid to collaborate.

These are my self-reflections and dreams for the time-being.

thank you for being part of it -`♡´-

This project has already been galvanizing. The forgiving nature of how I’ve set up this digital garden/blog, is the main reason I was able to start this.

I’ve noticed I tend to return to a practice of sharing my work in some capacity in great times of growth. The desire for self-accountability & learning & sharing online has been a staple of my creative journey.

In the past, my personal projects have expanded my skill sets which attracted collaborators or job opportunities, but the projects themselves didn’t exactly pay me directly. This time, I’m seeking to learn how to receive that, too.

I would love to check back in, maybe in a year or two to see what I’ve done and where this whole thing is going. Because right now I’m building the plane as I’m flying it.

I appreciate your feedback & for following along! You can always reach out to me at [email protected] if you would like to share more thoughts or say hello.

˖᯽ ݁˖