Creative Careers in the Arts

Interviews with Coaches, Artists, Writers, Teachers, and Other Creative Professionals

By Molly Anderson-Childers

I created this new series because I have found that many young artists lack practical strategies to create a successful career in the arts. They have passion, maybe even education — but is that enough? Someone who wants to become a CPA has a clear-cut path ahead — a certain number of years of schooling, a few certification tests, and Presto! Another accountant is born!

For someone who’d rather be a poet or a painter — and who could blame them? — the way is shadowy, filled with uncertainties, rejection letters, doubts, and setbacks. You can study drawing and sculpture, take classes in writing the perfect short story, even get a degree. Still, it is not enough. Of all the aspiring poets in all the undergrad poetry seminars in all the world, how many will create a masterwork? Few, too few. How many will actually make a living as a poet, supporting themselves solely with pen and ink? Fewer still.

Who are these precious few, the shining ones, the artists who have made their creative dreams come true? And, more importantly, how did they create success in a realm where so many fail? How do they deal with challenges, rejection letters, and vicious critics? What keeps them from giving up and becoming bartenders and travel agents and waitresses? Why do they return to the studio every day, even though the odds are against them from the start?

I hope to discover the answers to these questions, and to learn what I may from different creative professionals in all fields. I hope to pose interesting questions for myself, as well as for our readers, and in the end, be a valuable resource to those seeking to make the leap from day job to dream job!

Careers in the Arts Interviews

Interview with Author Naomi Rose
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Naomi is a writer and Book Developer with over 30 years in the publications field. She works with writers, frequently first-time book writers, to nurture their book into being. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy)
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Author and artist Susan Kennedy, better known as SARK to her millions of devoted fans worldwide, is the Goddess of Glitter, the Princess of Procrastination — the original succulent wild woman who taught us to eat mangoes naked and explore our darkest places with a flashlight.

Interview with Chris Zydel
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Chris teaches fabulous Wild Heart Painting Retreats all over the world, facilitates women’s groups, and also works as a coach and astrologer. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Jurgen Wolff
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Jurgen is an author, writing coach, and facilitator who teaches creativity and right-brain writing workshops around the world, and has written half a dozen books, including "Your Writing Coach." He's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Deanne Fitzpatrick
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Deanne Fitzpatrick is an accomplished self-taught artist who has created lovely hooked rugs that hang in the Permanent Collections of The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, The Canadian Museum of Civilization, The Nova Scotia Art Bank, and The Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Joan Lefkowitz
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Joan Lefkowitz is the founder of Accessory Brainstorms and Accessory Resource Gallery. Remember the Topsy Tail? Lefkowitz helped thrust the item to a $100 million gross.

Interview with Cathy Yardley
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Cathy Yardley is a Chick Lit writer and the author of the fabulous book, Will Write for Shoes: How To Write a Chick Lit Novel.

Interview with Angela Hook
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Angela Hook is a wire artist, art director, graphic designer, author, and equestrienne. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Pat Conway
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Pat Conway is a fabulously talented poet, photographer and librarian. She loves the outdoors, is an experienced bee-keeper and has been a bird-watcher for most of her life.

Interview with David Duggins
By Molly Anderson-Childers
David Duggins is the CEO of Voidgunner Press, and publisher and editor of the online magazine, Spacesuits and Sixguns. He also writes the Love of the Craft column on the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Lynda Lehmann
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Lynda Lehmann is an abstract expressionist painter and digital photographer who has shown her art in numerous juried and solo shows in the New York area. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Linda Dessau
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Linda Dessau is a music therapist, creativity coach, freelance writer, editor, ghostwriter, and author of the e-book, Ten Ways to Thrive as a Creative Artist. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Dorothy-Clare Jacobs
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Dorothy-Clare Jacobs is a creative-thinking occupational therapy assistant in the recreation department of The Milwaukee Catholic Home, a long-term care facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Interview with Annie Lang
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Annie Lang is a self-taught award winning designer, author, and artist with how-to instructional books, licensed products and published magazine craft projects across six continents worldwide. Several of Annie's whimsical art projects are published on the Creativity Portal Web site.

Interview with Kristen Fischer
By Molly Anderson-Childers
Kristen Fischer is the author of the book Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs. She's also a contributing author to the Creativity Portal Web site.

Continue to Interviews page 2 »