We were lucky to catch up with Stacey McAdams recently and have shared our conversation below.
Stacey, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I’ve seen so many artist’s just go through the motion of doing their work but not connecting creatively. I had started to feel like that with my own work and lately have been experimenting with different subject matter, techniques, and trying to have some fun! This is scary to do, as it may not be something you find yourself as natural at, but I think it adds up to your collective practices to make you a better artist, sharing more experiences. So experimenting is one of my key aspects to keeping my creativity alive!
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?
I am a fine artist who creates paintings and drawings, primarily working with oils, watercolors and graphite on paper, panels and canvas. I also love photography, with photography primarily being a beginning stage to my creative process. I have a background and education in graphic design, painting/drawing and teaching, and all aspects of my experiences are poured into my artwork to show a collection of experiences and education. Over the last 20 plus years, I’ve worked as a full-time graphic designer, a full-time teacher and now I am a full-time artist!
This past year, my subject matter has changed quite drastically from historical architecture, signs and unique objects to nature inspired subject matter such as flowers and landscapes. All the while, I’ve kept the realistic qualities of my work and have begun experimenting with different techniques and mixed media. Currently, I am actively working on an exhibition to open in November 2023 that will highlight my new work focusing on our connection with nature.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
(1) Practice is key with any type of art making. You can have talent but practice and more practice will continue developing those skills and help you grow.
(2) Study up and learn the business side. This is something never taught in art school and now with over 20 years of experience, I’ve learned a lot and love to share that with new artists.
(3) Set a schedule, and follow it. This doesn’t mean you have to have a rigidly scheduled day but give yourself large chunks of time for your creativity, and find a way to focus and create during that time.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
My favorite book that has impacted my art the most is “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. Her words of wisdom have helped me open my creativity and experimentation within my work that is often hard for me as I have perfection tendencies when creating my art. She also gives great strategies to help with day to day flow that keeps your mindset on target.
Contact Info:
- Website: Staceyamcadams.com
- Instagram: @staceyamcadamsart
- Facebook: @staceyamcadamsart
- Linkedin: Stacey McAdams
- Youtube: @staceyamcadamsart
