We were lucky to catch up with Brad & Tara Harrison recently and have shared our conversation below.
Brad & Tara, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Brad: I just try to stay constantly inspired. I listen to a lot of new music, get out in nature, and am always trying to see the interesting in seemingly ordinary things. Teaching our kids also helps to keep me inspired.
Tara: Our kids help a lot with my creativity. They’re always looking at things in new ways; asking questions I wouldn’t think to ask. They push me to think out of the box and stay weird!
Being out in nature also helps get me out of any creative ruts. Hiking, playing in the creek, and breathing in the fresh, mountain air really awakens the senses.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
We make a kid’s music and nature series called Bleu Jay’s Guide to Living Far Out! Bleu Jay is a groovy dude who lives out in the forest, inspires you to get out in some nature, and sings catchy tunes. We homeschool and really wanted a fun way to teach our kids. Art and music are our passions, so we married the two, came up with a fun character, and got to work. We hope that you’ll want to sing along to our songs, then get outside and discover something new!
We have a lot of things on the horizon for Bleu Jay’s Guide. We are hosting stream clean ups, sing alongs, and in the process of writing a book. Make sure to follow along and join the Bleu Jay Brigade!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
We do everything for our series ourselves, so we would have to say our number one quality is the ability to stay open to learning. There are tons of little things we’ve had to learn along the way, and we’re happy to do it.
Brad: I went to school for recording arts, so that has definitely helped with recording our own music. We can do everything right in our own home. I also was a touring musician for five years, and have played music since I was super young. More recently I was in the live events industry, so all of this history have been a great help with the musical side of Bleu Jay.
Tara: My cartoon doodles are my number one skill I bring to the series. I’ve always doodled. I just love drawing, and bring that love to Bleu Jay’s Guide!
We’re still very early in our journey, so we would tell people in the same boat to not give up. If you believe in it, keep on keepin’ on!
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
In our house, we read the book I am Peace by Susan Verde a lot. When things are overwhelming for our kids, or they’re having an off day, we can break that book right out. It reminds you that peace is within you and to stay mindful. It’s written for children, but can apply to all of us. The illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds are also awesome, just beautiful and perfectly quirky.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bleujaysguide.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bleujaysguide/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bleujaysguide
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bleujaysguide
- Other: https://bleujaysguide.bandcamp.com/ Also, check us out on Spotify and Apple Music!
