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What Do You Want Your Audience To Feel?

July 23, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I have heard that life is essentially about emotion. We do things and want things because we think we will feel happier in the doing or acquiring of those things. We jump off of cliffs because of the rush. We eat ice cream because it makes us feel comforted. We eat kale salad because it makes us feel, well, righteous for eating the kale salad. We work out because we either get a rush from it (I actually enjoy being physical active though you wouldn’t know it to look at me) or we think it will feel good to be more fit or to look “better”, whatever that means. Think about it. It’s all about emotion.

Right now, my city is holding its annual Fringe Festival – a time when theatre artists get to experiment with their craft and audiences get to enjoy their offerings in a fun-filled and low-risk environment (tickets for fringe shows are quite affordable so you’re willing to take a chance on something out of the ordinary) .

Now, I’ll try to make my point here without giving anything away about the show in case it comes to your town as fringe performers often travel from city to city. Anyway, I went to this one-man show that involved no speaking. There were sounds – grunts and “ohs” and such – but no actual words. And I was totally okay with that aspect of it.

But there was something that confused me about the whole thing. While the performer conveyed emotion, I as an audience member could not tell where it was originating from. I knew he was angry, but I didn’t know why. I knew he was excited but I didn’t know why. At least much of the time. So there may have been a narrative but it was essentially lost on me and I was left somewhat frustrated. And to be honest, the character was actually a little creepy, which is I’m sure not what the creator intended.

As artists, yes, we want to explore, to express, but we also have an audience to consider. I’ve thought about this in comparison to sports where the goal is simply to win. Sure, a basketball game may be exciting. But a player is not going to intentionally bounce the ball off of the rim for the sake of drama. They want it to go in and if an onslaught happens right at the beginning of the game and seals the deal early on, they’re okay with that. They aren’t striving for a dramatic ending or a photo finish. In the arts, we should be considering the emotions of the viewer. That’s why we are sharing our craft, after all, isn’t it?

When you are putting your work together, take the opportunity to get out of yourself a bit from time to time and see things from the audience’s perspective. What are they experiencing? Do they understand what you’re trying to say or have you at least given them enough to go on that they can create their own story? It’s fine to have some inside jokes but make sure that those who aren’t in on the joke will still enjoy.

It’s not about creating something of mass popularity and it’s not about catering to something that is not true to you. It’s about creating something meaningful that tells the story you want to tell. It’s about asking yourself, “What do I want the audience to experience with this work? What do I want them to feel?” and doing the research, getting the feedback to find out if it’s actually what is coming across so people don’t leaving the experience wondering, what was that? Unless that’s exactly what you’re going for. 😉

Happy creating!

Other People’s Stories – Learning From the Journeys of Other Creators

July 16, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

How often do you learn about the backgrounds of other creators who do what you do? Do you read about your idols? Do you ask those you meet who are just starting out how their journeys are going? Do these stories inspire you? Motivate you? Confound you?

I have been watching a reality show called Songland recently. If you haven’t seen it yet, an episode goes like this. Four songwriters get to present songs to a panel of three renowned producers, and a popular artist who is hoping to cut one of the tracks. Three of the songs are chosen and each producer takes a writer under their wing to rework the song to make it the best it can be. Finally, the revised songs are presented to the artist and they pick the song that’s going to go on their next album.

We also learn about their background of these writers – where they came from, how they got into the biz. That’s the gist of it and it’s pretty cool to see these unsung heroes respected and getting their props. There’s a lot of talent out there.

And, I have to say, there have been a couple of writers who have left me questioning things.

There was one fellow who had actually been training for the Olympics but, as can happen, he suffered an injury and his future as an athlete was over. So, he turned to writing as a form of therapy. And, basically, in the words of the producers, he was a “beast”. His song was amazing, his production was totally on par, and his performance has this ethereal, mesmerizing quality to it. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. And while I was thoroughly impressed and inspired, I was also kind of, oh, well, annoyed.

Everyone has their own wins and challenges in this life. I can acknowledge that. But I have been composing and writing songs for thirty years. Music has been my life in one capacity or another since the age of six. And here comes this kid – I don’t think he was more than twenty – who came upon songwriting literally by accident and he’s blowing everybody away. What am I supposed to do with that information?

Now, I didn’t go so far as to ask, how is this fair? But I guess I could have. I mean, it’s just like a person who’s been taking acting classes for years and hardly getting any auditions while someone else is discovered in line at the grocery store and ends up winning an Academy Award. It doesn’t seem to make sense.

Or, one could look at the amazing J.K. Rowling. Notice the disclaimer – she is amazing! Now, on a personal level, sure, she had a rough go of it. Single mom, bad relationships, living in virtual poverty. But here’s someone who just decides to write a novel because it comes to her – she hasn’t been slaving away for decades – and she has nine rejections before being accepted by a publisher. A whole whopping nine. That’s not even double digits. Most writers wish they only had to send their manuscript to nine people before becoming successful. Of course, in reading Harry Potter, most people would think publishers 1-8 were complete idiots but 20/20 hindsight, you know. So you can look at that story and think what you will.

But then you have to concede that, just as everyone has their own unique backstory, everyone has their own journey. That songwriter and J.K. Rowling are where they are for a reason and you can’t begrudge them that. If you dig deeper, they may be doing things in an innovative way. They have thought patterns and discipline practices that you can learn from. Success is just as much a mental game as anything else, after all. And if you think about it, isn’t it inspiring to imagine that anything can happen at any time? Life-changing opportunities can come to you today, tomorrow, next week, next month, and you can end up taking a different path all together.

So, I guess my point is, when you read or otherwise learn about the backstory of other creative people, be jealous if you want, but also take what you can from it. Do they have interesting approaches to their craft? What is their creative routine like or do they even have one? How did they get known in their field? Who did they connect with and how did it happen? In realizing that we are all just doing our thing, we can be inspired by each other and have a sense of compassion because, while somebody may be sleeping on a golden bed, it doesn’t mean the road has been easy. But then people can be just having a great time too, so…

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve got some new tracks up on Pond 5 so if you’re looking for some stock production music for your podcast, YouTube show or whatever, check it all out at https://www.pond5.com/artist/tprochera#1/2064 !

You Can Do It Over Again

July 9, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Do you ever look back at your creative trajectory and wish you could have done things different? Followed a different path? Taken advantage of those opportunities that have passed you by? Do you find yourself ever wondering if you should have moved for that job, taken that gig, focused on youth literature instead of adult novels?

Years ago, I had an album that had made it on the radio in my home town. Even though I hadn’t been living there for a few years, it felt pretty good to hear that I was the Song Of The Day! So, I got a phone call one day from someone asking me if I wanted to be the opening act for a popular Canadian group that was going to be performing at the local theatre in two weeks. I was flattered, to say the least, but I also panicked. I hadn’t been planning on performing these songs out anywhere. I hadn’t been practicing. I didn’t think I could have a credible set ready in time so I respectfully declined the offer.

Now you might be saying, what was she thinking? That could have been her big break! Why did she turn it down?

Honestly, I can tell you what was going through my head but I don’t know if it made sense or not. It just made sense in the moment. I’m not gonna lie – It crosses my mind from time to time. Who knows what would have happened after that show? I could have become the pre-Taylor Swift. The show could have been a total disaster. My life could have become a total disaster even if the show itself was successful.

But here’s the thing. Regret doesn’t do us any good because we can’t change what happened. As the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilled milk. We have to trust that we somehow made the right decision for ourselves. We followed the path we followed because it seemed like the best thing to do at the time so it doesn’t serve us to get down on ourselves about it.

We can’t redo the past but guess what? We can learn from it and create an amazing future. That’s what we do, right? We create stuff. And every day we are creating our lives for better or worse. There are still plenty of opportunities out there. There are plenty of gigs to play, plenty of places to move to. We can still evolve and change direction anytime we want to. We don’t have to stay stuck. As the saying goes, it’s not over until it’s over. And while, at my vintage, I’m not likely to become the ‘next’ Taylor Swift, that doesn’t mean I still can’t get out there and perform if I want to. There are plenty of household names that only gained their popularity in their forties, fifties, and beyond.

So, here’s a fun exercise.

When something doesn’t work out the way I intended or I decide not to do something, like go to a concert or other event, I sometimes imagine what awful things might have transpired if I had left the house. Especially when I see people’s Facebook posts about what a great time they had at said event. It kind of helps soothe my FOMO a bit.

So, why not look at all of the things that you regret not doing in your creative life – those choices that, when you revisit them, make you cringe and you wish you could go back and do them over – and write down all of the horrible things that could have happened if you had made those other choices? You know, you could have ended up hopelessly addicted to drugs, divorced from your spouse. Your private plane taking you to the Oscars could have crashed. Have fun imagining all the possibilities! 🙂

As you then review the carnage, you will hopefully realize that you don’t know what would have happened and, really, you could have it much worse than you do now. You may even be filled with a sense of gratitude that you didn’t take those roads. So, at the bottom of your list you can add, “Thank goodness I am where I am! Now I can create the awesomeness from here! “ , reminding yourself that every day is a chance to start over, a chance to make different choices and take new paths.

Have fun creating!

And in Swimming Tigress news, just a friendly reminder to the music teachers out there that fall is approaching fast and it’s time to look for some new repertoire for your young students. Why not check out my songbooks, Bad Moods and Brain Freezes , with songs that are as fun to teach as they are to learn. Available through this site and Sheet Music Plus!

Location, Location, Location – Where Should You Really Be?

July 2, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Do you ever wonder if you’re living in the right place to explore your creative gifts? Do you think location even matters? Having lived in the same city in the same apartment for 22 years now, I’ve been struck by some wanderlust of late so this is has been on my mind. Is there an ideal environment for building a thriving creative career or optimizing your creative expression?

There are a lot of factors to consider when one looks at location as a creator, aside from the mythical tales of the now legendary writers gathering together in a café in Paris or painters flocking to Nice. As dreamy as it sounds to envision yourself as part of that legacy – and yes, Nice is noooice 😉 – it’s really about finding the right place for you – if there, in fact, is one.

Before you begin your search, you might want to write down how you want to feel in your home – in general and with respect to your creativity. Do you want to feel inspired? Surrounded by beauty? Connected to the cultural community? Respected for what you do? You see, I heard once – well, probably more than once – that we do things or want things because of the way we think they will make us feel. So, when you focus on the way you want to feel, which is what it’s all about anyway, you can leave the door open to the possibilities. I mean, you can say, “I want to live in Paris.” Cool. And it might be just what you need. It’s a really fun place. But – and not that this will necessarily be your reality – after you’ve moved into your 100 square-foot apartment and stepped in your fiftieth pile of dog poop you might reevaluate things. But you wanted to live in Paris, right? Or maybe you wanted to be surrounded by creativity, culture, history. And there are lots of places where you can find that that might be more comfortable for you.

In some fields, especially solitary ones like writing, you can live anywhere. In this age of technology, it is possible to live in one country and conduct the majority of your international business remotely. Heck, if you really wanted you could conduct all your appearances by Skype or something and never leave the house. In collaborative fields, like film making, it helps to live in a location where the people you are inclined to work with are going to be, where an industry is already established. Unless you’re already famous and wealthy and don’t have to hit the pavement. Then you can live on a ranch in Texas and let the job offers come to you and you just fly to set on your private jet.

Dreams aside, there are cities that are known for dominating certain creative fields – Los Angeles for film, New York for theatre, Paris or Milan for fashion. But, depending on your ultimate goals, you may not have to pay half a million dollars for a 600 square-foot flat.

There are places with thriving film industries outside of L.A. – not that L.A. isn’t great. You might not get paid as much, if at all, but you can certainly have fun getting connected, gaining experience, and learning about your craft. After a few years you might want to go to the big city but maybe you’ll find that where you are is just the right pace for you.

You see, even when we have a passion, we can choose to engage it on different levels. It can be the all-out I-want-to-be-the-best-in-the-world kind of thing, it can be an as-long-as-I-can-pay-my-rent-I’m-happy kind of thing, or it can be an I-don’t-want-to-spoil-it-by-worrying-about-making-money-so-dabbling-on-weekends-is-just-my-thing kind of thing. So, you can still participate even if you’re not in the thick of it.

Whatever your intentions, there may be locations – whether they be other cities or simply other neighborhoods – that are more conducive to pursuing your creativity. Do you need to be around certain resources? Do you do your best work in a coffee shop but there’s nothing within walking distance? You can change that. Have you put the bulk of your money into recording gear so you can’t afford a car but the public transit system where you’re currently living leaves something to be desired? You can change that. Are you inspired by art galleries and museums and your town is a little lacking in that department? You can change that. I know, for myself, even if I’m not in London or New York, I probably couldn’t live in a place that didn’t broadcast the Metropolitan Opera and other world-renowned theatrical productions in the local movie theatres. I would feel like I was missing out on too much.

In my hometown, I was heading to a concert last week – a concert which I was ultimately not allowed to attend for reasons I won’t get into but are unfortunately not at all scandalous on my part – that took place in another area of town I have been in before but rarely visit. And I was pleasantly surprised. It occurred to me that it was within walking distance of the main theatres and entertainment centres – right now I have to travel at least half an hour to go to most events which isn’t far for some people but seems kind of tedious to me. There was a lovely park across the street. There were plenty of cafes and restaurants to hang out in. And, since it’s the city’s French quarter, I would get to speak French, a desire that has been in me since my trip to Europe. So, while it’s possible a different city is the only way to cure my restlessness, sometimes a small change can make a big difference.

I wrote in a previous post about honoring your excellence, and part of that is finding your tribe, that community of people who will support you, help you grow, and think you’re awesome. And sometimes a place just feels right… or wrong… and I think it matters. I was recently musing about how you can, in fact, fit a square peg into a round hole if it’s made of something soft like marshmallow but it doesn’t mean it belongs there. We can struggle trying to adapt and morph ourselves to suit our surroundings or we can find a place that suits our natural way of being. A place where we really fit in. A place that feels like home.

If you’re an aspiring make-up artist for film and television, say, and you’ve been trying to get connected to your community – attending networking events and offering to volunteer your services and all that to get more experience – and it’s just not working, consider this. Maybe you’re going about things wrong way – you might want to assess your approach and see if maybe you’re a little too aggressive or not forward enough or just acting unprofessionally. But maybe you’d be more successful somewhere else. Maybe there’s another place where you will fit right in and be welcomed with open arms and you can thrive.

Now, not everyone has the freedom or finances to move, but if you do and you feel like you’re just not gelling creatively with your current environment, why not make a wish list of what you think you need and have some fun exploring. It’s a big world out there! And let me know what you come up with. 🙂

When Do You Speak Up? Expressing Opinions on Professional Online Forums

June 25, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hey all!

This post is going to be more about more about exploring a topic as opposed to offering any real insight or solutions. Of course, I’ll try to say something useful here but I’d love you to comment with your thoughts on the matter.

I’m a member of some industry-related Facebook groups for people looking for creative opportunities. You know, people will post jobs, questions, etc. and, if you’re interested, you can comment or send a message. I’m sure there are many other online forums and such that serve the same purpose.

Anyway, I’ve seen all sorts of posts of varying degrees of legitimacy offering varying pay scales, if you catch my drift. When something seems a little off, occasionally people will comment. Like, they’ll say, “Well, you’re clearly getting paid for the job so why can’t you pay your assistant?”, or “Yeah, sure, I can pay my rent with exposure” or they’ll advise readers not to work with the poster or, sometimes, it’s the poster who gets on to vent and warn about a person or company they’ve worked with.

And it got me wondering – when is it, or is it ever, appropriate to call somebody out in a supposedly professional environment like these online forums?

I have seen people respond to these dissenting or cynical comments suggesting they should just not apply for the job if they don’t like the terms – I don’t particularly agree but fair enough, I suppose. When job seekers questioned the terms of a potential opportunity, the poster even commented back accusing they cynics of racism. I thought that was a rather creative interpretation of the situation and I wonder how many people are going to want to work with him after that.

So, when does the voice of reason become the whiner? And when can being outspoken have an effect on your career? Is it worth it?

I’m almost inclined to say it might be.

I mean, I’m all in favour of making sure people get paid unless there’s a really good reason why everyone should be volunteering their services – like it’s for charity. “I feel like making a movie and I have no money so everyone involved should do it for free” is not really a good enough reason in my eyes. And if the vast majority of opportunities you see are volunteer or you know the person posting is making money off of it, you can get frustrated if you’re trying to make a living at your craft. Isn’t it in the industry’s best interest for someone to point these things out? As I’ve said before, getting paid means we can further our skills and become better at what we do, after all, and if people are always willing to do jobs for nothing, then eventually no one will be able make a living. And maybe if more people speak up, someone will get the hint. Just today I saw a posting for an unpaid voice artist to narrate promotional videos for a known creative post-secondary school. And it didn’t look like it was for a class project. I was this close to writing, “Come on. Really?”

And there are situations where safety is a concern. If a potential employer has acted in an abusive manner in the past, shouldn’t those considering their opportunity know about it before they get in too deep? There was a post from someone the other day saying they would discuss payment “in person”. While some commenters were concerned that they would then be roped into doing the job for free, my mind went to kidnapping and being sold into a trafficking situation.

It has happened. A job posting for a make-up artist, for example, will promise a great opportunity with a well-known movie production company, the new hire travels to the city to meet them and they end up at an abandoned building. You can take the story from there. Wouldn’t you want to be warned of a situation like that? Wouldn’t you want to warn someone of a situation like that, even if it made you look like a complainer? I know I would. By the way, just be aware of opportunities that look good to be true. They might very well be.

You see, you can state these things in ways that are less inflammatory than an outright accusation. For example, asking why a project might be volunteer is more a request for clarification than a commentary on the pay scale, wouldn’t you say?

How can these comments affect our professional status? Well, it depends I suppose. I, for one, think it’s hugely important to be courteous, polite and well-spoken in any professional situation, online or offline. I have seen horrendous grammar, spelling and just general tackiness from people even posting job opportunities, seemingly unaware that they too are being judged. So, comments should refrain from profanity or personal attacks and do check your spelling. But, if you do it right, isn’t is possible that you might be closing one door but opening a bunch of others? I mean, people could witness your passion, eloquence and all round awesomeness and be dying to work with you! Right? I don’t really know but I suppose anything can happen.

All that being considered, remember that potentially thousands of people will be exposed to your comments so:

1) You need to walk the walk and stand by what you say. People will find out if you’re being hypocritical, like if you rant about an employer treating you badly and then stories come out about how you’ve been nasty and difficult to work with. That’ll come back to bite ya in the tukus!

2) Keep it to the subject at hand and don’t go on and on about every time an employer has done you wrong or whatever. Nobody cares and that’s the straight up definition of a whiner.

2) Realize that certain ideas expressed may limit some opportunities for you and you need to be okay with that. I applaud those who comment that artists should be getting paid for their services. I do. And when a really cool job comes up that you would do for nothing (good thing because that’s what they’re offering) don’t be surprised if the poster responds. “Saw your other posts and you don’t like doing things for free so no.” That’s what comes with taking a stand so you have to be ready for it.

So, what do you think? Is expressing your opinions on professional online forums a worthwhile thing to do – if you do it tactfully, of course? Or should you keep your comments to yourself and let everyone else deal with their own stuff? Let your voice be heard!

Originality – Nice, But is it Necessary?

June 18, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

As creators, we often wonder if our ideas have been done before. Are we reinventing the wheel, so to speak? Certainly, this is something to consider with copyright infringement laws and all of that. Nobody wants to be sued.

And, on one hand, it doesn’t hurt to ask yourself if you’ve seen this kind of thing before. I remember watching a made-for-TV film released by a well-known production company that shall remain nameless and I was like, seriously? This is Sister Act without the homicidal boyfriend. Maybe the writers were inspired by the hit movie. Maybe it was intended to be an “original” concept. I don’t know for sure and, hey, I don’t have a script in with a major production company so who am I to judge? But it would have been virtually impossible to not notice the similarities. And I can think of more than one songwriter who would have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had taken a moment to ponder the question. I’m just saying.

Someone once said there’s nothing new under the sun. Now, I don’t believe that’s entirely true – there are truly ingenious, refreshing, new ideas that reveal themselves all the time – but I do think that we might want to be a little easier on ourselves if we are inspired by an existing idea or if our concept is not 100% revolutionary.

I mean, look at history. Back in the day, it was common place to try to paint exactly like your mentor. Composers took segments of other musical works and inserted them into their own – yes, sampling was happening in the 1800’s and earlier. Convention was so strong in some respects that there were only so many ways to structure a melodic phrase. I’ll admit I’ve heard a bit of classical music in my time but, even so, I can listen to a completely unfamiliar piece from certain periods and tell you pretty much how it’s going to end, because that’s simply how you ended things. And nobody had a problem with it.

And, when you think about it, there are common ideas in life so why should their not be common ideas in art? I mean, guys meet girls in bars all the time so if you see the scenario in a lot of movies, there might be a reason for it.

I’ve been thinking recently about how we all have our own gifts as artists. Some of us are the innovators who bring in the new techniques, the new future conventions, the iconic tales, and some of us take existing techniques and conventions and execute them brilliantly. When I was a composition student, I arrived at my lesson super excited because I was going to write a piece that used a scale of alternating whole tones and semitones. I thought I was brilliant! My teacher kindly pointed out that my concept was, in fact, the octatonic scale, which was already very much in existence. Now, I could have berated myself for not knowing about the scale already but I chose to see it as, hey, I invented a real scale! How cool is that? But perhaps I’m of the second type of artist?

Some years ago, there were two films about Snow White released in theatres at the same time. At first, you might say well, that’s kind of going overboard, isn’t it? Yes, it’s a popular tale but to have two major motion pictures come out at the same time? But they were completely different! The creators took entirely different approaches to the story and, while I’ll leave it up to the individual to determine which was the better film, having watched both, I personally didn’t have a feeling of repetition.

You see, the concept is only part of the equation. What’s just as important is how you take the idea in a unique direction. How do you make it yours and put your spin on it? I mean, someone could have written a really crappy story about a kid going to wizard school and then where would we all be?

So, my point is, craft is just as relevant as concept and, even if your story isn’t entirely revolutionary, your expression of that story is still worth telling, keeping in mind of course, that there are legal ramifications for intentionally ripping somebody else off. So let go of some of the pressure and just create already! 🙂

Let the Whole You Be Revealed – Following the Opportunities

June 2, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hello all!

Last weekend, I had the honour of hosting a launch of the latest issue of the Lake Winnipeg Writers Group journal, Voices, for which I also served as editor. (Photo courtesy of my proud mom ;-)) The process involved several months of reading and revising, e-mailing, chatting on the phone and in person at reading sessions and, I must say, I quite enjoyed it! It was a pleasure to witness such a diverse and talented group of creator in action.

But it was not something I had initially planned on, to be honest. I have done some proofreading for people I’ve known, which has been rather fun as I consider myself a fixer of sorts – someone who can take an existing idea and bring it to another level. The whole curation process, however, was new to me. But last fall I was asked to judge a poetry contest for the group and, next thing you know, I’m editing an entire journal!

I received much positive feedback on my work which, despite my own perceived failings, was very encouraging. Though I still have a lot to learn, editing appears to be something I can now add to my skill set. When it came time to discuss the launch of the journal, I was informed that it was customary for the president or the editor to take on the duties. With my background as a performer and the years I’ve spent in Toastmasters, I was up to the task.

And, again, the audience and fellow writers seemed to be pleased with my presence at the podium and responded very favorably. So, now, it looks like I can host stuff good too! 🙂

Now, I’m not telling you this is to brag on myself – although I think we need to be able to do that once in a while because it helps us to feel confident in our abilities. This is about allowing yourself to be guided, letting go of your preconceived notions of what you’re supposed to be doing with your art and saying yes to the opportunities that present themselves before you. If I hadn’t agreed to edit, I wouldn’t have known that I would enjoy it and be competent at it. If I hadn’t said yes to hosting, I wouldn’t have known that I could take on the emcee duties and feel good about it after the fact. It’s about acquiring new information showing you what you’re capable of and, perhaps more importantly, what you like to do.

Now, if you feel that these incidental endeavours might derail you or make you doubt yourself, quite the contrary. During this process of expansion, you won’t be casting aside what you already do and already know. You will be letting new things about yourself to be revealed to you so you have even more ways to serve and express.

When you stay with the familiar, you only learn and grow in expected ways. But sometimes others see things in us that we don’t see in ourselves and, in taking these new opportunities, we are exposing ourselves to more of our untapped potential. We experience the fullness of who we are and what we have to offer. And if you come upon your true calling in the process, trust that your new path is the right one for you and nothing has been lost or wasted.

So, next time a chance to do something new comes your way, unless it really makes you feel uncomfortable, go for it! See where the journey takes you. You never know what you will learn and how you will grow when you come out the other side.

On a related note, if you’re interested in some fun and adventurous writing, might I suggest acquiring your very own copy of the latest issue of the Voices journal – with an entry by yours truly, by the way?

You can purchase it at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg, MB and at Tergeson’s in Gimli, MB or you can enquire through the LWWG website, https://www.lwwg.ca/.

Enjoy!

Pros and Cons: What’s Your Creativity Worth To You?

May 28, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

So, I just returned from a whirlwind trip through England and France – and I do mean whirlwind! A day here, a day there, staying in accommodations ranging from friends’ condos to castles. Let me tell you, it’s pretty sweet to wake up in a castle on your birthday!

In so many ways, it was a trip celebrating art in all its forms. We experienced the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Tour, with real sets, costumes, and props from all the movies. We had great fun admiring – and purchasing – the works of artisans at a medieval festival in Sedan, France. We strolled through Montmartre in Paris, filled with art galleries. I even had a moment of incredulity with one piece in particular. I approached a staff member, dubious, “Ce n’est pas l’original.” I said as I pointed to the painting. It’s not the original. And she reassured me, “Oui. C’est l’original.” It was then that I knew I was looking at the original Campbell’s soup can painting by Andy Warhol. #Notaprint. We reveled in the glory of cathedrals such as Ely and Sacre Coeur, where we were a little taken aback by a crazy organ solo after the service that reminded me of the beginning of Ghostbusters. And the patisseries! As beautiful as they were delicious!

I was surrounded by so much culture, so much beauty, so, so many stairs. And throughout the journey – because my brain is always running on all cylinders – I was confronted with a big question: what am I willing to deal with, to sacrifice, to do what I’m here to do as an artist?

We met a fellow from Regina, Saskatchewan working in a pub who had moved to Paris about seven months ago. I asked him if he enjoyed living in the city and he told me that Paris wasn’t a perfect place but the pros outweighed the cons and he liked it so far.

What may be required of us to fulfill our missions as artist? Do the pros outweigh the cons on our own journeys? The discussion brought to mind a real estate show where a young woman was moving to Paris to study fashion. Seems like the perfect place to pursue such a dream. In her search for a place to live, she came across a place – I think it was a condo – that met her budget of around $100,000 USD and provided a grand total of – get this – 86 square feet of living space.

Would you live in an 86 square-foot condo for your art?

When I was visiting New York, I had the same question. With my interest in theatre and with Broadway being the heart of the medium, you would think it would be a great place to connect and make things happen. But, while it was a fun place to visit and I had a fabulous time, could I really live there?

And we can extrapolate that to other aspects of our craft. Can we accept that there will be rejection, possibly a lot of it? Can we accept that, in the case of performers, we are working while others are celebrating? Can we accept that we may have to be away from home more than we’d like? In the airport in Nice on the way home, there were a couple of what I assumed to be models and I wondered what it would be like to live their lives, and not just what it would be like to be so beautiful and tall. Did then enjoy traveling from place to place or did they find it tedious? Did they mind not being able to enjoy life’s culinary pleasures as much as we mere mortals do?

I read somewhere recently that life will truly move forward when your passion is greater than your fear. Well… okay… it was a horoscope, but it’s a profound, universal concept nonetheless. More than just fear, I take this also to mean that you will move further on your path – it will rise up to meet you – when you are prepared to accept all that the path entails, embrace all of the pros and cons, fully cognizant of the fact that there really is no such thing as perfection.

This is more of a musing that offering any advice, per se, but I invite you to look at your creative dreams – or any dreams, really. Are they worth the rejections? Are they worth the paperwork being filled out to apply for grants? Are they worth hours spent in airports? Are they worth crowded streets? Are they worth a few rats here and there? Are they worth living in an 86 square-foot condo for a while? Are they worth climbing up and down stairs for what seems like all day every day? I mean, you will build up the leg muscles and it does apparently get easier but the stairs are still going to be there no matter what. I’m just saying. 🙂

You may truly be able to create an ideal scenario for yourself – a situation where you are creating your art stress free in exactly the environment that pleases you. I’m not saying it’s entirely impossible. It’s more likely, however, that there will be some aspects of your dream that are less ideal than others. And you will have your own priorities. You alone know what’s most important to you and it is to be honoured, even if you choose not to live “la vie bohème”. But if you can look at the whole picture, all the ups and downs, and see the joys of the process as greater than the potential setbacks – if you can breathe and tell yourself, “Okay. I’m hoping for the best but I’m ready for it all.”- then your dream will rise up to meet you and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Your Excellence: Recognizing Your True Gifts

May 7, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hey all!

So, I was watching a YouTube video the other day by Teal Swan, a spiritual commentator, about excellence – your specific excellence, to be exact.

What is your excellence, you ask?

Well, it’s basically what you’re naturally drawn to and what you innately excel at. The idea of the video is that we can be steered away from our inherent abilities through various circumstances and we can only truly thrive when we are in a situation where our excellence is appreciated and acknowledged.

So, here’s a question. Have you thought lately about where your gifts lie in regards to your creative endeavors? Have you contemplated the special qualities you bring as a creator? Do you know what mediums really work for you? Do you know what age range, what audience, you want to speak to? Do you know what work environment is most conducive to your optimum creativity?

You see, sometimes we are raised or otherwise placed in environments where we are made to feel like who we are and how we do things is not acceptable. A non-musical family won’t acknowledge or nurture their child’s musical gifts. A group of classical performers rejects the one who has a passion for jazz or rock. Someone who writes poetry all the time is repeatedly told it’s a waste of time and they can never make a career out of it.

When we are placed in these situations, we can be left feeling out of place, at odds with our world, or we can try our best to assimilate and ultimately lose our unique spark.

But there is a place for everyone in this world. You can surround yourself with people who appreciate what you have to offer. And that begins with acknowledging what you have to offer to yourself.

In knowing your true strengths and declaring them, even if it’s just writing them down in a journal, you are opening the door to attracting those situations where your excellence is celebrated. And when your gifts are celebrated, you are then able to thrive and give the best of yourself to the world, enjoying success and fulfillment on a level that you’ve probably never experienced before.

Think about that for a minute.

Think about how it would feel to be in an environment where you are allowed to do what is easy and natural and be respected and rewarded for it, rather than merely trying to make the best of whatever situation is put in front of you, struggling to fit in as best you can. How fabulously liberating would that be?

So, I invite you, at some point in the near future, to take some time and write down what you feel your true gifts are, both creatively and as an individual, and ask God, the Universe, or whoever you talk to in your quiet times, to bring you to a place where you can joyously share those gifts with others as a radiant, fully-expressed being.

Because that’s what we’re here to be, after all. Fully-expressed and fabulous!

Have a great day!

What To Do When You Don’t Feel Like Creating

April 30, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Have you ever had times when you didn’t feel like being creative? They may last for a day or two, a week, or even months. It’s perfectly normal and okay. But do you ever think about what’s behind it and how to get out of that state if you wanted to?

There are periods in our lives that are simply busier than others. We have family responsibilities. We’re more occupied promoting our existing material than taking on a new project. In these periods of activity our energy can be drained, depleting our motivation to attend to non-essential tasks. It can be hard to make time for our creative pursuits without running ourselves ragged, despite the advice of those who claim we need to make room for everything at all costs to our well-being.

Perhaps you can’t spend hours in the studio or your writing room but what about bringing a notebook to draw or write in when you’re visiting your loved one in the hospital? What about installing a keyboard app on your phone to play with some melodic lines while you’re heading from one place to another on the bus? You know, just to keep that spark alive while you’re tending to other things. You don’t even have to use these tools necessarily, but just having them around may remind you that there is inspiration to be found everywhere.

If you discover you have the time to create but not the will, have a look at what is lying underneath.

I honestly can’t say I’ve ever been in a situation where I have not wanted to create something or other when the opportunity presented itself. I am an idea factory after all and it’s hard not to act when inspiration strikes on the daily. But I will say I have consciously hesitated out of fear – usually fear that what I’m working on won’t be good or that it won’t get out there and all my effort will have been for nothing. True, it’s easier to relax and experience someone else’s masterpiece than to try to create your own but it’s not nearly as rewarding and usually not as fun, but I have been able to get to the point where I can tell myself that it’s a work in progress until it’s done. What I’m recording or writing doesn’t have to be amazing in this exact moment. I’m going to see what comes out and keep making it better until it’s of an appropriate standard. If it really turns out to be a gong show, there’s still probably something I’ve gained in the process – learning a new skill, acquiring new information – so it’s not wasted time. And I know my best work happens when I’m enjoying myself, when I’m having fun, so approaching every note or word with dread is not going to serve me or the project.

Maybe it’s time to switch things up a bit. If you’ve been writing children’s songs for twenty years and it doesn’t excite you any more, perhaps you would be reenergized writing for a more mature audience. Maybe you’ve been working with oils forever and you just need to try some watercolours. It’s not about stopping all together – it’s taking a different approach to what you’re already doing and seeing how that feels.

And, honestly, maybe you just need to take a break or move on to something else entirely. Yes, creating can be joyous, freeing, life-affirming – all that. But it’s also work. It still uses up our time as well as our mental and physical energy. And maybe that time and energy needs to be put towards other things – not necessarily forever but at least for a while.

So, don’t be hard on yourself if you feel you need to shift gears. It’s easy to become overly attached to things like labels and the idea of no longer being an “artist” can keep us in an unsatisfying situation for longer than necessary. Remember – your value is not determined by labels and status. The best thing you can do for yourself and the world is living a life that is fulfilling and meaningful for you and part of that is having the courage to head out in new direction when you are inspired to do so.