Greetings, Soapboxers! Last night I experienced musical time-travel. Two bands that were hugely important to me as a young, aspiring rock ‘n roller, reunited after many years for a one-off show. The place was packed with old friends, most of us sporting quite a few more gray hairs than we had when we first met. …
Community building (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 018) Read More »
Greetings, Soapboxers! This morning I ran a 14-mile trail race at Little River Regional Park in Durham. Running is one of the primary ways I connect with my body and is a huge resource for me. Trail running, though, requires an entirely different set of tactics. Sure, running is the common denominator, but you use …
Running toward creativity (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 017) Read More »
Greetings, Soapboxers! What a year! Through the 46 (forty-six!!) Artist Soapbox podcast interviews released this year, I have learned so much about our creative community. Out of these informative, humorous and fist-pumpingly inspirational episodes, here are five that stood out for me as I reflect on the past year: 018: Artist & Leader Monèt Noelle …
Mara’s picks from 2018 (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 016) Read More »
Greetings, Soapboxers! We’ve got a few more tricks up our sleeves before we close out this year, but I’d like to take a minute to look toward 2019 and what lies ahead. What are your dreams for 2019? One of the tools we use in our Creative Accountability Groups is a mind map. Mind maps …
Map your dreams (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 015) Read More »
Greetings, Soapboxers! I’m a nerd about dates. Birthdays, anniversaries. I generally love acknowledging these annual markers. A recent anniversary has me thinking about creative identity, loss and Ronnie James Dio. Well, if THAT didn’t grab you, maybe this will: Five years ago this month, I experienced the distress of a home robbery. The most painful …
Reclaiming creative identity after a loss (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 014) Read More »
You are (still) an artist. If you haven’t thrown a pot in two years, you are still an artist. If you haven’t shown up to rehearsal since you can remember, you are still an artist. If you haven’t written a sentence, picked up a paintbrush, stepped into a studio, taken your instrument out of its …
You are still an artist (Cheryl Chamblee, ASBX blog post 013) Read More »
Did you enjoy the Repect the Word podcast episode on Monday, and the infographic on Tuesday? Are you looking for more? Get inspired by 200+ responses from the July 8th gathering! Download the complete set of Respect the Work responses. Here are just a few examples: As an audience member, I respect the work by: Sending good vibes Giving notes …
Ooooh, an infographic based on the RESPECT THE WORK gathering! Download the pdf to use as a touchstone in your practice. Have you listened to the RTW podcast episode? RESPECT THE WORK episode 044 And…eager for more examples? Stay tuned for an upcoming post with 5 pages of them!
Greetings, Soapboxers! Earlier this month, several friends and collaborators gathered to read and hear the latest draft of my upcoming play, YEAR OF THE MONKEY. If you’ve ever put your work-in-progress up for critique, you know it is a singularly excruciating, insecurity-stoking and necessary experience. I clawed my way to that draft and now, armed …
Writing the perfect MONKEY (Mara Thomas, ASBX blog post 012) Read More »
Twenty four hours until the unicorn birthday party. My oldest child turns 10 this week. Together with my unicorn for a decade. It’s marvelous. It’s sweet. Reaching double digits feels like an achievement, like a success. Numbers are on my mind. How do we track our accomplishments, the markers of success, the meaning of life? …
Numbers that increase. Numbers that are measures. Read More »
