We were lucky to catch up with Karri Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Karri, 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.
I have always felt an intrinsic pull to be creative. I started taking private art lessons at the age of eleven, I participated in theater and choir throughout high school and college and I have always used fashion as an outlet for creative expression. However, as an adult, it can be difficult to maintain your creative practices without the structured schedule that you had as a student or adolescent which allowed for those time commitments.
I find that keeping your creativity alive is really a matter of time management and self motivation. You have to make the time to pursue your creativity and hold yourself accountable for following through with that schedule, even if you have to start small. Otherwise, life, whether it be your work or other societal obligations, will always get in the way and eat up all of your down time. For example, I try to set aside one night every week to dedicate to my art practice, whether that be drawing, painting, or even just brainstorming ideas for my next project. Once I get into the flow of whatever I’m working on, it makes me want to work on it more and you find that you are able to make time for the things that you truly value.
I also use social media as a creative outlet. Some people may roll their eyes as the idea of an influencer, but creating content for Instagram is still creating, and a lot of thought goes into it. Behind every photo or video I post is time spent on creative direction (planning wardrobe, picking locations, scheduling experiences, choosing the framing of a photo, editing, etc.) and requires a creative eye. You also have to set yourself apart to work with a lot of brands and it takes creativity to pitch ideas or develop a niche. I try to also be as authentic as possible with my profile, which I think resonates with my followers; I don’t try to follow every trend, I only do collaborations with businesses or products that I would actually use and approve of, and I post about whatever I want that I feel is relative to my life rather than putting myself in a box or one set category. To me, Instagram is like a job in the amount of time and effort I put into it, but it is rewarding because I am allowed to express myself and put something out into the world that I put thought into.
Another drive for my creativity is how hard it is to actually break into any creative industry, whether that be music, film, etc. I got tired of waiting for other people to give me permission to do what I want to be doing, which sort of lit a fire inside of me and gave me the initiative to create my own opportunities for myself. Instead of getting discouraged by all of the no’s and letting that impact your practice, use it as inspiration and motivation. Not booking the acting roles you want? Write a scene or a sketch or a film script. Not playing the kinds of shows you want as a musician? Keep writing songs or go to open mics or even post your music on YouTube or TikTok. Write short stories or poems. Take a local dance class. Whatever it is that excites and fulfills you, keep putting yourself out there and doing it at whatever level is available to you. I believe that the doing is more important than the platform that you are doing it on. If something brings you joy, who cares what anyone else thinks about it, or if some random person who doesn’t even know you but happens to be in a position of power says no to you? It doesn’t mean you have to stop doing it. I am currently trying to put together a short film that I wrote and will co-direct and star in. It is a slow process doing things independently, but it makes it all the more rewarding knowing that you took the initiative to get it done.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Whenever someone asks me what I do, I have a bit of an internal sigh. Do I say I’m an actor? Then they’re going to ask the dreaded question, “what have I seen you in?” Do I say I’m an influencer? Sometimes that comes with a lot of judgement. Do I mention the many other ways I make money (fit modeling, brand ambassador, server, event production, etc. etc.)? Because the truth is, I don’t have a day job or one source of generating income. I work as a freelancer across many different industries, from events and hospitality to fashion and entertainment. So, when I meet someone and they ask this question, I feel like they want a succinct answer, which I am unable to give. However, this is also part of what I love about what I do.
I have always felt like I am not meant to be in an office setting. I love having the freedom of creating my own schedule and saying yes to the opportunities that I align with and no to the ones I don’t. I like being able to be in a new place all the time with different work locations and coworkers. There’s always a new task or job description, so nothing ever gets boring (and if the job is boring, I know I’ll be doing something different by the next week). I know this type of schedule would freak a lot of people out, because it provides very little consistency and security, but I love it. Not to say that it isn’t hard sometimes; it is a hustle to book jobs in over saturated markets and sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough. Regardless, these feelings are worth the independence I have by not letting anyone else control my time (I have always had a hard time with the notion of having to “request time off,” like someone has to give me permission to live my own life?).
Whenever feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy do creep in, I try to remind myself of what I have achieved. I starred in my first feature film, an independent horror movie that came out last August and can be seen on streaming platforms across the country. I tried my hand at stand-up, starting with a class but progressing to booking shows consistently without ever going to an open mic and ultimately ended up performing at a sold-out show at The Comedy Store, an LA institution (and I crushed it with my set). I am currently working on a short film that I wrote, my first solo venture in the film industry. Finally, my value as a content creator is the highest it has ever been and I am able to experience so many amazing opportunities just by posting online. It’s not a bad life.
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?
Three skills that have been most impactful in my journey are the ability to effectively communicate, consistency (in terms of the quality and effort that you put into whatever you are pursuing) and presenting myself as someone who is responsible and reliable (for every industry, there are a million flaky people who are wasting other people’s time… don’t be one of them). Being able to develop these qualities and skills is how I’ve been able to participate in a lot of the opportunities that I have experienced without any outside help.
Unless you’re a nepo baby… Then just do that.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for collaborations! Whether you are a brand that wants an influencer partnership, a film creative who is looking for an actress or writer or PA (+ a few other hats), or someone looking for a custom art piece or painting. You can reach me through Instagram: www.instagram.com/kdavs or email: karriadavis@hotmail.com
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @kdavs
