Create & Inspire Podcast with Aunia Kahn

Do you want to become a better artist but don't know where to start. Have you thought about going to art school but don't have the financial resources or time? If so this video, podcast, and blog post is for you! Since I felt this topic was important and I want you to make the things you love and improve on your craft, I created this blog to showcase both the video episode and the podcast (both a little different but have the same information).

Grief and loss are things that Western society has not fit into its cultural idea of acceptability. Unlike other cultures, we find it very hard to accept the process of loss and rarely talk about death. What to Say (and What Not to Say) to Someone Who’s Grieving https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/smarter-living/what-to-say-and-what-not-to-say-to-someone-whos-grieving.html What Not to Say to Someone Who is Grieving | Kay Warren https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyQMh9j56r4 We don't "move on" from grief. We move forward with ithttps://www.ted.com/talks/nora_mcinerny_we_don_t_move_on_from_grief_we_move_forward_with_it

Be wary of living most of your life in the moment outside of the present because you will end up dwelling on things in the distant future and waste the only power you really have- the power of now.  

SHOW DETAILS 1. Be compassionate towards yourself and limitations.  2. Try not to overdo it when you feel good. 3. You can always work on ideas even if you execute them right now. 4. Understand you are more creative when you are tired and worn out and not at our best. 5. Be adaptive. 6. Do something that is collectively creative. 7. Recognize even healthy people have issues around creativity in general. 8. Little successes are everything, You did one brush stroke – good. You thought about writing your book – great! You thought of a great idea – wonderful! SHOW QUOTES “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, but rather, that which is most adaptable to change.” – 1963 speech delivered by Leon C. Megginson Brené Brown’s research showed 85% of people (surveyed) remembered an event at school so shaming it changed how they thought of themselves and the rest of their lives. And half of them said their shame wounds related to creativity — being dismissed, embarrassed, or belittled in their attempts to

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In Episode 35 I give you 6 tips to help you navigate Facebook's ever-changing Algorithm. These tips will help your posts have better visibility and connection with your audience.   SHOW LINKS MyModern.Met Canva Think & Destroy Podcast

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Episode 34 shares 6 pointers to help artists sell their artwork more effectively online.   SHOW QUOTES “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” – Zig Ziglar   SHOW LINKS How to Take Great Photographs of Artwork  

Social Media has become a platform for individuals to stand vehemently on their soapboxes and share their voices. I would like to share my thoughts - thank you in advance for reading. I don’t speak out much about social issues on this professional profile, however, I feel I have some things I would like to share. Maybe more understanding of the people around us, opening up discussions between people and agreeing to disagree would help us come to a more loving place where there are less division and more embracing

ABOUT THIS EPISODEThe importance of business cards is often overlooked now that we rely so heavily on the digital age of communication and connecting. In this episode, I provide 3 reasons business cards are still important as well as providing 5 ways to improve your business card design. SHOW QUOTES “To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” – George Kneller SHOW LINKSWhy You Need A Professional Portfolio & Website 30 Unconventional Business CardsOvernight Prints Vista Print

ABOUT THIS EPISODETitling is an important aspect of the creative process and we will give you a few reasons why you should consider a unique or creative title. SHOW QUOTES “You named your sword Fire? Fire? What kind of a boring name is that? You might as well name your sword ‘Blazing Blade’ and be done with it. Fire indeed. Humph. Wouldn’t you rather have a sword called Sheepbiter or Chrysanthemum Cleaver or something else with imagination?” ― Christopher Paolini

ABOUT THIS EPISODEHave you shipped work to the gallery, and can’t seem to get them to send your work back? Has there been a lack in communication, no communication at all or have you been given the runaround? If so, in this episode we give you some ways to help you work with the gallery in getting your work back safe and sound. Sometimes it’s a simple miscommunication, or confusion about a contract however other times it can be a very difficult and upsetting situation. SHOW QUOTES “Charity never made poor, stealing never made rich and wealth never made wise” – English proverb SHOW LINKSLost Art RegistrationLegal Demand Letter  

ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday we talk about the Create & Inspire 30 Day Creative Challenge. Join us for the month of October! SHOW QUOTES Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way. – Edward de Bono The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configures new perspectives and conquers fears. – Dan Stevens SHOW LINKS Foster A Pet

ABOUT THIS EPISODEAs creative people, we need a space to be creative and make things, and all the better if it’s a dedicated creative space and not the kitchen table. In this episode, we give you some unconventional space ideas to help you carve out ideas to help create your own dedicated space. We show you how any space, big or small can be transformed into an area all your own.  SHOW QUOTES My studio has a personality of its own. It can be a monstrous clutter from one end to the other or, at times, the very model of simplicity.  – Harley Brown  To have a sacred place is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a room or a certain hour of the day or so, where you do not know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody or what they owe you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. – Joseph Campbell SHOW LINKSLaundry Room StudioArt  Studio Spaces on PinterestHome/Art Studio Ideas Pinterest Best Lighting for Art Studios &

ABOUT THIS EPISODE In this episode we talk about self promotion and how to use it to better further your career. Many artists and creatives don’t want to partake in self-promotion since it can seem ego-driven or very self-serving, however, it is a vital part of building a career. Here are some tips on how to better self promote and why it’s important. Also, we are sharing with you our 30 Day Creative Challenge which starts Oct 31st, 2014. SHOW QUOTES It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Muhammad Ali Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. – Albert Camus SHOW LINKSThe Art of Self Promotion: 6 Tips to Get Your Work DiscoveredBoomer Business Podcast 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Today marks the 13th anniversary of the tragedy of the world Trade Center. This episode we take a short moment to reflect on that day. We will be back to our regularly scheduled program next week. SHOW QUOTES Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. – Og Mandino SHOW LINKSArt Heals, It’s Just That Simple

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIt’s a good exercise to take a moment out of our crazy lives and acknowledge all of the people, places, situations, and experiences that have helped us along the way. What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today? It’s important to note that most people don’t choose to be thankless or unappreciative. Often an unapologetic drive to be successful, complete a task or live a better life means sometimes “living in the now” or remembering those that have helped us is overlooked. It takes practice to live in the now, and time to stop and be thankful for everything – the good or the bad. Doing so can be a golden key to a better career and further your journey as an artist or creative person. SHOW QUOTES Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie Gratitude is the fa

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Art Therapy is not just something that happens in clinical settings, art therapy can be exercised in the privacy of our own homes. It can help work through trauma, loss and as a tool for stress reduction, however, it can also be utilized to express joy, create a memory and/or memorialize something special. Creativity is cathartic and can be used by everyone, at any time! SHOW QUOTES “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change this world.” – Robin Williams [Dead Poets Society] “Art is to console those who are broken by life.” – Vincent van Gogh Creativity brings hope when we are broken. – Aunia Kahn SHOW LINKSThe Ten Coolest Art Therapy InterventionsArt Verses Illness

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  Mentorships can be an important asset to personal developmental whether it’s career driven or more personal. Working directly with a person that is more experienced or more knowledgeable than you are can open doors, help nurture of new ideas and advancements, keep you from costly mistakes and you could even build a life long friendship. SHOW QUOTES “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” ― Plato “Remind yourself that a mentor’s time is not free. The actual time they spend with you is worth money, and the years of advice or area of expertise they are helping you with required significant investment on their part” – Inc. “It was my teacher’s genius, her quick sympathy, her loving tact which made the first years of my education so beautiful. It was because she seized the right moment to impart knowledge that made it so pleasant an

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Visual Journaling (Art Journaling/Creative Journaling/Art Diary) has been around for years and is an activity that can help us be more creative, aid in working through issues or promote happiness by having a fun and expressing ourselves. Visual journaling is often rooted in art therapy to work through trauma, loss and as a tool for stress reduction, however, it can also be utilized to express joy, create a memory and/or memorialize something special. Creativity is cathartic. SHOW QUOTES “Art doesn’t have to be pretty. It has to be meaningful.” ~Duane Hanson  “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~G.B. Shaw  SHOW LINKS Psychology Today: 10 Visual Journaling PromptsStrathmore Visual Journals   Journals by: Pam Carriker and by Lou Ann

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  When following our dreams and finally achieving them we often find that they are not exactly the way we envisioned them, however that is life! In this episode we take a journey with host Aunia Kahn as she talks achieving a specific dream, the challenges and what we need to do when we feel stuck or in a place of transition within our own dreams. SHOW QUOTES If I can inspire people by showing that following a dream by working hard and being determined is possible, it’s amazing. – Leona Lewis SHOW LINKS10 Things That Will Happen When You Start Pursuing Your Dreams

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  One of the most coveted experiences by artists is securing a solo exhibition. There is a lot that goes into this aspect of an artists career, but we got you covered! In this episode, we provide useful information and direction to any artist interested in pursuing a solo exhibition of their dreams. SHOW QUOTES Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection. Kim Collins  SHOW LINKSC&I Episode 7: Getting You Art Into Art Galleries C&I Episode 4: Why You Need A Professional Portfolio & Website