I love these questions. I read something recently that said you should stop trying to be One Thing, and embrace all the Umbrellas you stand under. And this made so much sense to me and made me sigh with relief. The truth is, also, all the creative waters feed each other and, when you’re off, you can almost always find your heat in other places. When the writings off, the cooking is on. When the cookings off, the paintings on. When everything’s broken, it’s time for a walk or a movie, etc...realizing how (duh) interconnected everything is makes me realize it’s ok to take some “time off,” because I trust that downtime will always come back to feed the main stream. Also, famous masters have side projects, they just aren’t covered by the media. (See also Daniel Day Lewis cobbles shoes!! I think about this about 12 times a day...) And lol the MJ baseball nod! Props to you for voicing all these questions and musings.
Beautifully put, Kara. "When the writing is off, the cooking is on," etc. That is exactly it, I think, and that's a huge comfort. Thanks for passing on the sigh of relief. I'm sure you can read some anxiety in this post, and your comment alleviates some of that. Thank you. Happy new year.
You can and should do "all the things", Matt. I've found I'm happiest in my creative life when I follow "the pull", even if it's just a brief distraction that leads me back to the main thing. I've been an actress, a musician, a singer, a baker, a floral designer, a choreographer, and I'm probably forgetting a few. They all made me happy and taught me things, and they're all places I can revisit if the mood strikes. Just do it all. And enjoy the journey. ❤️ Happy New Year!
Wow. You've truly done it all, which helps me know that it's possible. Thank you for this invaluable advice and encouragement. Sincerely. Happy New Year, Meg :) I truly appreciate all that you've taught me.
Dec 30, 2022·edited Dec 30, 2022Liked by Matt Zamudio
Once again, great topic Matt! Funny serendipity--before opening any electronic device, Christopher, Mary and I found ourselves discussing this old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none." Years ago, yes before you or Christopher were born I used to bemoan that label. I was and am able to do many things pretty well. Hell, some I maybe even did Well but still I brooded over my inability to stand out in that one thing. Now when that term comes up, randomly at work or elsewhere I see a measure of esteem in my cohort's eyes, maybe even a bit of awe. But still the term, jack of all trades, carries unavoidably a few boxcars of baggage. So I gift to you Matt a more apt, up-to -date appellation--multi talented (these last two words would be in italics or bold or something if this response box supplied such extravagances). Multi-talented Matt is a worthy title. For many reasons but for now here's one I prefer. The title hints, just subtly, at the essence which fuels it. That essence, that fuel is the creative urge (also bold or italics). Many people have it, some are gifted with it others are burdened by it. The commonality is if/when you have it you must pick something up, guitar, pen paintbrush camera, you name it we must create. All the rest--should I, would I, could I be great? Annoyances, distractions self-critical squeaky wheels running loops in our minds. Create. Pick it up enter that space we all yearn for and follow your muse.
Multi-talented. Lovely, Fred. Thanks for the perspective! I also love what you right about "that essence" and "urge." Lately I've been thinking about art as a kind of excess energy. There's maybe no right way, or right outlet, for it. Just get that energy out into the world, and you've done your part. Thank you thank you thank you. Happy new year.
Our reaction to people who are "established" in a certain field or art form trying their hand at something else has more to do, I think, with our preconceived notions of them than it does their ability to make something great that isn't from the box we've placed them in. Jim Jarmusch makes great music. Leonard Cohen was a poet before becoming a singer. Patti Smith continues to live in two worlds successfully.
But I get your hesitancy. I committed myself to music for years before switching my focus to writing. Be it time or other, more psychological limitations that I put on myself, I didn't spend much cross-over time "committing" myself to both practices at the same time. But I still daydream about a song idea or starting a band, even as I "commit" to writing. I'd say we should both be easier on ourselves. Want to make music? Make it. Got an idea for a story? Write it. Or be OK with either idea remaining that way, as an idea. Sometimes, as a fellow aspiring "creator," I need to let myself off the hook and not beat myself up about my level of productivity, too.
I think lots of creative peeps ruminate about this, Matt. I say, how lucky are we that we have multiple interests that feed our souls? I've considered myself a painter since I was four years old and yet I haven't picked up a paintbrush in a few years. Today I went into the cutest barn ever where I've moved all of my art supplies and I sat down and played with my crayons. The paints were all frozen (oops!) It felt so good and yet all I wanted to do was get back to the house to finish what I was writing.
I used to sort of envy some of my artist friends who only focused on one thing - painting, or photography, or sculpture - but not anymore. I love flitting from one thing to the next. And, I know I say this every time I leave a comment, but this is total Vata (Ayurveda) behavior! We are the flitterers :)
Most of us are multidimensional. I play guitar, I write songs, I write books, I enjoy public speaking and solving problems. I am a people leader. I have many transferable skills and have been made redundant a few times and reinvented myself, as you no doubt will in the new year. One recruitment agent, who didn't actually get me a job, did give me some good advice. He said, who would you like to work for?
Variety is the spice of creative endeavors, I think! Sometimes dabbling in another medium or even another industry entirely is necessary while you refill your "main" one. I also think creative pursuits feed into each other. And the full quote is “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” which puts a different spin on the whole concept.
I'm always inspired by learned people from the Renaissance like Erasmus or Thomas More or a little further back Leonardo Da Vinci - they had such range and breadth of interests and pursuits. Whilst perhaps we cannot do it all with excellence, definitely give it a go - some things too may be interlinked which makes the learning and application easier!
I love these questions. I read something recently that said you should stop trying to be One Thing, and embrace all the Umbrellas you stand under. And this made so much sense to me and made me sigh with relief. The truth is, also, all the creative waters feed each other and, when you’re off, you can almost always find your heat in other places. When the writings off, the cooking is on. When the cookings off, the paintings on. When everything’s broken, it’s time for a walk or a movie, etc...realizing how (duh) interconnected everything is makes me realize it’s ok to take some “time off,” because I trust that downtime will always come back to feed the main stream. Also, famous masters have side projects, they just aren’t covered by the media. (See also Daniel Day Lewis cobbles shoes!! I think about this about 12 times a day...) And lol the MJ baseball nod! Props to you for voicing all these questions and musings.
Beautifully put, Kara. "When the writing is off, the cooking is on," etc. That is exactly it, I think, and that's a huge comfort. Thanks for passing on the sigh of relief. I'm sure you can read some anxiety in this post, and your comment alleviates some of that. Thank you. Happy new year.
So happy to pass it on. Happy new year!
I love this Kara. :)
🙌🔥🙏
You can and should do "all the things", Matt. I've found I'm happiest in my creative life when I follow "the pull", even if it's just a brief distraction that leads me back to the main thing. I've been an actress, a musician, a singer, a baker, a floral designer, a choreographer, and I'm probably forgetting a few. They all made me happy and taught me things, and they're all places I can revisit if the mood strikes. Just do it all. And enjoy the journey. ❤️ Happy New Year!
Wow. You've truly done it all, which helps me know that it's possible. Thank you for this invaluable advice and encouragement. Sincerely. Happy New Year, Meg :) I truly appreciate all that you've taught me.
❤️❤️
Once again, great topic Matt! Funny serendipity--before opening any electronic device, Christopher, Mary and I found ourselves discussing this old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none." Years ago, yes before you or Christopher were born I used to bemoan that label. I was and am able to do many things pretty well. Hell, some I maybe even did Well but still I brooded over my inability to stand out in that one thing. Now when that term comes up, randomly at work or elsewhere I see a measure of esteem in my cohort's eyes, maybe even a bit of awe. But still the term, jack of all trades, carries unavoidably a few boxcars of baggage. So I gift to you Matt a more apt, up-to -date appellation--multi talented (these last two words would be in italics or bold or something if this response box supplied such extravagances). Multi-talented Matt is a worthy title. For many reasons but for now here's one I prefer. The title hints, just subtly, at the essence which fuels it. That essence, that fuel is the creative urge (also bold or italics). Many people have it, some are gifted with it others are burdened by it. The commonality is if/when you have it you must pick something up, guitar, pen paintbrush camera, you name it we must create. All the rest--should I, would I, could I be great? Annoyances, distractions self-critical squeaky wheels running loops in our minds. Create. Pick it up enter that space we all yearn for and follow your muse.
Multi-talented. Lovely, Fred. Thanks for the perspective! I also love what you right about "that essence" and "urge." Lately I've been thinking about art as a kind of excess energy. There's maybe no right way, or right outlet, for it. Just get that energy out into the world, and you've done your part. Thank you thank you thank you. Happy new year.
Thanks Matt, Happy New Year to you and your family.
🔥🔥❤️
If you can do it all, do it. Sometimes, overthinking is a bad thing. Just follow your passions where they lead.
Our reaction to people who are "established" in a certain field or art form trying their hand at something else has more to do, I think, with our preconceived notions of them than it does their ability to make something great that isn't from the box we've placed them in. Jim Jarmusch makes great music. Leonard Cohen was a poet before becoming a singer. Patti Smith continues to live in two worlds successfully.
But I get your hesitancy. I committed myself to music for years before switching my focus to writing. Be it time or other, more psychological limitations that I put on myself, I didn't spend much cross-over time "committing" myself to both practices at the same time. But I still daydream about a song idea or starting a band, even as I "commit" to writing. I'd say we should both be easier on ourselves. Want to make music? Make it. Got an idea for a story? Write it. Or be OK with either idea remaining that way, as an idea. Sometimes, as a fellow aspiring "creator," I need to let myself off the hook and not beat myself up about my level of productivity, too.
I think lots of creative peeps ruminate about this, Matt. I say, how lucky are we that we have multiple interests that feed our souls? I've considered myself a painter since I was four years old and yet I haven't picked up a paintbrush in a few years. Today I went into the cutest barn ever where I've moved all of my art supplies and I sat down and played with my crayons. The paints were all frozen (oops!) It felt so good and yet all I wanted to do was get back to the house to finish what I was writing.
I used to sort of envy some of my artist friends who only focused on one thing - painting, or photography, or sculpture - but not anymore. I love flitting from one thing to the next. And, I know I say this every time I leave a comment, but this is total Vata (Ayurveda) behavior! We are the flitterers :)
Let go and allow yourself to Be Here. The rest works itself out. It sounds dangerously simplistic. But it works ❤️
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Most of us are multidimensional. I play guitar, I write songs, I write books, I enjoy public speaking and solving problems. I am a people leader. I have many transferable skills and have been made redundant a few times and reinvented myself, as you no doubt will in the new year. One recruitment agent, who didn't actually get me a job, did give me some good advice. He said, who would you like to work for?
If you have the talent then use it!
Variety is the spice of creative endeavors, I think! Sometimes dabbling in another medium or even another industry entirely is necessary while you refill your "main" one. I also think creative pursuits feed into each other. And the full quote is “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” which puts a different spin on the whole concept.
I'm always inspired by learned people from the Renaissance like Erasmus or Thomas More or a little further back Leonardo Da Vinci - they had such range and breadth of interests and pursuits. Whilst perhaps we cannot do it all with excellence, definitely give it a go - some things too may be interlinked which makes the learning and application easier!