Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Paris. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jessica, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I have found that one of the most important aspects of working as a full time Artist and Creative Entrepreneur is to take time to make just for the sake of making. I work with several different mediums and techniques, so that helps keep this fresh. But when I’m feeling uninspired or I can feel burnout creeping in, I like to just sit down and make something for me. For me creativity and nothing else. Something that doesn’t have to be marketed and sold. Something that may be different from my “normal” offerings. But always something that brings me joy and stretches my creativity to give it new life.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve been my own boss and/or had my own creative business in many forms and with many mediums over the last decade. As cliché as it may sound, the pandemic was the starting point of this latest (and most successfull and rewarding) installment. I finally had the time to just try new tools in my workshop and devote attention to exploring what I truly enjoyed.
I began focusing hours of attention to my sorely neglected tabletop scrollsaw and sharing my work on Instagram. I found the hours spent sitting there cutting and creating were a therapy I didn’t know I needed.
I started selling my art at local and regional art and craft markets with great response and success. It allowed me to make my art my full-time job. I get to play with paint and wood every day, experiment with new techniques, stretch my imagination, and see how it resonates with people at each market.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Accepting that burnout is real and recognizing the signs is key. It happens to all of us, it is nothing to be ashamed of, and talking about it is helpful for everyone.
2. Taking time away from my art/business actually helps me feel more connected to it. As an artist, my mind is always working coming up with new ideas. But as a business owner, I’m more effective to my craft if I step away from it from time to time.
3. Setting boundaries is very important. Making what you want to make is also very important. You are allowed to tell someone NO. You are allowed to pass on a custom job that doesn’t align with your business. You are the boss.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed in my business, I try very hard to listen to that feeling. I try not to force myself through it. Being overwhelmed doesn’t mean you don’t have the capability or the tools to accomplish it all. It just means your body is trying to tell you that you won’t be able to accomplish them all to the best of your ability if you don’t stop and take a beat. No one wants my art that I had to force myself to finish. That’s not authentic – for the client, and especially for myself.
I try learning from past experiences where being overwhelmed led to burning out, which led to feeling disconnected from my passions.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jparisdesigns.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jparisdesigns
