SESSION 7 = INTUITIVE MARKETING
ESSENCE WORK FOR VISIBILITY
The true definition is —
• the individual, real, or ultimate nature of a thing;
• the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person;
• one that possesses or exhibits a quality in abundance as if in concentrated form
• something that exists
But what is essence for us, as artists? Our essence is essentially what we pulse into the field — who we are (including all of our parts, even those we might choose to hide), what we stand for, our style and aesthetic sense, our voice, our way of speaking and moving through the world, our tastes and preferences (especially artistically and in a curatorial sense — the music, books, art, and whatever else that we like and resonate with, as these inform both our creative work and our personal identity), and the energetic current and vibration that we generally hold, with (of course) some fluctuation. Essentially, this to me is a more intuitive and sideways way of approaching the concept of branding—because our whole thing as artists, I think, is not to be branded and boxed in, but to be whole people, with complexities and edges, and maybe even some parts we would prefer never to show the outside world. Yet also knowing that sometimes (not always — it’s at your discretion) aspects of those parts are what people most love about us, or most relate to. When we’re masking, we sometimes filter out the most essential parts of us. Sometimes, our energy is scattered and we don’t really know what we’re pulsing into the field. When we can be more intentional with our words, energy, and visuals, it brings the world into coherence around who we are, what we value, and what others can relate to in us. Essentially, our audience needs a place to land with us relationally — that’s our essence.
EXERCISE FOR ESSENCE WORK –
Step 1. list out / brainstorm whatever comes to mind in the categories below, keeping what inspires you
Step 2. use pinterest (or good old -fashioned collaging, if you prefer) to begin building a visual narrative
Visual (Colors, Fabrics, Textures, Styles ) –
even if you’re not into fashion, we all visually express in some way
Physical Location –
this could be places you grew up, where you live now, or places you travel
Curatorial Tastes –
art, music, books, etc - everything that inspires and excites you!
Causes / Organizations –
causes or issues that you care about
Shadow –
these are the complex stories you might hold
difficult experiences, things you’ve had to overcome
what you’ve struggled with yet perhaps have access to wisdom about
parts that you can relate to your audience through storytelling / sharing or through your creative work
21 DAYS OF SHARING YOUR VOICE / ART / WORK
This doesn’t necessarily need to involve posting on social media every day, but instead, what are the many and varied ways we can get behind our own work? This could involve sharing about it in person, in community spaces, online, with friends or family, through a newsletter, or any other myriad ways. Ideally, you can tune in to what feels right to your body and psyche on any given day, while also holding yourself to a standard of growth, so there many be an edge when going beyond your comfort zone. It can be as simple as mentioning it in conversation wherever you happen to be. We’ll talk about this “challenge” more together in person.