Meet Kara Marshall

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kara Marshall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kara, 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.
Keeping creativity alive includes feeding my imagination, staying curious, and engaging in activities that inspire and challenge me. The following are some ways to help maintain creativity:

  1. Explore New Things: Try new experiences, whether it’s traveling to different places, reading books, or experimenting with hobbies never tried before. Take the art class, learn to play the guitar, and visit a new place even if it’s locally!
  2. Embrace Curiosity: Stay curious about the world. Ask questions, seek knowledge, and approach situations with an open mind.
  3. Have Faith: When you combine your passion and trust in your abilities, remarkable things can happen. Trust the process.
  4. Take Breaks: Allow time to rest, reflect, and recharge. Taking breaks from work or creative projects gives the mind a chance to relax and reset, and can lead to better focus and renewed creativity.
  5. Exercise Regularly: Physical activity can boost creativity by increasing blood flow to the brain and releasing endorphins, which helps your mood and reduces stress.
  6. A Date with Creativity: At least once a week, schedule time for creativity and stick to it. This can be as simple as a walk through the park.
  7. Collaborate with Others: Surround yourself with creative individuals who can offer fresh perspectives and inspire you.
  8. Fail Forward and Embrace Success: Understand that failures (or what I consider accomplishments), can actually be recognized as success and used as an opportunity to learn and grow. Recognizing all achievements (no matter how small!) facilitates the journey and are what keeps you going.
  9. Stay Flexible: Be open to change and willing to adapt your creative process as needed. Sometimes this is the where the magic happens.
  10. Be Patient: It takes time to develop creativity and through patience comes the greatest success.

By incorporating these strategies into my life, it allows creativity to stay alive. Creativity is a skill that is nurtured and developed over time.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Karma Jean Art isn’t just about paintings. It’s about sharing my journey, passions, and unique perspective with the world. Through an exploration of abstracts, acrylics, and mixed media, I create artwork that speak volumes, evoking emotion and sparking imagination.

My art aims to celebrate authenticity, creativity, and the power of self-expression. It’s more than just a collection of artwork. It’s a platform for storytelling, connection, and empowerment. I invite others to engage with art in a meaningful way, whether as collectors, admirers, or fellow creators. Together, we can celebrate the beauty of self-expression and inspire one another to pursue our passions fearlessly.

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?
Grace, perseverance, and resilience. With grace by my side, I navigate challenges. Grace reminds me to remain patient and kind, finding strength in vulnerability.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
Focusing on strengths allows us to excel and feel empowered, while working on areas of improvement enhances growth. Embracing both aspects encourages personal and professional development.

While exploring different styles of art, I initially overlooked abstracts. However, delving into this unfamiliar territory has transformed my journey. Abstract art now holds a significant place in my artistic journey.

Contact Info:

 

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,