When was the last time you challenged yourself to learn something new or expand what you already know for no reason other than ‘you want to’?  What better way to do this than creativity workshops! Who says classes are only for school? Studies show that creative workshops support mental health and improve productivity in ones’ lifework. There is no age limit to the benefits of learning. Creativity workshops are a great way to open up your creative self and meet other creatives in the process. Attending such classes can help get an artist through a creative block of their own or can take their skill to the next level through learning from other artists that they may not get a chance to meet otherwise.   

A study conducted by the School of Human Services and Social Work at Griffith University had a group of participants struggling with a mental illness diagnosis or a complex life event, such as homelessness or unemployment, enroll in a series of creativity workshops and concluded that this experience caused an increase, and change, in the way participants shared their stories of mental illness and recovery through improved confidence and understanding about their illness. Taking a creative workshop that challenges yourself can be an act of self-discovery and ignite a feeling, skill, or a creative process that may not have been discovered otherwise. One simple step of challenging yourself by learning, and switching that creativity switch that is in us all, can be the ultimate tool of knowledge for artists of all ages, and all experience levels.

Artist As Brand® is excited to present The Polaroid Project, which features interviews and conversations with creatives and entrepreneurs that are invested in their craft and offer a unique perspective in their respected industries. Our first episode highlights, Matt Campos from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Matt is an incredible beader, artist, creative, and craftsman. What sets Matt apart is his personality and soul, allowing him to grow his personal brand and enlighten those in the Southwest.

Tell us about your Creative Journey! Where you started, where you were, where you are, and where you are headed!

I studied art in college and when I graduated life took over and I didn’t have an art practice for DECADES.   It was only when I started studying shamanism that creativity came back into  my life.  I lost a lot of years but I don’t regret it. I feel like all the experiences and skills I gained during that time have influenced what I’m doing now. Every year since regaining my art practice has been a process of shifting, focusing, and refining which direction to take my work. I’ve come a long way and I don’t think I’m even close to my potential.  But that “potential” really isn’t the goal. I just try to be better than I was yesterday.

How do you get in the creative zone? Do you practice meditation, explore nature, collaborate with others, ect?

If I have a creative block I stop everything I’m doing and go do something completely unrelated. Or I clean out my studio to shift the energy. Giving away or throwing out things that no longer serve a purpose creates space for other things to come into your life. I also like looking at things that are unrelated to my usual interests.  It’s good to step out of your bubble once in a while. And I don’t do well collaborating because I’m very bossy.

What piece of advice do you have for creatives just getting into the industry?

Well I don’t think I’m part of any industry. But an old friend once gave me some great advice… If someone gives you an opportunity, even if you don’t think you can do it, always say yes!! You’ll figure it out later.  And the simplest advice from me is…Be nice!!! You never know who’s watching.  You never know who’ll give you your next opportunity.

Tell us about something you are proud of either a piece of work or a moment in your creative journey! How and why does it make you proud?

My primary medium right now is beadwork which I’ve only been doing for the past 8 years. It’s always a proud moment when well known and more experienced beaders will compliment me on my work. That never gets old.

Any projects that you would like to highlight that you are currently working on?

Within the past year I’ve shifted my main focus to creating jewelry. I’m setting my beadwork in  metals like gold vermeil.  They’re bold pieces.  Definitely not for the shy.

Anything else we should know about you? Any fun quotes or mantras you live by? Anything you would like to express about yourself, your vision of the world, etc.?

When I was in art school, “craft” was always looked down on. But I am proud to call myself an artist AND a craftsperson.  I’m not gonna concern myself with how other people define one or the other.  I think I identify more with being a craftsman. It implies mastery of a particular skill and that is always a great goal to have.

In our digital world, it is easier than ever to learn a language. Duolingo offers a skill tree of lessons that use listening exercises, flashcards, and multiple choice questions to drill you on new words, phrases, and sentences. Most questions have a comment thread where users can discuss a particular question in detail. The service also has community features that let you connect with other people who are learning the same language you are

However, while Duolingo is the world’s most downloaded education app and has been praised by many, what sets them apart is their incredible marketing, through the humanization of their brand. 

As many of us know marketing can be one of the hardest aspects of creating a brand, company, or small business as the tides are always changing and social influences seem to be out just as you thought they were in. 

So what has set Duolingo up for success and what can you learn from them? 

Duolingo's claim to fame began when they hired 23-year-old, Zaria Parvez, to take over their Tik-Tok platform. Zaria’s main goal was to humanize the brand thus putting their now star “Duo”, the companies mascot at the center of their marketing plan. Zaria gave Duo a hilarious personality that connected with the younger audience on TikTok. Duo loved drama, memes, and participated in any new trend, as if Duo was a normal user on the platform.  After introducing Duo as a regular character in October 2021, Duolingo’s viral content took off. There was an uptick in people reporting they’d discovered the language-learning service via TikTok, something the team learned via a “How did you hear about us” survey and anecdotally on Twitter with “TikTok made me download it” tweets. Duo’s character has humanized the brand, giving a face to Duolingo on TikTok and ultimately catching the attention of NBC News, Insider, and even Rolling Stone. The key to the team’s success is that the account is less about selling Duolingo to TikTok audiences, who notoriously don’t want to be sold to, but entertaining them.

While digital marketing apps are always changing and shifting, if a company can humanize their presence, they too can shift and change with the times, just as us humans do. While the character Duo is not meant to be for everyone, understanding the minds of your audience and creating a character, persona, or even sharing more intimately with your audience is an incredible lesson Duo, the big green bird has taught us.

At Artist as Brand® we challenge you to connect and share with your audience more, even if it seems untraditional!

Abstract: The Art of Design 

Abstract: The Art of Design is a Docu-series on Netflix that in each episode tells the story of an artist and their passion. From Stage Design to Typeface design, to so many more fundamentally important  design genres, this series does not fail to inspire its viewers. Watching these high-renowned artists talk about their passions and showcase their creativity is special. A lot of the design is seen constantly in our day to day life but without being a designer, you may not even realize its presence in communities world-wide. 

Wow Worlds of Wonder 

We live in an experience economy where the curious mind yearns to experience the new and now. Erik Bär, and Stan Boshouw, the authors of the book “WoW Worlds of Wonder” engage, inform, and inspire those curious minds through the art of Experience Design. The book walks you through the process of a big idea, sometimes a seemingly unattainable idea, and the steps that must take place to be turned into an art masterpiece driven by the experience it gives its audience. One aspect that is ingrained in the reader's understanding of experience design is that it must tell a story. Creating a space that tells a story to its audience is a key part of it’s success and ability to captivate. The book also has an ability to engage readers through it’s illustrations. The photography of art experiences from around the world are eye opening and reaffirm that in the world of experience design, ‘thinking big’ is customary. 

Design Better Podcast

The Design Better Podcast is a podcast that centers around stories of  successful artists and their path to  prestigious achievements. With episodes titled, “Creativity is a team Sport” and “Leading with Curiosity and Humility” The recurring theme in the podcast is leadership and creativity and how two can co-exist. Listening to Design Better is an empowering way to learn about Design and provides an insider perspective on the challenges and obstacles that a designer may face and how they came out on top.

In our society, athletes are known for pushing physical boundaries, while artists are known for pushing creative boundaries. While the sectors of art and athletics tend to feel far apart, especially with plots in movies, tv, shows, and skits being made about the divide, their similarities are far more powerful than their differences. When they exist together, they are force to be reckoned with.

Both are extremely dedicated, passionate, and curious. They are dependable, problem solvers, and do great under-pressure. They tend to be a bit outcasted in comparison to the normal day-to-day people, as their skill, expertise, and hours in the gym/studio are out of the ordinary. They are focused and always have something to prove.

So while society puts athletes and artists in separate boxes, what happens when those lines get blurred and they work together? What happens when athletes utilize artists and visa versa?

Well, one of the biggest examples of that is Nike, an international brand and athletic company, a leader in their industry. Nike has always been ahead of the game because of their emphasis on the athlete, but what has set them apart has been their collaboration with designers and artists to create top of the line performance gear and beautiful products. One of the biggest successes is their collaboration with Michael Jordan, who was not satisfied by the shoes he was wearing and began developing designs that would fit his performance and stylistic needs. Air Jordan Shoes grew into one of the most successful companies created by an athlete, because of his love for good design and his collaboration with some of the most influential artists in the industry.

Jordan Artist Series by Jacob Rochester.

Nike recently has even stepped into the NFT space, using digital, graphic, and interaction designers to create digital elements that exist with their brand and sponsored athletes. The success of Nike is not just their athletes, but their willingness to blur the lines between athletics and art.

An incredible collective, community, and initiative centered around the beautiful things that can happen when athletes and artists work together is The Abstract Athlete. The Abstract Athlete, was created by Ron Johnson, a college/pro baseball player turned artist and now professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. The goal - to create a space where athletes and artists can exist and intertwine together. To create a space where athletes and artists can learn from each other about their strengths and weaknesses, growing each group in the process. The Abstract Athlete offers a class to VCU Division 1 athletes and VCU art students that focuses on the power of creativity, and allows for athletes to develop an outlet other than sports to improve their mental health and gives an opportunity to artists to share their expertise. The Abstract Athlete also creates exhibitions highlighting athletes, that are exploring the creative world, hosting gallery events with college and pro athletes and allowing art and design students to help in the process.

The combination of athletics and art doesn't always seem like a cohesive bond, but when you look deeper at the different industries you begin to realize how alike and influential they both are. Looking at the progress and ideas that have blessed our world with their collaborations, may give people inspiration to explore other industries that work well together.

Nico Morris for Artist As Brand