We were lucky to catch up with Mark Franzke recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
For me, resilience probably comes from my ability to reframe an obstacle as an advantage. I have found that even after a setback, either from a mistake that requires me to start over, or because of a customer misunderstanding, or even criticism from an art director or store owner, I don’t mind calling it a learning experience. My initial response may be to think that the client is a jerk, or that I am a complete hack, but there’s far more value in stepping back to reassess from another perspective. I know I can always do better and I have learned to not take criticism personally, but instead leverage it as a tool for development. Then I actually get energized knowing that I am on a path to growth and improvement, and that’s what drives me to push myself harder. In the arts, your work is always subject to outside critique, and that can be exhausting if you take it personally. Pause, , mindfully consider other points of view and evaluate other approaches to your work. It’s possible the criticism is valid, and it’s possible that it is not, but growth comes when you’re honest with yourself and choose the best path forward, not necessarily the first one. For me, it’s more important to move forward while also improving your skills, and that builds confidence and resilience.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My creative journey has evolved and taken a few turns over the years. I had a 25 year career as an illustrator, while making mandolins and guitars on the side. I eventually left the day-job to make string instruments full time, and have now sold instruments throughout the US, Canada and Europe to professional musicians and recreational pickers alike. I make 4-8 custom instruments a year, and until recently was doing a lot of repair work as well. Now I limit my work to building only what I really want to, and then pass the final product on to a retailer that will sell it for me. I am no longer taking repair work so that I can focus on my personal creative pursuits.
Necessity leading to invention is another element of my creative approach that I’m spending more time on, now. Something that always interested me was coming up with ways to streamline the building process, which led to dreaming up new jigs or fixtures that could make the operation more efficient and repeatable. I recently developed a very specific piece of equipment to precisely cut the neck joint for banjos, and applied for a patent. I have been making and selling the parts and plans for this machine and that has turned into a fun, new focus for my creative journey. I am currently working on plans for another custom tool for a big-name banjo company and their unique requirements. I had no idea when I was just starting a career in art, that my creative journey would take me in this direction.
The opportunities that have come my way didn’t just happen, and I wasn’t just waiting around for the phone to ring. It’s important to make yourself visible and to make connections. I admit that this is the most difficult part for me and for many artists and creative people I’ve worked with. For some people it just comes naturally, but for me it’s been a challenge and I know I don’t promote myself as much as I should.
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?
Curiosity, number one. Tenacity.
Hard-headedness.
I think most creative people are very curious people, and I mean that in every possible way. Always asking the what-ifs, and always willing to examine the hows and whys down to the finest detail. But then, it’s important to have the tenacity to try to make something work, analyze why it doesn’t work, try something different until that ultimately fails, and then be able to say to yourself, “oh well, that was fun.” But because I’m so hard-headed, I’m going to wake up in the night and start obsessively troubleshooting why it failed and whether or not it can still work, with the right tweak. Sometimes, I still make changes and persevere. But, sometimes it’s best to abandon it and remember that the creative process as a whole is much bigger than just finishing a project, and trial and error is a valuable part of that process. As long as you remain curious and are willing to devote the time and effort into creative growth and improvement, as opposed to racking up completions, something will happen and it will pay off eventually.
Be open to your wild ideas. Draw them out. Overthink them. Make them and re-make them. Then don’t be afraid to let them go if they don’t work. Most of them will not, but once in a while something great happens, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the path it wound up taking. Every successful artist, writer or creator has experienced many more failures than successes. However, failure is critical to the creative process and an important step on the quest for success.
Remember that NO ONE is an overnight success. When we see a really great piece of work, we don’t see the amount of work and re-work and the amount of time that was spent behind the scenes. Sometimes, a brilliant idea materializes quickly, and you get cocky and think you’re a genius. Then you can get discouraged when it doesn’t happen again and again, just as easily. But chances are it will if you keep challenging yourself, and remain curious.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents recognized my drive and my unstoppable need to create art. They enrolled me in summer art programs when I was young and encouraged me all along the way, even through my college years. They never tried to discourage me from studying art, even though I’m sure they would have preferred something more financially lucrative.
My dad was an artist and had a career in advertising before retiring and pursuing watercolor painting, so he knew a career was possible, but he also knew the arts is a difficult way to make a living. I am grateful to them for their support and for providing me with many opportunities that led me to where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mfstrings.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/franzkestringinstruments
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markfranzke1020
Image Credits
Photos by Jill Westra and Mark Franzke
