There are various motivations that propel artists in their career pursuits. Some artists embark on their careers in response to an authentic calling towards their craft or instrument. Other careers evolve by happenstance through the hustle of making ends meet. Some artists take up their craft as a means of salvation and centering in the eye of chaos—while others are motivated by a need for validation. Regardless of the reasons or circumstances that initiate an artist’s first

As all things do, relationships eventually come to an end, due to varying circumstances. In the case of creative and entrepreneurial partnerships, sometimes they end amicably in agreement with all parties going their separate ways. At other times, they can end abruptly, due to professional conflict, bankruptcy or betrayal, with the impacted party sometimes only becoming aware of their fate in the final seconds of the door closing--similar to the unforgettable scene within the

The concept of leveling up within pop culture is contextually tied to a win-against-the-odds underdog narrative, mostly celebrated by spectators and embraced by few. From an outside perspective, grind and hustle are often touted as the keys to achieving elevation and satisfaction in the form of stature and prominence, regardless of profession—despite the evidence of natural laws, as expressed through the force of gravity, which guarantee a leveling and return to start. For ar

Most artists aspire to achieve a portfolio of evergreen work that, per the legendary Nina Simone, “reflects the times”, while remaining culturally relevant throughout the decades, across demographic divides. This can be a difficult bar to set and meet for creatives working within the seasonal constraints of entertainment and commercial industries that revolve around trends and discourage against the artistic freedom and exploration that engineers the synchronicity of talent,

No one knows what the future holds. Despite the translucent appeal of the creative path, for the majority of artists and creatives, there are no real guarantees towards the timing or successful realization of individual artistic vision, as they journey ahead—whether navigating the highs and lows of a professional career as a full-time creative or executing on their career aspirations against the demands of a day-job. Given the uncertainty underlying creative careers, how can

The creative silence experienced during writer’s block can take place within any artistic genre or idiom outside of the literary arts and can be particularly agonizing in the wake of deadlines for deliverables due. Regardless of how many accommodations are made in time and space, the first note or sketch of a new work can remain a no-show—the frustration of which can further hamper the creative process, with an artist seemingly being trolled and antagonized by their own gift.

It eventually happens, and when it does, it can be difficult to reconcile the loss. For artists and creatives, there may be no worse feeling than being cheated, maligned, or misrepresented—and losing control of a business interest or having their personal brand injured in the process. When the occasion occurs, it can easily result in a need for reactive, retaliatory actions to demonstrate strength and power--particularly in an industry, creative or entertainment, that does no

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

Artists and creatives often view their work as an extension of their value—practicing their craft in hopes of one day winning the prestige and glory commensurate with their talent. When that expectation of glory goes unmet, it is helpful, as it can expose privately held attachments to external valuation and can be useful as a guide towards redirecting individual expectation towards achieving the innate glory yielded through the practice of purposeful creativity. Universally,

Best Wishes for a restful weekend ahead. In lieu of my regular blog post, I am writing to announce the launch of my new webisode series, Culture Therapy with Claudia Alexander. The show will be a continuation of the blog, exploring subjects related to Jazz, Faith, Spirituality, Artist Wellness and Artist Empowerment, in support of artists and creatives. Join me now on YouTube for the CTCA pilot episode and subscribe for future discussions on the topics above, as they relate t

The collective use of light and darkness within an artist’s palette adds depth and clarity to an artist’s vision through the use of color or sound, but can also be demonstrated in the spectrum of ideas. Renowned art legend Jean-Michel Basquiat regularly used language within his palette—crossing out words to further define and enhance his work, as seen in such paintings such as Hollywood Africans—and Charles The First and Horn Players—the latter were both created in tribute t

Tenacity is an essential quality for artists, and is often contextually oversimplified and solely attributed to the experience of overcoming hardship for personal gain through tangible victories--however, it is a complex quality that necessitates and cultivates an active engagement with an artist’s craft and a self-awareness that is critical in navigating the highs and lows of a creative career. Tenacity is an artist’s ability to maintain a firm grasp of individual creativity

The experiences of an artist converge over time with their talent to shape and inform their creative voice—as seen throughout the work of renowned artist and painter, Frida Kahlo, whose series of self-portraits reflect a distinctive identity steeped in self-awareness, female power, the beauty of Mexican culture—and a life narrative underscored by trauma and pain. At the age of eighteen, Kahlo was gravely injured, when an electric tram rammed into the bus that she was travelin

As artists and creatives, we all want to be thought of as autonomous and in control of our talent and the inherent power in its expression. To that end, every effort is taken to hone our individual talent into its highest form through daily practice and disciplines—however, our best attempts to obey the calling to create can only yield so much, given that we are not the author or originator of the gifts that we work so hard to cultivate. In answering the call to create, what

Romantic love can become complex and weighted, when diluted with fear, dysfunction and self-serving motives--causing a considerable amount of pain for each party in the relationship. In consideration of the relationship with self and the practice of self-love, it becomes even more crucial to distill the relationship with self in transparency for the release of anger, depression or addictive behaviors that can hamper positive momentum towards the fulfillment of creative goals

Inevitably, as the first week of January passes, it becomes evident that vision boards and inspirational mantras will only go so far in maintaining momentum towards the realization of New Year resolutions made. In the walking out of short-term and long-term strategies towards the achievement of creative, career and life goals, hope, endurance and optimism are instrumental in maintaining progress throughout the upcoming year—but of all the virtues that prove essential towards

The week before the New Year ushers in a Judgment Day of its own with the passing of another year. Questions arise in the overview of our past experiences that inform our resolutions and next steps forward—to further investments made, or to reconfigure or revise existing creative and career goals. The final decision may be made to pull up anchor altogether and start a new path entirely. Ultimately, the recompense of whatever decision made will land solely on the decision-make

Saxophonist Wayne Shorter once stated: “Your humanity is your instrument.” For artists, that metaphor can be extended to the care of the body, with regard to the practice of self-care, as the body is in essence the instrument case to our humanity and talents. With the arrival of the holidays there is generally an encouragement and expectation to throw caution to the wind and indulge the senses, followed by a January run of detox and dieting to regain balance. There are those

Improvisation is defined as “the ability to create and perform spontaneously without preparation; to produce from whatever is available”. It is a celebrated skill within art and entertainment, specifically within music—as demonstrated in Hip-Hop, and most notably Jazz. The ability to improvise is a key signifier of merit of a jazz artist, and is an attribute that is synonymous with the art form. The creation of new melodic and harmonic language within the closed vocabulary of

Hip-hop artist and recent Pulitzer Prize honoree, Kendrick Lamar posted a series of vintage, on-the-road video vignettes on Instagram this week—one of which featured his point-of-view perspective from a mountaintop. He quipped: “…Made it all the way to the top. I backflipped all the way up here.” It was a loaded statement, on reflection, given what the ability to backflip represents. It is an enviable, and necessary skill in sports such as gymnastics, as well as hand-to-hand