We’re looking forward to introducing you to Carolyn McDonald. Check out our conversation below.
Carolyn, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Be confident with my work and really “toot my own horn”.
I spent so many years nurturing, encouraging and supporting other artists/writers as a producer, consultant and instructor. Now that I’ve made the commitment to creating myself, I need give that energy to myself. Along with that I have to really promote myself. I was afraid to do this for a long time, because I lacked confidence in my voice and vision as an artist. Time on earth, wisdom and truly allowing myself to love my work has shifted my perspective and approach a great deal.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Carolyn McDonald, and I’m a multi-disciplinary storyteller (writer, photographer & filmmaker). The seeds of my life as a visual storyteller were planted by an elementary school assignment to write stories about photographs, and then started taking photos with the intention of telling stories. Which, of course, led to screenwriting and filmmaking — also fueled by my childhood obsession with television. After spending over half my life in the film industry, I pivoted back into my first love of photography. During the pandemic, I started designing framing for my photos, and furniture. Something I never imagined myself doing; but have become an extension of my narratives.
My latest project, a photography booked called “Imaginary Bands & their Fake Ass Songs”. I cross-pollinated these disciplines by creating mock album covers of fictitious artists, using my photographs. Then creating backstories about these artists and their music. Of course, I had to circle back ‘round to articulate the story of how the origin image became the album cover representing the artist. So each page engages and entertains readers from different perspectives. I recently launched an eNews blog using this approach, connecting the stories and expanding on each storyline. Partly inspired by Renaissance painters, who told stories in layers on one canvas.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Wow. That’s a deep question. I’m a big fan of Robert Greene, who wrote the books “Seduction” and “48 Laws of Power”. I just heard an interview where he talked about being “othered” for the first time. Meaning, being shamed, distanced or treated with distain for no reason other than being yourself.
I was “othered” when I was six years old in first grade. I grew up on a farm, and always listened to the radio while I did my chores. I’d play this game with myself memorizing the lyrics to songs to make picking peas or watering the gardens more fun. Motown stuff: Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder. Back then we had music education incorporated into many of our lessons in first grade. They figured out back then that the brain could retain information through melodies. But I won’t digress. One day our teacher heard me singing this song from one of our lessons. It was something about the rain. She was so happy about me memorizing it, that she told me to go to the class across the hall and sing it to them. I go over there and tell that teacher I was sent me to sing this song to her class. So I stood up in front of the class, all proud and happy and started singing. Until I looked into the eyes of these children and felt these daggers of jealousy and hatred hurled at me for doing something I loved so much. And it crushed my heart. I can almost feel it now. Before that moment in first grade I was proud, happy and fearlessly imaginative. I can only speak for myself, but I’m sure I’m not alone, I’ve been ambling through life in a safety net, to protect myself from being “othered” again.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The event I just described was a defining wound, because it was the first time I tried to share something I loved doing with others, and have it met with such disdain. Other defining wounds were losing my great-grandmother suddenly when I was 12, and then not being allowed to perform in a dance contest that I’d been rehearsing for months after she died. These latter 2 things happened close together when I was 12-13, and were extremely painful. I knew these tragedies had wounded me; but it wasn’t until decades later that I realized how much these traumas caused a lot of ‘disturbances in my life force’.
Therapy has been a beautiful thing to help heal my psyche. Just having someone really hear you, support you, and tell you what’s out of alignment. For example, because of the classroom singing incident, I was terrified to put my work out in public. I thought it was good and I knew I loved creating it; but so terrified that it would be met with hatefulness, that I kept them to myself. Which it can be. Especially these days, with all the miserable haters out there. Therapy has helped me soothe and protect that inner 6 year old; and give me an empowering perspective about it as an adult. I must confess that I went into therapy thinking it was like going to the doctor, saying “let’s hurry up and cure this one thing, so it won’t hurt anymore.” But I spent some painful ‘demolition days’ tearing down destructive adapted belief systems, before I could restore the real me that I was before being ‘othered’.
The most fruitful and satisfying healing tool has been to start consistently creating many different kinds of things from my heart. Whether it’s writing a screenplay (which I need to make) a poem, a short story, or designing frames or furniture. Manifesting things I imagine from that proud, happy & fearless ‘pre-othered 6-year old’ me has been so. Healing and taken the fear out of sharing my work with the world. Partly because I had no room left on my walls to keep my art to myself. I find a sense of pride and fulfillment when people let me know that they’ve enjoyed my writing or like my art work hanging on their walls. It tells me that I am not creating anything for myself, but for others.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I naively sat down in my mid-20s and made what I thought was this noble mission statement, to “tell stories that help people set their hearts free. Free from fear. Free from doubt. Free from misguided thinking…” Little did I know that I would have to “go through some stuff” and recognize how my own heart had been bound, before I could create anything that would help set a heart free. I had to have the letters written on my heart before I could write them to the world. I believe creativity can heal a multitude of ills. In fact, I conceived “Imaginary Bands…” during the pandemic when I was suffering with insomnia and bouts of Covid. And it was born out my deep deep love for music. I just now realized that creating a music project has been so healing for me, because I was ‘othered’ when I was singing. So I will always and forever be on a mission to get people to tap into their deep loves and create things that set their hearts free.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
If you don’t mind, I’m going to cheat a little bit for this one, because it’s tied to another question you have. 🙂 After over five decades on the planet, I believe I’m finally doing what I was born to do. Creating in every discipline I love: photography, writing, designing. I’d never dreamed of being a furniture & decor designer until I started getting images of thing a few years ago. So I know I was born to do these things. And I’m giving it all my best everyday. No matter how flawed, great or small. Even though no one is watching, much less praising me for it. I think if more people did this instead of what they were told they should do, the world would be a much better place. I truly hope I inspire others to make that choice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carolynmcdonald.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/createdbycarolyn
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynmcdonald/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/carolynmcdonald
- Other: https://created-by-carolyn.kit.com/
Image Credits
Amy Bauer
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