Moonlighting Series: How I Made 365 Pieces of Art in 2018
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature people that make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers. It’s been an incredible year getting to learn from Toledo area mixing engineers, ceramic artists, photographers, illustrators, and hip hop artists on how they balance it all.
I wasn’t sure how to wrap this series up, but I thought it only fair that I turn the questions on myself and give you a look into how I manage to make room in my life for personal creative pursuits and growth on top of having a family and a busy career that I love at Vers Creative.
Work In Secret
I intentionally don’t talk about my personal creative pursuits publically until they are finished. I unpack the reasons to work in secret further in my book, UNFINISHED, but the basic idea is that I’m FAR more likely to complete a creative project if I only let two or three people in on what I’m doing or if I do the work anonymously. Announcing the start of your work to social media circles adds so much unnecessary pressure to a creative pursuit and skews the work. Some people will say that it provides accountability, but as humans, were we ever created to be accountable to a mass audience for completing our personal work? I don’t think so.
365 Pieces of Art in 2018
One of the goals I completed in 2018 was creating 365 pieces of art. I was inspired by the idea of “morning pages,” made famous by Julie Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. The idea is to free-write two to three pages in the morning before you do anything. It’s essentially a morning workout for creative types to get the brain going. I translated this into creating a piece of art every morning in 2018. It started out as some screenwriting, drawing, processing photos, blackout art, or mixed media, but quickly transformed into something surprising.
ART 365
My goal was to create one piece of art each day in 2018. I started with some photography, some screenwriting, then I sort of just fell into creating an album cover every day for fictitious bands.
A Love for Creating Album Covers
Around day 50, I started to make album covers for fictitious bands and artists. My background in music crossed into this daily practice of art in an exciting way. I would think of a band name and base the art around how I think that band’s music would sound. By the end of 2018, I had made around 300 album covers. Some really great things came from this practice, but I fear to talk about success because success as a byproduct distracts from the fact that this was meant for the practice. My biggest hope is that you see the biggest benefit of this practice was an incredible start to your day. To begin with a big, deep breath. Doing something creative the first thing in the morning did a few things for me:
It prepared my mind for the work ahead of me that day. I work for a creative agency, and I found the practice the same as how Tim Ferris ‘state primes’ by doing 5-10 pushups at the beginning of the day.
It gave me a small victory to start my day. If you are like me, being able to check one thing off your list first thing in the morning sets a positive tone for the rest of the day.
It stretched me as a creative and made me better at my full-time job. Also, on several occasions, I found that when I did not feel like doing it, pushing through actually yielded work that I was really proud of.
81 of my favorite album covers I designed in 2018. I would make up fictitious bands or choose a band I wanted to make an album cover for.
How I Made Time for Daily Art
I wake up around 6-6:30 am every day, before the rest of the family, read for 30 minutes, then start the design for the day from a blank slate. I did most of the album art quickly, usually spending no more than 20-30 minutes on each piece. I used the Over app, as I work much quicker in there than Illustrator or Photoshop. I also used Unsplash for starting photography when I began to run out of my own photography to use. I also have used the Way of Life app for the past year to set good habits. This simple, beautiful app keeps track of when you hit a daily goal (green) or when you miss it (red). It’s a great visual I now use for all of my ‘dailies.’ I realized 4 years ago, when I wrote UNFINISHED: A Guide to Dream, Complete, and Repeat Your Life’s Work, that I really just made a handbook for myself and a few close friends who would ask me how I’m able to complete so many goals. I used a lot of what I wrote in that book to help push myself to complete 365 pieces of art last year, and I hope to continue this daily practice again in 2019. I hope you found this and the other Moonlighting articles helpful this past year. I would love to hear what you are working on in 2019. Good luck!
Moonlighting Series: Muralist, Landscape Painter, and Illustrator Maura Amato
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature people who make no excuses in getting their personal work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers. This is the next installment in a series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series, interviewing Toledo area illustrator, muralist, and landscape painter Maura Amato.
This is the 9th installment of The Moonlighting Series, and part of the fun of writing these pieces has been giving previous artists featured here the ability to nominate other artists whom they admire for a spotlight.
Ceramics artist Meghan Yarnell nominated Maura because she sees Maura as an artist dedicated to her craft, an art teacher dedicated to her students, and a wife and mother dedicated to her family. I wanted to sit down with Maura and find out how she balances it all and if she could share some practical advice for other artists who are trying to balance a very demanding schedule, but still find time for their craft.
John Amato (left) is the owner of Jupmode. Maura Amato (right) is an art teacher at Perrysburg Junior High, illustrator, muralist, and landscape painter.
What’s your official role in the Perrysburg school system?
I’m a 7th and 8th-grade art teacher at Perrysburg Junior High. This is my 10th year teaching and my 7th year at Perrysburg.
Do you remember your earliest introduction to art?
I remember pre-school being the coolest. There was play-doh, paint, plenty of paper to cut up and glue back together. Kindergarten was similar. These are feelings I often think about when I approach planning lessons for my students–I want them to feel the same excitement and ability to experience something new! My dad was a merchant marine officer and would spend 4-6 months on container ships traveling around the world. As a kid in the early 90s, it would be days or over a week before he would be in port where we could chat with him on the phone and he could receive letters. My mom encouraged me to send him artwork to cover his walls on the ship. She said my art made people, especially my dad, happy. Who doesn’t love making people happy?!
When I was 8, I took an after school 6-week drawing class with a local artist in my hometown. He encouraged my mom to enroll me in his painting class. Once a week, I spent 2 hours doing watercolors and pen drawings for the next 10 years after that. The class had all high-school students when I started out, and as I said, I was 8. I probably spent as much time painting as I did petting his dog when I started out there, but things just clicked for me. Watercolor was my jam, and I can still remember the first time he handed me a micron pen. It was a game changer! To this day watercolor and pen are my favorites–they are calming and improvisational. I love the fluidity of the paint and how a new brush bounces through it. I love a good gel pen where the ink glides across the surfaces and sets there for a minute before sinking into the paper to record your ideas.
As an art teacher, what do you wish junior high students would understand about art?
A couple of things. First, I try to impress upon them that you don’t have to like or understand all art and that just because I’m an art teacher doesn’t mean that I like and understand all art. I don’t want them to think that I have all the answers–I want them to know that I always strive to learn more just as I want them to always keep learning.
On the first day of class, I try to help them remember how easy it is to enjoy things we are good at, and that some people are just naturally talented at art. It’s easy to want to call it quits when you see something come so easily to others, but I try to remind them that it isn’t a competition and each person can find the way that they are individually creative. Some kids are really good at concepts behind their work. Some can effortlessly draw what they see. Some had no idea until they were in art that sculpting is their secret talent because they don’t have the chance to do it often!
I just don’t want my students to give up before they even start my class. I encourage them to try to keep an open mind and a good sense of humor about things and they are often surprised by what they are capable of with some guidance and encouragement. I try to help them understand that having the right tools and knowing how to take care of them properly is important. Additionally, making a mistake can be a learning experience and an opportunity for creative problem-solving. There is a kids’ book called Beautiful Oops that I pull out at least once a year to show students in a very literal way how we can use mistakes as strengths. I also try to teach them about the logic behind technical skills to build their confidence–how to hold a brush to steady their hand, how to produce good craftsmanship, etc. There are simple ways we can all improve the finished product that make us excited about what we are capable of creating. I want art to be challenging for them, but I also want it to be memorable and rewarding.
Outside of Maura’s career as an art teacher, she has published beautiful coloring books that are focused on Toledo and Columbus-area locations. Below, she unpacks where the idea for these books came from.
I’m a big fan of bucket lists, and one thing on my list was to illustrate a book. My husband owns Jupmode, and he encouraged me to create a coloring book because my black and white landscape drawings fit the coloring book format already. The thought of the whole concept excited me from start to finish for a variety of reasons. I love to travel and read about travel–and I am a giant geek for Tripadvisor, so I really enjoy the research aspect of the books as well. The road trips, photographing, talking to strangers about their favorite parts of the city–It’s just such a fun process from start to finish.
We decided to do a Columbus book because I wanted to pay homage to my hometown. We also just had so much fun working on the first few that we plan to continue it! I continue to pursue these illustration projects because I think it is easy for people to feel like there is nothing to do in their place of residence. It’s just as easy to know about a certain thing that everyone comes to your town to do, and never get around to trying it out yourself! When you have one of the coloring books laying around, it’s a reminder that we can all find adventures where we live. I’ve gotten an email here and there since I’ve started these projects where people said they wondered why I included certain locations, so they set off on mini road trips to see for themselves. More than the joy of coloring, I hope that the owners of the books will find an excuse to see something new and chase adventures where they live!
What’s your favorite mural, illustration, or painting you’ve done to date where you feel that sense of progress in your craft?
I feel like things really came together for me in the Columbus book. Maybe it’s because I really felt (self-imposed) pressure to do right by my hometown, but by this point, I had been illustrating for two years. The format of the book, composition of each page, and the locations just really came together. I had learned from my mistakes and successes to produce something that I felt is the best of what I am capable of right now, and I hope that all of the venues included are equally happy with the results! Mural wise- My favorite project was a scene of Cinque Terre in Sebastiano’s Italianohere in Toledo. I’m a huge fan of texture, and this was the most fun mural I have ever painted for that reason. This summer I got to see Cinque Terre in person, which was equally cool.
You recently returned from maternity leave (congrats!). How do you find the time between family life and a career to make time for your art?
I’m not going to lie, right now things are just hard! I had complications at the end of my C-section and postpartum, so my original idea of drawing every day on maternity leave went out the window because recovering was a ton harder than I expected. I couldn’t sit upright easily for weeks, and I was on medications that were making me dizzy. Once they leveled things out for me, it was time to go back to work! I’ve been back at work for two weeks and I am still trying to figure out a new routine as a mom.
This work-life balance is still something I’m figuring out how to balance now that I have a baby. I’ve always felt that it is important to not just teach art but be a practicing artist, both to serve as a role model for my students and for my own satisfaction. When I’m not making art, I’m not as well-balanced as I can be. Creating somehow simultaneously calms and energizes me. It uses a part of my brain that craves problems to solve. I think my husband understands this well and he encourages me to take time to make art. Sometimes I feel guilty for taking time away from my son by taking this time out for me, but making time to make art makes me a better mom because it’s something I need to do to feel myself. It’s such a big part of my identity. I also think as Frank grows older, he will see the joy I find in being creative and find joy in it in some capacity as well.
It’s going to be harder these next few years to squeeze art in as our family grows, but I think what I’ve learned is I have to accept that things will not get done at the pace that they did before we had a baby, and that’s okay. Where there’s a will there’s a way!
There will be a new sense of pride when a project is completed because I will have had to work that much harder and longer for the end product. The weird part for me is, I have to unwind to be able to crank out work. So I’m not one of these people that can do an hour a night of work–I’ve learned that I’m much more likely to be productive if I have a babysitter for a couple hours once or twice a month to get some work done. My husband & I just make sure we trade off spending time with our son so we can each get our work done– And in the end, it’s not something I feel guilty about, because I’ve realized it actually gives each one of us the excuse to spend special one-on-one time with our little dude!
Another thing I’ve realized since having my son is it has forced me to prioritize my work. In other words, I don’t take every job that comes my way now unless it’s really meaningful to me. That has been a blessing in disguise.
What do you think of the notion that, as creatives, we should just abandon our careers and pursue our passions full-time?
I think that you can have more than one passion. For example, If I was not teaching in addition to learning and making, I don’t think I would be a fulfilled person. Additionally, while I was on maternity leave I often thought about how thankful I am to go work with kids every day instead of being around boring adults!!! Haha. My point is, I think it’s important to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and interests before making that leap into one’s passion full time. It doesn’t make you weak or less passionate about your art to have a practical job that financially supports you and provides you with insurance. It helps perpetuate your interests! However, if you have the means to make art your full-time gig, go for it.
Who are some of your creative inspirations?
Most of my creative inspirations are my own teachers and peers from college. I had fantastic professors in college at BGSU, many of whom I still keep in touch with. Gordon Ricketts’ outreach in the community and his desire to help everyone connect with art is really special to me. Charlie Kanwischer’s incredible work ethic and optimism are really inspiring. He can find the silver lining in even your worst work to encourage you to keep plowing ahead! Meghan Yarnell and Lauren Consolo Smith are two others. They are both art teachers with kids that still create, sell, and show work. I have a whole new respect for people who are capable of being prolific while raising a family!
Other inspirations- Missy Dunaway and Kirsten Sevig are two of my favorites. They crank out work and post everything, not just their best work! I really respect that.
Do you have a quote you like to live by or one you think has really shaped your craft?
I once watched a Ted Talk by Dan Philips, a builder who creates houses out of reclaimed supplies. One thing he mentions is how our society tries to make everything perfect, and how things that are perceived as mistakes are thrown out. His work is centered around “mistake” materials because he says that when you repeat any material it then becomes a pattern. This obviously isn’t a direct quote, but the concept really clicked with me. I throw out less and encourage the same of my students. We find ways to repeat our mistakes improvisationally so that they look intentional. This idea was kind of a game changer for me. It takes the pressure off of being perfect.
What are some of the most inspiring locations for you in the Toledo area as a landscape painter?
Sidecut and Providence Metropark. I also love Middlegrounds. I can walk through Sidecut and point out every tree I’ve painted over the years. I love how the colors and textures change through the seasons and over time.
You can purchase Maura Amato’s coloring books HERE.
Moonlighting Series: Sven Olaf Nelson – Letterpress Printer & Designer
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists, designers, musicians, and other creative types. I wanted to feature people who make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers or busy family lives. This is the next installment in a series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series, interviewing Toledo area designer and letterpress printer, Sven Olaf Nelson (@leaddite).
Sven and I have been acquaintances for a few years. I asked Sven if he would be willing to let me interview him on how he balances a career as a Creative Solutions Consultant at Root Inc., family, and running his own print shop from his home he named Pineapple Press & Design after his grandfather– nicknamed, Pine. He graciously said “yes” under one condition: that we would do the interview while getting our hands dirty. My only response was an enthusiastic “heck yes!”.
Sven in his workshop he named Pineapple Press after his grandfather– nicknamed, Pine.
A Tour of Pineapple Press & Design
As we began our interview and Sven gave me the tour of Pineapple Press & Design, I suited up with an apron and gloves since we would be handling lead. He showed me the rows upon rows of cabinets filled with wood and lead type he has collected from shops in the Toledo area and beyond that have since gone out of business.
As we set up our type to create a poster, I wanted to start at the beginning.
How did you get started in letterpress?
“Going to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, which I went through in seven short years for a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. I started out in Architecture because I always loved lines and forms, but I ended up bored. I went into graphic design and really fell in love with letterforms and the way type looks. In our senior design studio, there was a letterpress shop with one double-wide cabinet of type and poster presses. I got into making posters and book covers and I would just try to play with the letters and moving them around. I would go in after hours and just mess with it. I liked experimenting with printing on different and weird things like paper that was thrown away or paper towels in the restroom not only because it was interesting, but also because it was free, and free is appealing when you are in art school.”
When did this become more than a casual interest?
“My grandfather passed away my senior year in college. He left the grandkids some money, not a lot, but 700 bucks to a college kid is a lot. I used the money to buy some letterpress type and a press to get my start.”
What was your first paying gig?
“My first real letterpress job was doing wedding invites for some friends of mine. I printed like 500 invites, which was insane. It took me around two months to do. There was the part that I loved trying to figure out problems, but some of it was feeling like I wasn’t sure what I got myself into. What I realized through the process though is I loved to make things that felt like they had a human touch. I wanted someone to see the human flaws that can come with letterpress to get a sense that this was real and not just ran through a machine somewhere.”
Sven developed his graphic design skills in those years past college but continued with letterpress on the side, setting up shop in he and his wife’s apartment. As we continued the interview he ran me through the entire process of creating a poster– from choosing a font to mixing the ink, to cutting the paper. It’s a craft that is fully hands-on. I would equate it to the art of cooking. You choose your ingredients, prep your area, but then you need to put in the physical work as well. Sometimes you run out of an ingredient and have to improvise with some creativity. In an age where almost all graphics work is done sitting at a desk, I can see a large appeal to the letterpress process.
What do you think about the old adage that we should drop everything and just chase our dreams?
“For me, the answer to that question can vary from day-to-day. Work can be tough and you can ask yourself, ‘man, should I just go after chasing this letterpress thing?’ But for me, the fun thing is Pineapple Press is always here, it’s not going anywhere so I get the best of both worlds. I get more enjoyment out of doing this knowing I can do it on my own time, my own dime, and I can turn down print jobs if I don’t want to do them or if I won’t enjoy the project.”
What’s some advice you would give to someone in their early 20’s trying to make decisions on what they will do for a living for the long run?
“Make sure you are thinking about the long game. There is a certain amount of freedom I have now since I’ve made the choices I did. If I would have had to rely on letterpress, I would have to be doing this 24/7 because of the state of the industry.”
As a family man, how do you balance it all– a family, full-timejob, and Pineapple Press?
“It can be a rollercoaster sometimes, but we’ve tried to set parameters– In seasons, it will be ‘okay, I’ll be down in the studio on Mondays and Tuesdays’ even if I don’t have a client job to work on. We try to do this as a team, my wife Amanda and I. When I do local art fairs, she will help run the booth. She also does the bookwork and social posting. Side note, when I step away from selling at our booth at fairs she makes FAR more money than I do! Maybe I should just leave that end of things up to her!”
Who are some of your creative inspirations?
“I’m always shifting, but right now, Aaron Draplin is just hitting it out of the park with some of his chunky design. Stefan Sagmeister, album cover guru. Sculptor Constantin Brâncusi. Music is a huge influencer. Dave Brubeck was always messing with rhythms that helps me create a very different visual element while I’m working.”
Do you feel that there is a bit of wisdom in having a side passion to fulfill our creative pursuits so we aren’t always expecting our careers to fill that void?
“It makes sense. When I was younger in my career I would have said things like ‘I need more creativity from my job’ or ‘why aren’t you fulfilling creative needs?’ There’s a bit of maturation that happens with as we get older that realizes that isn’t our companies’ responsibility to fulfill our personal creative needs, we have to take some ownership of that and pursue our passions on the side. And if you do feel like you need more creative moments out of your job, it’s should be your responsibility to voice that feedback.”
What would you say to people who say they are too busy to pursue their passions on the side?
“I would say it can come and go. Creative times may ebb and flow, but if you are a person that is truly driven by the creative, it will always come back. It’s not something you need to beat yourself up over.”
Moonlighting Series: Alex Dartt – Graphic Designer
Alex Dartt is a Toledo-based graphic artist.
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature people that make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers. This is the next installment in a series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series, interviewing Toledo area graphic designer, Alex Dartt.
If you live in the Toledo area, chances are that you’ve seen Alex Dartt’s work. Alex has worked on the Toledo Mud Hen’s Dream Team inspired uniforms as well as logos for many great Toledo businesses. He is responsible for the rebranding of one of my favorite Toledo-area candy shops, Boyd’s Retro Candy Store. The intriguing thing about Alex is that this is not his full-time job. He has a great career, he’s a married father of two, and yet, still makes the time to put his personal work out there on the side. I wanted to sit down with Alex to get to know him and how he makes the time to pursue his passion for graphic design on top of everything else. I hope you enjoy my chat with graphic designer, Alex Dartt.
What is your day job?
I am a graphic designer at a print/manufacturing facility. I get to create things that are seen around town, and in large venues which is cool. I can help our clients by designing what they envisioned and make it real.
What drives you to pursue graphic design on the side?
I have a few reasons I design on the side. The first being that I love it. Not everyone finds their true fascination and passion throughout their lives. I was lucky enough to find that when I was about 20. Graphic design really intrigued me, and luckily I can also call it a job. I also freelance because I have a family to support and bills like anyone else. The combination of holding full creative control with my clients and also obtaining additional income is something special that a creative can accomplish. It’s really amazing, and I try to take advantage of that fact.
Do you remember your first paid graphic design job?
Yes, I believe my first paid graphic design job (personally, not working for someone else) was a logo design. Funny enough, I’ve been focusing on logos and aiming to specialize in them recently. I suppose I came full circle after trying many mediums.
I do plenty of other types of design too but logo design/brand development is my favorite, and I find it very impactful. That logo went well and I was paid for something I created for someone else, what a crazy concept. I was hooked.
I started off slow and was actually given the first logo design by another designer who was too busy to take the gig. Shoutout to all you creatives taking care of their own and sharing knowledge and even jobs, it’s important. Over time, freelance work started to ramp up and my Instagram transformed into a fully-focused business page. Creatives forget this sometimes, but if you are a freelancer, you are a business owner as well.
How do you manage your time having a full-time career, and family while pursuing graphic design on the side?
Balancing a full-time job, family, and my freelance work can be tough, I wish there were more hours in the day. If there were more hours, I would have enough time to stay up and freelance and still get a normal amount of sleep. Until we figure out a way to make days longer, MAKING TIME is necessary.
My typical weekday is waking up and perhaps communicating with clients briefly, maybe posting some recent work (this can be a job by itself, as I post the work to multiple platforms to cast a wider net). I get ready and head off to my job.
When lunch rolls around, you can likely find me with headphones on and working on my laptop for freelance clients. Work rolling into other work and back again doesn’t bother me since I love what I do and there is variety. Heading home to my family is the best part of my day, honestly.
When I wake up, they are asleep, and by the time I get home, time is precious because bedtime is nearing. My wife Jessica and two sons Harrison (3) and Henry (10 months) only have time with me for a few hours each evening, so I’ve tried to make that strictly about them. This has been difficult at times to keep the balance. Day job might run late, freelance work needs attention, and it’s cutting into the time with the reason I’m doing it all? That isn’t right.
I’ve been guilty of shooting a quick DM or email back to a client when it should have been focused solely on my family time. With enough perspective, I’ve come to keep our time, our time. No phone. No email. Just dinner with my family, running around the house and playing, and eventually a show or movie before bed as a family to wind down. Once bedtime hits, my second job begins again where it left off at lunch.
My wife has been really great over the course of my freelance career. She motivates me to keep going, and countless times gets the kids to bed on her own. This can be no simple task with a three-year-old and 10-month old, but she is Super Mom. She understands it from two angles; she knows I love what I’m doing and that I’m supporting the family through my work, as well as the angle of a small business owner.
My wife Jessica has a custom dessert business and custom clothing business: Cakes A Ton and Harrison James Studio. She has her own clients so we often trade places when she needs to run her business and create her products. It didn’t hit me until quite a ways into it, but we have three businesses under one roof. It’s great to find someone in life who is as creative as my wife is and we’ve grown our businesses together by learning from each other’s experiences.
What excuses or myths drive you crazy from people that have put their artistic crafts aside because they are ‘busy’?
Given my personal routine and all I have going on, I find it comical when someone tells me they are too busy for their own craft. There are so many moments of downtime that can be put towards your creative work, especially with the technology we have. Apart from that, my feeling on people not pursuing their craft is that they’re stopping themselves. I’m not like everyone else, but sacrificing my lunch break, my sleep, and personal time has propelled me forward in my career and freelance work.
If you’re reading this and want to take a step forward in your craft, stop making excuses for not doing what you claim to be passionate about. Again, this is not for everyone, but it’s my personal approach and opinion. Next time you’re scrolling through your social media feed, watching the latest episode of your favorite show, or heading to bed early, realize that you can be perfecting your craft and grinding instead. That means reading this! Now get out of here!.. if you want.
How do your day job and graphic art parallel each other? How have you found that your job has actually prepared you for what you do now on the side?
My day job and my freelance work have many parallels. I work in the same programs, using many of the same tools as I would for my personal clients. In the grand scheme, they have the same end goal in which to use graphic design to solve a problem or issue for them or their business. What I’ve learned on my day job and my freelance gig have informed the other one many times over. Whether it’s a quicker way to complete a task, or the right questions to ask to reach a solution, they go hand-in-hand.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations in art and how have you learned from them?
There are so many designers and entrepreneurs out there who are killing it. Rockstars, huge names in the industry. They produce work that at times seems unimaginable, with large teams and budgets behind them. This is awesome work to look at and be inspired by. However, my true inspirations are a couple of people who I actually know, and speak to regularly. Ryan Bowles is a designer turned freelance coach out of Gold Coast, Australia. He has been a mentor and friend to me personally, and his general outlook on life and work is inspiring.
Within the last year or so, a designer by the name of Chris Logsdonout of Tennessee has been a friend and mentor in the design game too. He has a day job, wife and kids like me, and still makes time for freelance like I do. There’s this thing I stole from him that he calls #10to2. This is referring to working from 10pm-2am on freelance. Being that I work at 7 am, this isn’t always attainable or healthy. So, it’s not a regular thing for me, but I aim for it some nights. Having people around you and in your circle that are ahead of you and doing things you want to do is huge. Do it.
What’s one or two things you wish you would have known or done in your early 20’s that you can reflect back on to help other aspiring graphic designers?
I’m 28, so I’m still learning in my 20’s but I will say this: Try things. Find your niche. Break out of your niche. Fail. Try again. Make contracts. Charge what you’re worth. Make cool things. Have fun. Make yourself and those who matter happy over people who don’t. Support your peers. Don’t be too serious, but be serious about your goals and what it takes to reach them, whatever they are. You’re young enough to screw up, so do it now. You have the rest of your working career to figure it out, so figure out what you love to do and do it for a living.
How do you feel about the belief that we should all just drop our day jobs and pursue what we are really passionate about full time?
This isn’t realistic for me, not yet. This is my end goal, whenever that happens. If you have the means to make it happen, go for it. Personally, I will take this time and keep my head down and grind and learn as much as I can. It’s paid off in the short time I’ve been in the field, so I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Lastly, is there a quote or mantra you live by?
Focus on what truly matters.
Interview with Rob Wagner & Eric Ward
Last year, I had an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers and busy family lives. This is the 6th part in a series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series.
Toledo area photographers, Eric Ward and Robert Wagner are both family men with careers, and on top of busy lives, find time to get out and shoot. I wanted to find out how they pursue their love of photography on top of busy family lives and careers.
*Portions of this blog were from a blog I posted last year. I felt the content was appropriate to the series so I wanted to repurpose it.
(You can read other parts here: Moonlighting Series)
While anticipating the birth of our older daughter, I was just like every other soon-to-be dad. Scared. Scared I wouldn’t know how to care for a newborn. What if I don’t know what to do? Would I be a fun dad? Will I ruin her life by revealing her secret crush in front of her friends? While I was scared for her future, I was also scared for another selfish reason– I was scared I would lose all of my free time. I was convinced this kid would suck every ounce of energy I had through never-ending fits, soiling endless diapers and sleepless nights. It’s a real, rational fear based off of stories we all hear. For the first 4-6 months, this was absolutely true, but I found a few tools along the way to help not only regain balance but also have more creative output than I did B.K. (Before Kids).
I Needed To Budget My Time Like I Budgeted My Money. Being busy before kids is a lot different than being busy after kids. I know that is an eye-roll inducing statement, but it’s true. The amount of sleep is cut drastically and the number of events, choices, and lives I was responsible for became overwhelming. So I created a time budget. In budgeting finances, the fewer dollars you have, the farther you’ll try and make them stretch. That’s what happens to our time after having kids. The fewer precious minutes I had to myself, the more I would make them count. I looked for the pockets of dead time that I didn’t have anything to do but scroll through my phone. Seven minutes here, 14 minutes there, it all adds up to time that can be productive if you focus.
Less input. More Output. I realized if I wanted to make anything, I would need to reduce the amount of input from time spent watching TV and scrolling endlessly through my phone. There are helpful apps that help you track how much time you are wasting on your phone. Download the Moment app to monitor you and your family’s daily phone activity. Do it for a week. It made my stomach turn to see how many times a day I picked up my phone. Full disclosure, it was over a hundred times a day.
Daily Repetition. You can’t just expect to sit down after an exhausting day at work or with your kids and knock out three hours of writing. It just won’t happen and you’ll feel frustrated. It’s better to have 20 minutes every day set aside for creative work than 3-hour bursts every few days. Your mind needs the constant repetition to get into prime shape just like your muscles do. To help develop these habits, I’ve been using the Way of Life app. You can track your daily goals not only to develop good habits but also to break the bad ones. I have categories for daily writing and graphic design as well as goals for not doing certain things like ‘wasting time on apps’ or ‘eating fast food’ (I love Burger King).
I pursued more shared experiences while creating. I wanted to teach my kids the joy of telling stories, but I also wanted to write. My solution was to write while my oldest daughter did the same so we could share in the experience. In the top drawer is my daughter’s first book she created by stapling some pages together. She watched me make my books and thankfully it rubbed off. She recently published her very first book at the age of eight available on Amazon called Maci and Addie’s Fairy Adventures.
On top of my solutions for finding time for creativity, I wanted to ask a couple of my other friends how they balance their busy family lives and careers with their personal creative output. These individuals are not only prolific photographers but also great fathers. Here’s what they had to say:
Robert Wagner is a Toledo, Ohio based Photographer and Videographer.
Would you say you are producing more work after you had kids?
I would say yes and mostly because my priorities changed. Before kids I was a stupid college kid. My priorities were usually things like going to the bar, wasting time with friends, etc. The closest thing to creative stuff I did was being in a band. I was in a band because I thought it would make me look cool and maybe get me girls.
I bought my first camera (Canon Powereshot) while my wife was pregnant with our first child (Noah) and ever since then I became obsessed with taking pictures. Less than I year later I bought an entry-level DSLR to take pictures of Noah because I never liked the commercial type photography studios and thought I could do better.
So sometimes I think “if I didn’t have kids I’d be able to shoot so much more or just have so much more time”. But then I think of “pre-kids Rob” and realize that my priorities would have probably not changed dramatically. When it boils down, I think everyone has different sets of constraints on their time and it’s up to the individual to decide their priorities. If someone is driven to create, I believe that nothing will stop them. If I go a week without shooting something, I feel incomplete. So despite kids and family and job, I make it a priority.
Eric Ward aka @littlecoal is a Northwest Ohio based photographer. You can find him on Instagram @littlecoal
I agree with a lot of what Rob said. Before kids I would…I…I actually can’t remember what I did before kids! I know that with my kids in my life, I would tell you that I am busier than ever, but also somehow find/make the time to create. Often, it begins with going on an adventure with the kids and simply bringing my camera along. For years I only shot on my phone, and I think I did for so long because it allowed me to be creative while out with my kids. But it also let me do so in a way that didn’t feel like it was the reason we were out in the first place. I do the same with my camera now, but always try to keep those moments quick, so as not to miss the time with them.
As for creating away from my kids, I’ve had to plan time each week where I just get out for a few hours, without a plan, and just shoot. Those moments of driving or walking through downtown or a park give me an opportunity to let my mind relax and wander, which has often led to some of my favorite creative moments.
– Eric Ward @littlecoal
INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST KELLY SAWYER
Last year, I had an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers. This is the fifth part in a series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series and a very special one for me.
(You can read other parts here: Moonlighting Series)
Up until now in the Moonlight Series, I’ve focused mainly on artists who have full-time careers and still find time to pursue their art. The heart behind the blogs has been to highlight how individuals who have a lot on their plates are finding practical ways to put in the work on their craft. They don’t gravitate towards the typical ‘I’m too busy’ or ‘My job leaves me too drained to even focus on my art form’ types of responses. Each artist I’ve featured has been driven by different values and reasons for pursuing their art.
Whether in the field of music or pottery or writing they have something in them that needs to get out, and they do this up against full-time careers. Something that consumes a significant portion of their week and focus. Something that could pull them away from their art entirely if they let it. There are plenty of other types of individuals in different life circumstances that consume large portions of time. For instance, mothers have just as much of a fulltime job as those with the label ‘career’. I began thinking of other forces that can be impediments in our daily lives and there is one that has been at the forefront of these thoughts for me because of a great friend and artist’s recent diagnosis.
Cancer.
Kelly Sawyer is a graphic designer. She and her husband Micah also happen to be among my wife’s, and my closest friends. The four of us have become adults together. From late nights playing D&D in college to being a part of each other’s weddings to raising our children alongside each other sharing tips on how to not lose your mind with a newborn. We’ve gone through it all. Together.
Three days before Christmas of 2017, Kelly got a diagnosis of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Triple Negative Breast Cancer. No one expects that news and no one can prepare themselves for when it comes. It wouldn’t be right, or enough for me to try and articulate on her behalf in words what going through the process is like. So below is a video of Kelly’s story I would love for you to watch.
On Valentine’s Day, Kelly texted me to see if my family and I wanted to come over that night for an impromptu head-shaving party. I was honored to photograph a night that would be one of the most inspiring nights of my life.
The moment I’ll never forget was when they brought their young children in on the experience. Kelly and Micah were very intentional about this. They didn’t want their kids seeing their mommy one day with no hair and have it be a scary or confusing thing for them. They brought them into it and made it a party instead of them feeling on the outside.
This night was Kelly’s way of saying she was taking control of what she could as she continued chemo.
Through chemo, Kelly made the decision that she would keep working as a graphic designer for a local church and continue to do canvas art when she felt up to it. Kelly has been an inspiration to a lot of people, myself not excluded and I wanted to sit down with her to ask a few questions about life, art, and her fight with cancer.
Artist: Kelly Sawyer
July 2018
When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in graphic design?
Well, my first year of college I was “Undecided”, but thankfully during that time, I talked to a family friend who was enrolled in the Graphics program at BGSU (Bowling Green State University). She knew I had a passion for art already, so combined with her and my Guidance Counselor’s encouragement I went for it.
Do you remember who gave you your first opportunity outside of College to turn Graphic Design into a job?
My first job as a Graphic Designer was one week out of college at a print shop in Bowling Green, Ohio at Fast Company. It meant a lot that the owner had enough confidence in me to hire such a “rookie” (his nickname for me for the first few years). It felt great to see how he enjoyed the artwork as he flipped through my portfolio.
Who were your inspirations as you developed as a designer?
Going to the HOW Conference with my work has been pretty amazing. The speakers ranged from companies like Design Army to Disney.
Also, for the last 7 or 8 years, I primarily turn to graphic design magazines for inspiration (Print, Communication Arts, CMYK to name a few). This is currently one of the few things I do early in my creative process.
What’s one or two things you wish you would have known or done in your 20’s that you can reflect back on to help other aspiring artists?
I would have been more confident in showing my quirk. I hid it for so long because I wasn’t sure how other designers or people would react. I would have presented my art and style without apology and all the hesitation.
What did working through chemo mean to you? Was it cathartic? How do you think it helped you/is helping you?
Chemo was one of the most emotional times I have ever had in my life, oh my gosh, so much crying! I had a lot of days I just wanted to lay in bed or go to bed at 5 pm. I would try to push through as best as I could, especially because I didn’t want to miss out on my life. But I decided early on I had to go through this no matter what, so why not at least try to be positive about it? Chemo has helped me slow down, and not take so many things for granted. The days that I feel normal and like myself, I will never look at the same. Also, take one day at a time or even just a moment at a time.
Chemo has also taken me to a place of desperation, which has given me a chance to depend on Christ more than ever. He is my rock.
What would you say to others battling cancer about what creating art has meant to you through the fight?
I would tell them how art helped my confidence and processing all of this. It’s helped fight the “chemo brain” side effect a lot of people get where you have foggy thinking patterns. It can be frustrating and a little depressing at times. So, creating art helped me push through this to realize I can still make something of value and contribute.
I know this certain painting of the West Coast that you made that hangs in your house is really special to you. Could you tell us what the significance is to you?
It’s really special because of the moment I remember while painting it. I had just finished a round of chemo and decided to have a painting party with a few friends. I was bouncing around in between brush strokes saying “I’m having a painting party and I JUST had chemo!” The painting is based on a photo from when my husband Micah and I visited San Diego before I was diagnosed. I go to this place, this particular beach in my mind frequently. It has helped me through a lot of medical tests.
How has cancer changed you and your art? What have you learned through it?
I feel like I have been more vulnerable and explorative in my art since having cancer. Trying new things, techniques, and colors that I haven’t before. Not being as scared to mess up or to fail.
Do you have a favorite quote that has helped you through the process of chemo?
“Every word of God proves true. He is a shield for all who come to him for protection.” Proverbs 30:5
Kelly has finished chemo and the cancer tumor has shrunk. She is making amazing progress!
If you are interested in supporting an organization that helps cancer patients during treatment, Kelly would love for you to look into The Victory Center and consider a donation.
INTERVIEW WITH LOCAL TOLEDO HIP HOP ARTIST iNTELLECT
David Bunts (aka iNTELLECT). Photo Credit: Michael Wood
MAY 2018
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that make no excuses in getting their work out in front of an audience on top of their full-time careers. This is the fourth in an 11-part series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series interviewing hip-hop artist, iNTELLECT.
(You can read Part 1: Jeff Harris, Part 2: Meghan Yarnell, Part 3: Larry Meyer)
iNTELLECT is a local Toledo artist always at work. Many artists you’ll see release a project, promote the project and then go dark for an extended period of time. I’ve followed iNTELLECT on Instagram for a while now, and every time I see him release a project, he is immediately back in the studio working on another. Some artists are prolific because they understand that this is the process – the only way you get better is to keep in constant practice. On top of this practice, iNTELLECT, whose real name is David Bunts, has a full-time career and is a husband and father of three kids.
I wanted to sit down with him and ask a few questions about his craft, those that say ‘quit your day job and chase your dreams,’ and practical advice in maintaining a full-time career while pursuing his art.
What’s your full-time job title and how long have you been there?
I’m a Supplier Quality Engineer working for First Solar, which is a solar panel manufacturing and installation company. I’ve been working for First Solar for nearly three years.
A lot of people ask me ‘What is a supplier quality engineer? What do you actually do?’ My response is that I’m responsible for managing supplier relationships from a quality standpoint. I’m responsible for communicating and enforcing our quality requirements with our supply base. Oftentimes that requires traveling to supplier facilities and auditing and reviewing their processes. It’s a pretty cool job because I’ve been able to travel all around the world.
When did you first fall in love with music? When did know you wanted to pursue being an artist and when did you write your first song?
I first knew that I was in love with music when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I actually wrote my first lyrics around that time to the beat of a song made by an old-school hip-hop group called the Jungle Brothers. I didn’t’ write a song until I joined a rap group with three of my friends when I was 16.
There is a myth that an artist just write 9 to 12 songs and that’s the album, when in fact, the great artists are prolific writers who are writing WAY more songs than ever see the light of day. It’s like exercising a muscle. The more you do it, the better you get. What is your weekly writing practice? About how many songs are you writing in a year?
Honestly, I’d say it’s all the time for me. Ideas come and go easily, but I try to focus my efforts on what I would consider the best ones. I’ll ‘write’ many concepts in my head and put them down on paper but never finish them because I’ll end up scrapping the idea. The songs that I put out I would consider the best idea for the music that I’m writing to and the overall theme of the project if the song is a part of an album.
As a father, and husband with a full-time career, how do you carve out the time to create? How have you found a balance between it all? What are some mistakes you’ve made along the way to finding that balance?
For me, it’s pretty easy. I give my full attention to my day job while I’m at work and the times where I may need to catch up on things at home. But in my spare time, I try to devote most of it to music. Being that the music conveys the gospel message, I see it as a high priority. That means that some leisure gets sacrificed. I don’t watch TV hardly at all.
Some of the mistakes that I’ve made is balancing the music with the home life. My wife is so supportive of what I do, but I have at times devoted too much of my spare time to the music. I feel that this is an area that I’ve gotten better at and being that I’m a husband and a father of three children, I try to make myself available for them and the things they want to do.
Your song Something Better addresses how you used to view fame. What would you tell young artists about the difference between chasing fame and chasing your true art?
Chasing a dream is like chasing something while only focusing on some idealistic outcome. Pursuing a dream can cause you to get frustrated during the growth and the creative process that an artist goes through. Dream chasing can cause people to give up because the fame and accolades that were hoped for don’t come soon enough.
Chasing your true art is embracing the creative process and learning from it. It’s all about sweating the details, and that’s something I love doing. Not only do I write and produce but I also record and mix my songs in my home studio before sending them off to get mastered. As I listen to my music, I can recall where I was as an artist and what I was doing to try to get better. I absolutely love the creative process!
What skills that you’ve learned from your full-time job have bled over to music production?
My day job really forces me to stay organized, and that helps me keep things straight when it comes to my music. Since I’m an independent artist, I not only have to manage the creative process but also the promotional side of things. I use some of the same tools like One Note and Excel to keep things straight with music that I use in my day job.
What excuses or myths drive you crazy from people that have put their artistic crafts aside? What are some practical tips for them to get over their reasons and do something?
The excuse I always hear is that ‘I don’t have any time!’ My response to that is that for something that is truly important, you will make time. If you really want to pursue something, you’ll cut out some of the things that get in the way of it.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations in music and how have you learned from them?
Cross Movement, Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest along with great producers like RZA, 9th Wonder, and DJ Premiere are some of my biggest influences.
As a Christian Hip Hop artist, Cross Movement always impressed me with their ability to communicate the gospel message. The flow and the lyricism along with the music hooked me right away.
Wu-Tang Clan really got me with their lyricism and the fact that each member had their own style. It really forced me to develop my own lyrical style and do my best to perfect it.
The producers have influenced me big time as well. When it comes to making music, I’d sit and analyze their approach to different records and try to incorporate into what I do.
What are some things you wish you would have known or done in your 20’s that you can reflect back on to help other aspiring artists?
I would tell my younger self that there is no ‘perfect’ time to get started with something you want to pursue. For a long time, I was waiting for that ‘perfect’ moment to come where all the stars would align, and the work I was putting in would produce the perfect outcome. I was writing songs and producing music during that time, but I wasn’t going in a specific direction. I have so many songs from back then that I never recorded because I thought the time had to be right or that something big was going to happen. It really just comes down to putting forth your best effort and trusting God with the results.
How do you feel about the belief that we should all drop our day jobs and pursue what we are passionate about full time?
I really don’t think the whole idea is realistic. I know it’s the ‘American dream’ and for some people that can make that happen, it’s a good thing, and I’m happy for them. But I know for myself, it’s not my reality, and I’m totally good with that. As a husband and a father, I have the responsibility to take care of and provide for my family and my day job does that. I also know that God has used my day job experiences in ways that have in turn helped me with my music and have helped me overall become a more well-rounded person.
Do you have a favorite quote that you live by?
My favorite quote is actually a Bible verse. It’s Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
This verse is so encouraging because it gives me hope that I’m still a work in progress and that God will continue to work in amazing ways in my life. He will complete the work in my life that He started.
INTERVIEW WITH TOLEDO ARTIST LARRY MEYER
Photo By Rick Gerbeck
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that had day jobs outside of their art and never use lack of time as an excuse to not get out there and produce their life’s work. This is the third in an 11-part series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series. You can find part ONE and TWOhere.
When I think of people who embody the heart behind the Moonlighting Series, I think of individuals who aren’t making excuses about not having enough time for their craft – people who are examples for the rest of us that it’s never too late to pursue that one thing you always said you would pursue when you were young.
When I asked my friends around the Toledo area who they felt embodied this ideal, one name kept popping up. Larry Meyer. Larry has been practicing law for 30 years and is a partner at Manahan, Pietrykowski, Delaney & Wasielewski. At the age of 50, he found himself playing some of his first gigs with his band, Old State Line.
I wanted to sit down with him and ask a few questions about his craft, what he thinks about the phrase ‘quit your day job and chase your dreams’, and what helped push him to pursue his passions later in life.
What is your official title and how long have you been practicing law? What do you enjoy most about your day job?
I am a partner at Manahan, Pietrykowski, DeLaney, and Wasielewski, and I ‘ve been practicing law for approximately 30 years. I love the flexibility that it usually provides. Absent court appearances, I can juggle emergencies that pop up like child care, car repairs, etc. and then often compensate on the back-end by a combination of laptop and cell phone use. I realize that not every job allows that. I also love working downtown and the fact that I have been able to incorporate music law and fundamental copyright law into the mix.
What happened that made you decide to play out as a drummer for the first time? How old were you and what was the catalyst that pushed you to do it?
I took lessons and played drums when I was much younger. It was in Junior High School band and orchestra stuff. I never played live in a garage band (for example), but I did have the basic experience of learning a piece of music and then performing it in the school gym for friends and family. I even marched in a parade. It came easy, and I enjoyed it, but I walked away. Like most small-town Ohio boys, I thought that sports were more important.
However, I was still a music-head, and I spent the following decades watching every drummer that I came across. I also started to develop an interest in the business of music. A friend, Rob Morrin, was an accomplished player, but not active at the time. He eventually got a larger place and could set up his drum kit again. He encouraged me to sit down and make some noise. That was the first step.
A singer/songwriter friend, Shane Piasecki, had a parts-and-pieces circa 1968 Slingerland drum set that he gave me on an open-ended loan. I started the restoration process and eventually purchased it, complete with some extras. It turned into a sleek, sexy silver-sparkle beauty. Somehow I felt obliged to step up and earn this vintage instrument. That was a big second step.
Another buddy, Dave Gierke, steered me to Rob Desmond, head percussion teacher at Toledo School for the Arts, for private lessons. It was a great fit. We figured out that my early public-school music education had served me well and was somewhat intact. We went forward from there focusing on different musical styles that a working rock drummer might encounter. An excellent, solid third step.
Another friend, John Rockwood, was active at the time with his band Voodoo Libido. They played periodically at Packo’s At The Park and did a soul-revue thing, which allowed John to call up special guests for a song or two. One day he told me, “You’re ready. See you at Packos.” I knew that John would take it easy on me, but I was still a ball of nerves. He called my name, and I gulped the rest of my beer. The drummer handed over his sticks, and we played Johnny B. Goode. Boom.
Welcome to the club.
Old State Line eventually grew out of jam sessions at Tom Barden’s house in Old Orchard, and musician/Pastor Chris Matthy invited me into the band at Augsburg Lutheran Church.
As you can see, a succession of interesting, creative friends was involved. Looking around and realizing that we had this special group of people helped my wife and I lean towards starting a family, ultimately through adoption. We made a conscious decision that we wanted our daughter to grow up in a house where the arts are practiced, not just talked about. Neither one of us saw the act of meeting our nine-month-old daughter as a reason to stop. Instead, it was a reason to keep going.
Fast forward a year or so, and I turned 50 playing a gig with Old State Line at Wesley’s Bar. I was just as surprised as anyone to find me breaking into Toledo’s live music community at that point in my life.
What feelings or thoughts went through your mind at your first gig? Did something trigger that you knew this was something you just HAD to pursue?
Let’s face it. I play the drums. Handled correctly, drums can be musical, but drums alone aren’t very melodic. You need to play with other folks. As a kid, I had played at home along to my favorite albums while wearing headphones. That’s OK for some, but this time around I knew that I wanted the whole experience. That takes a gig and an audience. Before Rockwood called me up at Packos, I remember my wife whispering that it would be OK to say, “No.” Luckily, I was equal parts nervous and excited, so I took the chance.
How do you manage your time having a full-time career, family, and pursuit of music?
It helps that my wife is a strong woman with interests of her own. It’s a balancing act, for sure. I play in Old State Line, and it’s understood that I can handle 3-4 gigs a month, plus rehearsals. We try not to do two nights in a row, and mostly avoid the late 10:00 pm to 2:00 am stuff. Every once in a while the phone rings, and I get a free-lance job with someone else. Luckily, some of the gigs are family-friendly. It’s not all bars. It also helps that my day job allows me to field the occasional band-related email or phone call.
What excuses or myths drive you crazy from people that have put their artistic crafts aside? What are some practical tips for them to get over their reasons and do something?
I say two things. First, it’s never too late. I’m proof. Second, remember to volunteer. In addition to the job and band, I am also a board member of the Arts Commission and have served on other arts-based boards and committees, including the Ohio Theatre. It all scratches the same itch. If you value this stuff, there are a variety of performing and non-performing ways to help facilitate art in our community. And it’s fun! If your art never leaves your basement or studio, that’s OK, too.
How does civil litigation and art parallel each other? How have you found that your job has prepared you to be a performing musician?
Yes, my job helped. A good trial lawyer needs to know when to shut-up and sit-down. The goal of a good musician is to serve the song. In my mind, that’s a strong parallel. Separate what you want from what you need. The first question is whether you even need to play on a given song. But once the basics are covered, from time to time the drummer can kick things into high gear, or help take the song in a new direction, provided that you have like-minded players that are communicating with each other. The legal equivalent is the need sometimes to veer off-script and react to the situation that’s unfolding, which may not be exactly what you planned. A certain amount of court-room experience provided the confidence to throw-down with a band. And once the performer in you gels, it’s just that much easier to give a work presentation or to argue your case, so I’m certain that playing music has made me a better lawyer, as well. Another good preparation was time spent with a local figure drawing group. Just as drawing is about seeing, music is about listening. I know, that sounds so simple, right? There is also another aspect. Since I was already established in one part of the community, if I was going to go “public” as a drummer, I had to do it to the best of my ability. Whether or not I’m a good player is for someone else to say, but I hope it’s clear that I’m studying the craft and continuing to up my game.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations in music and how have you learned from them?
Levon Helm was a huge inspiration. I was lucky enough to see him perform just weeks before he passed. He was so passionate about explaining the crack of a good solid back-beat, and the excitement of making people dance. Rock is not necessarily the same thing as rock and roll, and thanks to the likes of Levon, I get that distinction. That phrase “rock and roll” may date me, but I think it’s a feeling not limited to any one genre of music, or to any specific instrumentation. And inspiration is all around. Toledo’s music scene is so deep. For example, I learn something every time that I watch my friend Marc Gray, a master of swing and rockabilly. Last weekend I saw Scott Kretzer play with The Reese Daily Band and you better believe that I made some mental notes. Bob Rex, Adam Schreiber, Chuck Mauk, Sam Woldenberg, Mark Sentle . . . the list goes on. There is no substitute for playing with people better than you, and thanks to some of Toledo’s great jam sessions I occasionally get to do just that. Let there be no mistake about it – I’m still paying dues.
What’s one or two things you wish you would have known or done in your 20’s that you can reflect back on to help other aspiring musicians?
Protect your hearing! I’m only half joking. The past is what it is. I can’t go back, so let me flip this around and identify some things that I apparently did right. I’m just happy that I stayed interested in music, went to a million shows, and eventually circled back. Thankfully I like to listen to all kinds of music, which is a big help on the bandstand.
How do you feel about the belief that we should all drop our day jobs and pursue what we are passionate about full time?
My friend has a bumper sticker that reads, “Real Musicians Have Day Jobs.” On some level it’s true. People who do it because their life is not complete without it are a special breed. I think the greater lesson for me was to realize that it’s not either/or. I know what I do – play drums in a bar band. It has its own skill set. I get paid when I play, which I think entitles me to use the term semi-professional. I also have friends that are full-time professional musicians doing 200 nights a year on the road; and friends that are full-time professional musicians who stay local doing 5-6 nights a week. Other friends fall in between, and in 2018 that seems to require patching together a series of part-time events, like recording, touring and teaching. I’m not sure that I’m cut out for any of that. Because of the law practice and volunteer work, I’ve been able to combine my worlds to some degree. Currently, I’m digging it. I haven’t got time to waste on what might have been. I stand in awe of those artists that made the leap, but I’m content to continue developing my own niche on a semi-professional basis, for a long as it lasts.
Lastly, within your art, you give back through events like Acoustics for Autism. Can you tell us a bit about the event and why people should participate?
Acoustics for Autism is a unique experience. My hat is off to everyone behind it. I have organized charity events, and local musicians were kind enough to donate their time, so I’m happy to reciprocate. Acoustics for Autism is a monster of sorts, but at this point, I think that everyone who attends knows what they’re getting into, and that’s part of the attraction. Autism impacts a large part of our community, and this event serves a need. I think that there is another aspect of the event that relates to this interview, however. In its own rite, Acoustics for Autism is a celebration of local bar band culture; and by that, I mean Toledo’s deep music scene, and its mix of some professional but mostly semi-professional players and the bond between them. A whole lot of local folks augment their lives by participating in the arts when they can, where they can. I just came across it a bit later than most.
INTERVIEW WITH TOLEDO ARTIST MEGHAN YARNELL
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that have day jobs outside of their art and never use lack of time as an excuse not to get out there and produce their life’s work. This post is the second in an 11-part series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series. (See part 1 HERE).
Meghan Yarnell is a junior high art teacher as her fulltime profession. In her free time, she pursues her craft as a ceramics artist. She spent some time as the President of the Toledo Potter’s Guild. Meghan has had her work featured in many shows including Cup: The Intimate Object XIII at the Charlie Cummings Gallery in Gainesville, FL. She is also a wife and mother of two with one on the way.
I wanted to sit down with Meghan and ask a few questions about her craft, how she would respond to those that say ‘quit your day job and chase your dreams,’ and which tools in life have helped push her art forward.
MEGHAN YARNELL Artist
What has your art provided in life that is a tank filler for you?
I find some of my identity in being an artist. Making art excites me in a way that other things can’t. Nothing compares to the excitement of working through a new idea.
What have been some of the significant struggles for you along the way? Did you ever feel like giving up? Do you deal with comparison issues in your art?
Six years ago, my husband bought me a brand new, very expensive kiln for my birthday. The very first time I fired it, it malfunctioned and melted. The entire kiln itself melted like Chernobyl. This event triggered a massive panic/anxiety attack. I felt like a total idiot. I had two big shows to prepare for, and after that, I stopped making pottery for almost four years. Every time I would think about making pottery, I would feel anxiety and panic.
I deal with comparison issues. It’s funny because I’m not a competitive person at all unless it comes to my art. I look at other potters and think that I’ll never be as talented as they are. I can quickly fall into the trap that my successes aren’t good enough.
What do you think about the whole ‘quit your day job and pursue your dreams’?
I like my day job. I think that if I made pottery full time, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. Right now, I look forward to every minute I can spend in my studio. I don’t feel any pressure to create, I just like doing it. I’m excited about ideas and possibilities, and I genuinely enjoy creating. If I had to depend on my pottery more as a source of income, I think I would feel a lot of pressure to produce and work, and it wouldn’t be as enjoyable.
Where do you go to learn more about your art?
I subscribe to lots of pottery magazines, nature magazines, and science magazines. I read a lot. I follow a lot of artists on Instagram and I’m a member of a few pottery groups on Facebook. I’ve been a member of the Toledo Potters Guild (I was the president a few years ago) since graduating from college. I attend workshops and conferences (I’m going to Pittsburgh this month for the National Council for the Education of Ceramic Arts conference).
Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
Potters like Renee LoPresti, Molly Hatch, Julia Galloway, Andrea Denniston, and Jennifer Allen. Artists like Richard Notkin, Banksy, Andy Goldsworthy, Rene Magritte, and MC Escher.
How have you struck a balance between work/family/art?
Ha. There is never enough time. I have to be very creative about finding time to work. I often bring my kids into my studio. They make a giant mess out of play-doh and kinetic sand, and I can get a bit of work done. I have a very supportive family that helps out often. I work during nap times and at night! I am currently expecting my third child which has slowed me down a lot. I haven’t been feeling the greatest, and I’m SO tired. Luckily, this is a slower time of the year for sales, so I’ve been able to catch up after the holidays.
Meghan Yarnell. Perrysburg, Ohio
What is some advice you would give young artists?
Make lots of art, see lots of things, and ask lots of questions.
What skills have you taken from your day job that you’ve been able to use in your craft? How about vice versa?
Since I’m an art teacher, there is a lot of cross-over. I like teaching, and I love helping. That’s one of my favorite aspects of social media. I love sharing parts of my process and answering questions. I do a ceramics project with my 8th graders that incorporate a lot of the surface design techniques that I use on my pottery.
A lot of art is what you leave out, do you find this to be true in ceramics? How do you practice restraint?
When working on a new design, I tend to include too much information at first. I read an article about the weed killer 2,4 D. I wanted to do something with nitrogen atoms, the chemical formula for 2, 4D, grass, and dandelions. The first designs were cluttered and confusing. I found that I could say the same thing without the nitrogen atoms and chemical formula. The newer design is much cleaner.
More images on my website: www.meghcallie.com
INTERVIEW WITH MADSAM STUDIOS OWNER JEFF HARRIS
Last year, I began thinking of an idea for a series about local Toledo artists. I wanted to feature artists that had day jobs outside of their art and never use lack of time as an excuse to not get out there and produce their life’s work. This is the first in a 11-part series I’m calling The Moonlighting Series.
I wanted to start this series off with one of my closest friends, Jeff Harris who owns MadSam Studios in Perrysburg, Ohio. Jeff embodies the type of artist I wanted to spotlight in this series. He’s one of the hardest working mix engineers I know on top of having a full-time corporate career. He’s not only hard working, but an incredibly talented mixer. I once told him “One day, you are going to have a Grammy attached to your name” and I still believe that it’s only a matter of time before this is true. In Fall of 2017, Jeff mixed Marc Martel’s version of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” featuring Plumb. That song went on to be a top 10 single and was the #1 most added song at Christian radio for several weeks.
I wanted to sit down with him and ask a few questions about his craft, those that say ‘quit your day job and chase your dreams’, and which tools in life have helped make him so successful.
JEFF HARRIS Mix Engineer/Owner MadSam Studios
Photograph by Jeff Harris Photography
What is your official role and title during the day?
My official title is AVP, Director of Technical Services at HCR ManorCare where I’ve worked for the last 23 years. We’re a 4 billion dollar healthcare company that specializes in long-term care, assisted living, homecare and hospice, and rehabilitation services. Basically, my role is equivalent to a Chief Technology Officer where I’m responsible for all of the information technology across all of our various lines of business.
There are camps who say ‘quit your job, chase your dreams’ how do you feel about that phrase? Do you think it’s poor life advice?
I’ve struggled with that question myself for a long time. I’ve often wondered if I chose the correct path or if I missed some opportunities along the way because of the choices I made. I will say that I don’t think it’s wise to just up and quit your job to chase your dreams. That would be foolish. Maybe if I was 22 without any responsibilities I’d have a different answer. But that’s not me. I have a family and I’ve always felt a huge responsibility to provide for them and give them every opportunity to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Something that helped me navigate this question came from a book called “Halftime” by Bob Buford. I was in my early 40’s when I read it and that book was aimed at people like me who had achieved some level of success in their careers and were now struggling to figure out what’s next. As I approached “mid-life,” I was struggling with what the second half of my life would look like. Would I keep doing the same thing? Would I do something completely different? Maybe a combination of the two?
What I took from this book was the idea that we all come to the halftime point in our life and we have some choices to make. There’s a certain amount of restlessness that comes at this stage of life. I was trying to figure out how to move from success to significance. As I was struggling with how to answer that question for myself, Buford’s advise resonated with me. Don’t just quit your job to chase your dreams/passions. Instead, start to really engage in those passions. Get active and do the work alongside your “day job.” By doing that you may find that you don’t like it as much as you thought or maybe you aren’t as good at it as you thought. You may actually find that it’s exactly what you should be doing with the second half of your life.
Either way, you can test the waters without the significant risk of quitting your day job. As you experiment with doing different things, you start to learn more about who you really are, what motivates you, what you care about, where you belong, etc… From there, you can make much more informed choices. You may find that 1) you continue to do what you’ve done in the first half of your life, 2) you discover an entirely new career that takes your life in a different, more fulfilling direction or 3) you end up with a parallel career where you continue with your day job and are still able to pursue your passion projects at the same time. That’s really where I personally landed. I have parallel careers in information technology and music.
What’s your favorite project you worked on in the last year?
By far, the two EP projects I mixed for Marc Martel late last year – “The First Noel” and “My Way Vol. 1”. If you don’t know Marc, you need to. He is a world-class singer/songwriter that has one of best voices on the planet. I prayed last year that I would get the opportunity to work on some higher quality projects than what I had done to date. Little did I know that a small seed that I planted with Marc and his team over a year earlier would result in the opportunity to mix these two EPs. Both projects turned out great and it’s been awesome to watch all the success Marc has had. The Christmas single was the #1 most added song at radio for several weeks in a row and ended up in the top 10 on the charts. Add to that hundred of thousands of plays online, music videos, etc… It’s been a fun ride. The “My Way Vol. 1” EP releases in March and I can’t wait to see where that one goes. After the success of these first two projects, he just asked me to mix a new EP he’s working on this spring. I’m thrilled!
I also just mixed one of the songs on the new Sanctus Real album that’s coming out in April. The guys in the band have been friends of mine for years and I’ve had the opportunity to tour with them all over the country. Getting the chance to mix a song on the new album was another big highlight for me. Having my mix sit alongside mixes from some other mix engineers that I’ve looked up to for a long time, was a real thrill for me.
These projects were big confidence boosters for me. To see my work end up on the radio, to have songs on the charts, to hear accolades from producers and artists I admire and to see my work sitting alongside other great mix engineers that I respect somehow legitimized things for me. As creatives, I think there’s always an element of self-doubt in what we do. For a brief fleeting moment, I felt like I was good enough, ha! Now I’m back to learning more and continuing to develop my craft.
In the music industry, what’s more important. 1000 good connections or 10 great relationships? Why?
On a personal level, I’ve always felt that I’d rather have 10 really good, deep relationships with people vs. having a 1,000 acquaintances. I never wanted to be the guy that just bounces around socially with a bunch of superficial relationships. I wanted to be able to pour into a small number of people and hopefully have them pour into me as well. Life just feels richer to me doing that. Professionally, I feel the same way. A smaller number of meaningful relationships where you are mutually adding value to one another is far superior to a large number of acquaintances where you can’t say much more than “oh yeah, I know so and so…”
Where do you go to learn more about your craft? What websites do you frequent the most?
A lot of different places. I feel like I’m a lifelong learner. No matter what my interests are, I tend to dig deep and learn everything I possibly can. Books, articles, videos, you name it. I’m constantly seeking out opportunities to learn. When I built my latest studio, I read more books and learned more than most would ever care to know about acoustics, sound isolation, and studio design. Some might call me crazy, but I was informed and knowledgeable and I ended up with a great studio. Recording and mixing, the same thing. I’ve learned a lot about mixing from places like PureMix, Audio Legends, Groove3, Produce Like A Pro, The Recording Revolution, etc… I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to sit alongside some very accomplished mixers and just watch them work. No better experience than that. Along the way, I’ve been able to share what I’ve learned with others. I love the idea of giving back and sharing knowledge and experience.
I’ve always tried to learn the why behind something, not just the how. If all you ever learn is how, I think you miss half the story. Really understanding why someone does or doesn’t do something has always been more revealing to me. That allows me to internalize the concepts and the thought process and then I’m better equipped to apply that to my own projects. For example, instead of just cutting 500Hz out of a kick drum by default because that’s how someone or some plugin preset told me to mix a kick drum, I can listen to a kick drum and hear that it sounds a little boxy to my ears and I know that is a result of some build up in the low mids and I know that build up tends to live in the 250-600Hz range so I go find the offensive frequencies and cut them. Mixing isn’t cookie cutter and one approach never fits all situations so you really have to know why you’re doing something as well as how to do it.
Who is your biggest inspiration in mixing?
As much as I love great songs, I’ve always really been in love with how things sound. I was that kid that read every liner note on every album to learn who the people were that made my favorite albums. I still do that now. In the early days, Bob Clearmountain was the king for me. Following him was Chris Lord-Alge. These two guys have mixed many of my all-time favorite albums and are giants in the industry. More recently, I’ve been following guys like Andrew Scheps, Jeff Juliano, Mark Needham, Sean Moffitt, Justin Neibank, Jacquire King, and so many others. These are the guys making some of my favorites sounding albums in recent years.
In this industry what are the top 3 skill sets you use that crossover from your day job?
Communication/people/social skills have to top the list. Simply being able to clearly communicate with people and be someone others genuinely want to hang out with has been a huge help. Years of experience interacting with all different kinds of people and personalities has equipped me to be able to adapt to almost any situation I find myself in.
Expectation management is big as well. Being able to properly set expectations with people and then manage those expectations through effective communication is vitally important. It takes the guesswork out of things for people. They’re informed and feel a part of the process vs. always wondering what I’m doing or where things are at.
Planning and project management skills have been a big asset as well. Being able to accurately estimate and schedule work and then hit deadlines is critical. I’ve found that there’s a lot of “hurry up and wait” in this industry so when a project finally gets to me I have to be on top of my game to deliver in a timely manner.
MadSam Studios. Perrysburg, Ohio
Photograph by Jeff Harris Photography
What advice do you have for mixers trying to make their mark in the industry?
Learn your craft and be ready when an opportunity comes. I spent a long time learning, practicing, learning some more and practicing some more before I ever felt ready to take on projects like I’ve been working on the last several years. You never know when an opportunity might present itself so be as ready as you possibly can be when it happens.
Do you have a quote you live by when it comes to how you mix?
“If it sounds good, it is good.”
What’s been your biggest mistake in learning to mix?
Overcooking things. I would learn a new technique or approach and I’d add it to the one I learned before that which I had added to the one I learned before that and so on. I’d try to throw all these ideas or techniques into every mix I worked on and everything would turn into a big mess. One of the things that has amazed me about watching so many experienced mix engineers work is how little they actually do to the tracks. It’s been a big lesson in “less is more.” I’ve learned to be very intentional about what I’m doing in a mix and I try hard to do the least amount of processing possible to the tracks to achieve my desired result.
What opportunities has having a day job and moonlighting as a professional mixer given you in life that you wouldn’t have if you solely focused on mixing?
Financial freedom and a variety of different life experiences. I am able to pick and choose the projects that I want to work on and I am able to afford the tools I need in the studio without having to worry about paying the mortgage or buying groceries. I’m also able to share these things with others without having to worry about making a buck every single time. I’ve also continued to develop my skills and experience in the corporate world as an IT executive and as a leader. Skills and experiences learned in both these areas of my life spill over into the other and make me a better person and a better leader overall. It’s a win-win for me.
While I still dream of maybe doing this full time someday, I’m not too worried about that. I like my day job. It provides financial security and freedom for me and my family. At the same time, I’m able to fill my creative tank by working on cool projects in the studio and I get to work with some amazingly talented artists and producers from all over the world. I like to work and stay busy. This parallel career thing has worked out pretty well for me so far.