We were lucky to catch up with Sarena Danou recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sarena, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Keeping creativity alive is an extensive blend of a variety of concepts. The first is patience. One culprit many creators face is the idea that they must always be creating. It is okay to take your time. It is okay to take a break from different types of expression until inspiration comes back. The second is allowing yourself to draw inspiration from experience, and what is around you. This can be done by channeling experiences within your life or the things you see around you. Whether that be nature, an outfit, a building, a conversation, or anything else.
Keeping my creativity alive is best done through a blend of these things.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I recently launched an art website! That is the newest launch I have had recently. I intend to refine and publish a poetry collection in time. I will also be starting a tattoo apprenticeship in time.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that were most impactful on my journey are ambition, willingness to learn/grow, utilizing the network, and advice of those around me. My ambition has fueled me to continue trying, attempting, failing, and succeeding. It has been a crucial part of my life and ability to create as an artist. My willingness to learn and grow has been one thing that has never limited my realm of possibilities. Keeping an open mind and allowing the perspectives of others in has given me insight that I would have never been able to go as far as I have without the ability to take in new information, to learn, and to allow the insight of others to guide me in addition to my own insight.
My advice for those early on their journey is to continue even when failure seems to be the most common outcome. One does not succeed without a considerable quantity of failure. Do not be afraid to listen to others. You do not have to take every word as fact, but consider their words and see how they may apply to your journey. Every person has their own experience and likely has been through things completely individual to your experiences. Take your time in learning. Take breaks when you are frustrated or burnt out. Do not rush your craft. Do not rush any launches. Give your craft the time, ambition, price, and patience it deserves.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
This answer will be independent and unified with being a creator. When I am overwhelmed, I schedule extra time for myself. Time for yourself can be done in a variety of ways. Being overwhelmed generally won’t happen out of nowhere. If I am overwhelmed it may be due to a failure on my part to have time to take care of myself, and I use the feeling as an indicator to do just that.
In regards to being overwhelmed with a piece, I almost always take a step back. When I am overwhelmed with art, good things do not happen by forcing myself to continue. I leave the piece for a time. Whether that means a day, hour, or week, the piece is better for me to take time away from it. When I return, I can return with a fresh look at it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sarenas.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wobblyearth
