defining success
I didn’t realize until I started writing this post how long it had been since my last one in late January. An unintentional break, but probably reflective of what this year has been. I wrote then about going inward and exploring an inspiration for more abstract work that seemed to be related to my own inner swirl of thoughts. Which has meant a lot of processing and not a lot of producing (blech). More on that in a minute…
I’ve been calling these pandemic times The Great Unmaking and Remaking. Changes, upheavals, shifts in priorities, a time of transformation. We are transitioning to something different, hopefully something better in the end – although that depends on how we choose to participate as agents of change. We are becoming.
Becoming is not an easy process. You knew that already, of course. Perhaps from firsthand experience? To become means to let go of the before to make room for the after, a form of loss and stepping into the unknown. A kind of death. And most of us are taught to fear death. Which is probably why we often resist the process of becoming.
It’s also a time of reassessing everything. Deciding what to keep, what to discard. Seeing with new eyes, new perspectives, new understandings. We’re more aware than we used to be of the true meanings of “essential” and “hero” and “community”. We’re grappling with the paradox of saving others to save ourselves. We’re starting to realize that the real engines of economy and smoothly functioning society aren’t the billionaires and global corporations. We’re learning how quickly a system breaks down in crisis when it depends on exploitation to thrive. We are discovering what’s worth sacrificing for. And what isn’t. All of it happening globally, communally, and individually.
For myself, that means putting even more thought than ever into the shape and direction of each choice and decision. And this has all been a thread in my creative journey this year, both in terms of my art and my art business. Although the choice to use a different metric for success for Wishmoon Studio than numbers and dollar signs has been a conscious one from the beginning, the pressure to meet a capitalism-defined measure of success is insidious. Even as I have given myself permission and space to process the unprecedented times we’re living and the upheavals in my personal life, to rest and be present, and to not try to constantly churn out “product” (blech)…I still feel that pressure. Hence my explanation up top about processing versus producing. I am not a machine, why do I feel this push to act like one, even as I defy it?
Social media contributes to that push. Instagram and Facebook are huge drivers of business in today’s world, especially in a creative-based small business and only moreso since the pandemic practically eliminated more traditional avenues. But social media seems to be continually bent on trying to make us conform to its needs rather than the other way around. I try to manage my social media engagement so it’s not managing me, but it takes effort. If anything is a clue of how ingrained this push is, that we have to manage our use of a tool that’s ostensibly for connection, that seems like a big one.
Which is one of the reasons I’ve been interested in an ongoing conversation amongst some of the online creative community reexamining the ways we fuse the concepts of “art” and “commerce”. I’ve written here and elsewhere about my own journey to creating Wishmoon Studio, and that it’s both the result of, and a piece of, a larger journey of building a life of authenticity and fulfillment. So I’m sure it’s no surprise that I’m very much on board with the creative community helping to drive a change to a more human-centered way of doing things.
In response to a post by @moderngypsy.in on Instagram about the increasing pressure to constantly generate social media content in order to build an audience/business, I wrote:
“…I’m so passionate about this topic, and about refusing to participate in hustle/grind culture, and about forging our own paths instead. What does that look like? How do we integrate our authentic selves into the business aspect of our creative ventures in a way that feels fulfilling and healthy? How do we use social media as a tool and connection method with people who are drawn to what we create, rather than being used by social media’s voracious appetite for content and relentless manipulation of The Algorithm? For myself, I’ve been choosing my own way forward, but also I feel like I’m seeing this conversation amongst all of the creatives I follow, and that the conversation is a sign that we’re unwilling to accept the status quo. I feel like the more that we rebel against a system that’s designed to consume, including consuming us, the more we can effect change for a better way.”
“…We are pushed so hard to make [every hobby or interest] the side gig, the side hustle, commoditize what we love for consumption and profit, as if that’s the only measure of something. When I decided to launch Wishmoon Studio, I decided my focus would be about connecting with people through my art rather than financial success being my focus. Would I like to have financial success? Of course. But not at the expense of my own creative fulfillment, or at the expense of connecting with people who find resonance in my creations. Every sale I make as a result of that connection, every interaction I have with someone who takes the time to tell me how much my work means to them, how much a particular piece speaks to them, makes them feel seen and affirmed, that’s how I’m defining success for Wishmoon Studio.”
If Wishmoon Studio had a mission statement, this would be it. Too wordy for a mission statement? Call it a manifesto, then.
So I’m going to continue to trust my instincts about what’s right for me and for Wishmoon Studio, even though it doesn’t generally align with the best practices exhorted by marketing experts and influencer gurus. I’m going to continue to use social media as a means of genuine engagement with the people who choose to follow me. I’m going to continue to show up as myself, not a carefully curated version with glib captions and perfectly lit snapshots of an idealized life. I share my art (usually not in the “right” lighting), the things that interest and inspire me (including social justice and politics, a big no-no “they” say), the random life stuff (my grid design aesthetic is best described as “hodge podge”). It’s the stuff that makes me me, and it all shows up in my artwork in one way or another. I’m going to continue to create art as it comes to me, and if it seems like something that might resonate with other people or I get that kind of a response when I share it, I’ll put it up in the shop. I’m going to continue navigating this path of merging creative fulfillment, genuine connection, and business venture, even if it feels like I’m stumbling about at times. (All the time??)
So here’s to fulfillment, authenticity, connection, and the adventure of choosing something different. I’m glad you’re on the journey with me.