The memory of this particular leap year will be framed by great and unexpected loss--heightened by the economic effects of COVID-19 in the dismantling of livelihoods and streams of income due to social distancing mandates. In the shock and panic from news coverage and the growing restlessness from self-isolation efforts, there has been an urgency to return to business as usual. Despite the disruption and unease, however, for many artists and creatives, self-isolation has serv

Space, and the silence that embodies it, can be uncomfortable to embrace for many—particularly in conversation, while dating. When it occurs in the early stages of relationship building, some choose to override the threat of the unknown within that silence by filling the space with self-serving machinations and narrative that validate and buffer against rejection--instead of utilizing the time and silence within those spaces towards evaluating or cultivating relationship pote

Career silence can be an intimidating prospect for artists and creatives weathering high levels of success or relative obscurity. As with the art and practice of jazz improvisation, there may be a temptation to fill bars of career silence with content for the sake of visibility or relevance among peers to maintain or gain marketplace territory in the in-between, resulting in atonal content that dilutes their artistic voice and creative vision. In an era where perpetual prese

It is easy for an artist to become enamored with the fruits of their career, conflating critical praise and financial comfort with creative merit and ability in a marketplace where merit is largely predicated on sales and the size of an artist’s platform. Over time, this results-driven outlook can upstage an artist’s intuitive voice, resulting in an artist’s mimicry of past creative—or in the case of artists looking to breakout from a lukewarm career of anonymity, an artist’s

The road of an independent artist is often romanticized for its bureaucratic freedoms and creative control, but it is a difficult and complex path of intersectional responsibility that requires a high level of discernment and personal accountability—carrying a greater level of liability and risk than creatives whose careers may benefit from the financial strength of corporate or privatized support. However, regardless of the absence or presence of corporate sponsorships or be

The gift of creativity, in its various forms, is an attribute of the Creator that serves as a sanctuary and salvation for many artists—a conduit of calm, control and clarity that protects and preserves against the toxicity of culture and environment, while also providing a connectivity to the artistic intelligence that informs their talent and ability. This dynamic was highlighted in the recently released documentary, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool—an all-encompassing view in

Life imitates Art, and Art imitates Life. It is a familiar saying derived from the original quote within Oscar Wilde’s essay, “The Decay of Lying”, and reflects the symbiotic relationship between life and art—and the potential power of art towards change, influence and reinvention. Given the parallel dynamic between artists and culture, it is ironic that we find ourselves living in a time of chaotic uncertainty, as art initiatives and programs are experiencing drastic cuts o