We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ciara Barsotti a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ciara, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
This has been a long process of development, as I identified as a pessimist and an “Eeyore” for most of my life. Even as a child I was described as “melancholic.” I also struggled with depression, which eventually became so bad in my 20’s that I knew I needed outside help. The combination of medication, healthy habits, and doing a lot of thinking and journaling and reading and talking to others, has helped me come to a place of true hope and optimism. I realized I don’t have to dwell on the difficult things in the world to live my life responsibly. In fact, focusing on what I’m grateful for, on the positive, the lovely, the wonderful things in this life only propel me forward to keep adding to the love and beauty on this planet, and make better choices for myself and as a citizen of the world.
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?
My act of rebellion in the face of a world that seems to be full of darkness is to make things that inspire hope, delight, and wonder, in order to remind people that we are surrounded by beauty and mystery, and that the story is not over.
I create paintings big, small, and wall-sized, I make mail art, fiber art, activity zines for kids, artwork of the animals we share our lives with, whatever I can use to help myself and others feel more connected, curious, and alive, and to spread the message that it is ok to enjoy our one weird and wonderful life.
I’m also the host of Chico Creates, a locally focused podcast where I have conversations with other creatives in my hometown of Chico, CA. And, I’m a mother to one adorable human child and two cats. My babies, my husband, and my garden and home bring me a lot of hope and joy throughout my days.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Consistency, Resilience, and Rest are the three pillars of my journey so far. These can be applied to any field or pursuit and will get you far.
Consistency does not have to mean taking big leaps forward; in fact, it’s most helpful when applied to tiny steps every day to keep you connected to your passion and craft.
Resilience is needed when the magic of motivation runs out, which it always does. It means picking yourself back up when you fall off the proverbial horse. It means continuing when you’ve had a big setback. It means cheering yourself and others on when it looks like the dumbest thing to do. It means pivoting and trying new things to keep that passion lit.
And rest is probably the most important. We spin our wheels and run ourselves into the ground without it. We need rest, sleep, periods of stillness, time and space to be bored, in order to function at our best and to feel whole. A short break here and there could prevent a total, off-the-rails breakdown. Get your rest.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The number one challenge I’m currently facing is earning an income with my art. Art is a weird thing to market. It’s intensely personal and therefore it’s often difficult for artists to self-promote, myself included. There are a lot of stories we have around money and wealth and I’m always working through my own stories to help myself become a better marketer and salesperson, one who is authentic and open to the right people who want to support my work.
I also have a trepidatious relationship with social media. I see what a powerful tool it can be, but it’s also soul-sucking to many who use it, creators and consumers alike. I’m exploring alternate methods to get my work seen and to feel seen. Focusing on my local venues and local market has helped immensely for feeling connected and finding collectors, but I also have to adjust pricing for what folks will pay.
It’s always an evolving process! I’m grateful to be gainfully employed and married to another employed person and to not really have to stress about the marketability of my work. It just gets to be what it is, an expression of my self on paper and canvas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ciarabarsotti.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciarabarsotti
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ciarabarsotti
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