Cause of Craft: Why We Create

Why is it important to find new ways to create and where do we find inspiration to try new things? This is one of the many topics I covered with this week’s guest, Composer Eimi Tanaka

We also discuss Eimi’s jazz background and its influence on her work, her process for developing themes, and the contrast between composing for television and creating a concert work.

Full Transcript.

Topics Covered:

Where Composing Starts

Composing with a Performer in Mind

Developing Themes for a Piece

Exploring New Techniques and Finding Inspiration

Eimi’s Jazz Background and Influence

Balancing Traditions of Classical Music with Something New

The Difference in Composing for Film and Television

How Long it Takes to Compose a Piece

Working on Multiple Projects at Once

Working with Handwritten Notes

Teaching Piano and Composition

Connecting with Music

Staying Inspired and Seeing the Big Picture

Links:

Eimi Tanaka’s Website: www.tanakastudiosnyc.com

Clip of Shifting Pieces by Eimi Tanaka

Performed by: Mavis Pan, piano

Recorded at the National Opera Center's Scorca Hall, NYC, on Oct 31, 2021.

Cause of Craft: causeofcraft.com

Jon's Website: jontilton.com

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More about Eimi:

Eimi Tanaka is a freelance composer, pianist, and teacher based in New York City.She started classical studies on the piano at age 8, and then during high school attended at the Mannes College of Music preparatory division with a scholarship. There she studied with pianist Deborah Jamini, as well as classical theory, composition, and chamber music with other world-renowned faculty in New York City.During her senior year of high school, she discovered jazz and began studying improvisation. She attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a bachelors degree in piano and music business, and received her masters in jazz studies and composition at New York University with the Steinhardt Graduate Scholarship. In Boston and New York, she has studied with world-renowned faculty such as Joanne Brackeen, Frank Carlberg, Jean-Michel Pilc, Gil Goldstein, Ralph Alessi, Wayne Krantz, and George Garzone, among many others.She has performed in many venues in the Boston and New York City areas, as well as in Florence and Sienna, Italy, through NYU's jazz studies program and Florence's jazz festival.

Before attending NYU's master's program, Eimi has worked in various branches of the music industry, including concert production, record labels, and publicity, and worked in well-known companies such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

As a composer, she has created original music for her own jazz trio, scores for short films which have played in festivals in New York and abroad, production music for television shows which are currently in syndication on CBS and the CW networks, and also classical compositions which have been performed by various groups in NYC.

No matter how far we’ve come, there’s always new avenues to learn and grow. This week’s guest is historical fiction author Liz Tolsma. She shares how her passion and love for learning pushes her to constantly improve her craft. We also discuss how to choose what to write next, which time periods count as historical fiction, and her personal connection with her latest book, A Picture of Hope.

Full Transcript

Links:

Liz’s Website: liztolsma.com

Amazon Author Page: Liz Tolsma

A Picture of Hope: Amazon

Christian Historical Fiction Talk Podcast: Spotify | Apple

Social Media:

Facebook Page: Liz Tolsma

Instagram: @authorliztolsma

Twitter: @LizTolsma

Topics Covered:

Creating Stories as a Child

The Value of Historical Fiction

Filling the Gaps in History

Planning and Pantsing in Historical Fiction

How to Know Which Ideas to Turn into Books

What Counts as Historical Fiction?

Writing About Disabilities

Personal Connections with Writing

Always Improving Your Craft

Letting Your Passion Lead to Growth

Follow Jon on Instagram@jontiltonand follow the show@causeofcraft.

Relationships with family and friends are one of the most meaningful things in our lives. So it’s natural that our art finds inspiration in them. This week’s guest Felicia Manning shares how family stories led her into the film industry and how they inspired her first screenplay. We also discuss creating projects with limitations, balancing family life with creative work, how to connect a character with the audience, and more.

Full Transcript

Topics Covered:

Inspired by Family Stories

Finding the Connection Point Between Characters and Audience

Balancing Family Life with Creative Work

Creating A Project with What You Have

Differences Between Film and Digital

How to Maintain The Vision as a Director

Implementing the Unplanned Magic

The Difference Between Personal and Commercial Creativity

Blind to Our Own Unique Voice

Why The Hardships of Writing Are Worthwhile

Links:

Felicia’s Website: www.febrandfilms.com

Instagram: @feliciamvanning

Vimeo: vimeo.com/febrandfilms

The Best Ain't Happened Yet Music Video

Google Home Spec Commercial

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Fe Brand Films is a creative agency producing brand experiences through storytelling. Located in Pasadena, they produce commercials, branded content, short films, and music videos. They work closely with their clients in developing original concepts and channeling that vision from production to post. With a lean toward human-interest topics and character-driven stories, they move ideas forward through a shared commitment to inspire through film.

Have you ever stepped back and wondered how you got to where you are today? This week’s guest Amanda Gearhart shares her unique journey from child birth educator to starting her own baking business.

We also discuss the beauty in baking with family, how non-traditional career paths are becoming more acceptable, tips for new creatives, and more. Full Transcript.

Topics Covered:

Sharing Baked Goods With Others

Learning from Grandma

Non-Traditional Career Paths Becoming More Acceptable

Our Lives Are Intertwined with Our Art

Making Family Memories

Is it Hard Watching Your Creation Be Eaten?

The Importance of Passion

Tips for New Bakers and Creatives in General

Links:

Royally Iced Baker Website: www.royallyicedbaker.com

Facebook: Royally Iced Baker

Instagram: @royallyicedbaker

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

Are there crossroads between two completely different art forms? After you listen to my discussion with Painter Evan Harrington I think you’ll find that there certainly is.

We discover many similarities between our creative approaches -even though our work is incredibly different. We also discuss his interest in aviation, the benefits to following format early in your career, and his latest exhibition at The Silverman Gallery.

That’s right — you can see Evan’s beautiful paintings in person from October 30th through November 28, 2021. Stop by The Silverman Gallery in Holicong, PA, just outside of Doylestown. And, if you’d like to say hello, he’ll be there on October 30th (5pm-8pm) and November 7th (1pm-4pm).

Full interview transcript and selected sampling of Evan’s work.

Topics Covered:

Coming from an Artistic Family

Evan’s Unique Take on Impressionist Painting

The Benefits to Following Format Early On

Aviation and Woodworking

Finding the Common Ground Between Your Interests

Painting Portraits

Deciding What to Paint

Painting a First Draft

Similarities and Differences Between Art Forms

Using Music to Teach Art

Unintentional Cohesiveness

Evan’s Exhibition at Silverman Gallery

Links:

Evan’s Website: www.eharringtonstudio.com

Evan's Instagram: @evanharringtonstudio

View Evan’s art in person from October 30 through November 28, 2021 at:

Silverman Gallery, 4920 York Road, Route 202, Holicong, PA 18928

(Five miles south of New Hope and just north of PA 413 in the Buckingham Green Shopping Center, shows Doylestown on maps)

https://silvermangallerybuckscountypa.com/evan-harrington/

*Evan will be at the Gallery in person on Saturday, October 30th from 5pm-8pm and on Sunday, November 7 from 1pm-4pm.

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

Leaving an old path behind and starting a new one can be intimidating. But the truth is when we turn the page, we’re not starting from zero. We take with us everything we’ve learned so far. This week’s guest Eliana Morin shares her experience with this concept in growing as an artist.

Eliana is a Storyboard Artist and Revisionist working in the animation industry. We discuss finding inspiration in others, choosing art as a career path, how to grow as a creative, and more.

Full Transcript and Sample of Eliana's Artwork

Topics Covered:

Artist for Life

Being Your Own Worst Critic

Reiterating the Same Work to Improve

Van Gough Selling One Painting

The Artist’s Mood Reflecting in Their Work

Convincing Audiences Your Character is Alive

Choosing an Artistic Career Path

Surprises in Pursuing The Dream

Reinventing Yourself

Encouragement from Others

Breaking into the Animation Industry

Getting Inspiration from Others

Always Learning and Growing

Looking Out for One Another

Setting Aside Time Outside of Your Craft

How to Prevent Burnout

Links:

Eliana’s Instagram: @mackymacandcheese

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

The internet age has given everyone more opportunity, including endless ways to overload ourselves with increased workloads, endless distraction, and busy minds — it can all be overwhelming to navigate.

This week’s guest, Author K.A. Emmons, shares her approach to maintaining a balanced life while running her business online. Kate recently released a new novel called Searching for Sparrow. We cover some of the themes in this book and why they’re important to her life. We also discuss why to live with intention, how responsibilities can prompt better focus, and much more.
 Full Transcript.

Links:

Kate’s Website: www.kaemmons.com


Instagram: @lonehawkwriter


YouTube: KAEmmons


Podcast: The Kate & Abbie Show

Links to Kate’s Books

Searching For Sparrow

The Blood Race


Start For Free


Amazon Author Page

Topics Covered:

Dangers of Social Media on the Creative Mind


Digital Minimalism


Better Ways to Use Social Media


Going Off-Grid


Approaching Life with Intention


Reconstructing Your Brain Cycles for Better Habits


Understanding Your Inherent Worth


Pouring Yourself Into Your Writing


Searching for Sparrow


Kate’s Early Memories of Reading and Writing


Reflecting on Early Work


Creating an Intentional, Creative Space


Dedicating Separate Time to Each Part of Life


How Responsibilities Prompt Diligent Focus

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All of us creatives run into issues while making our art. There might be time constraints on a project, an issue with the sound system, or a new venue we’re not quite used to. There are typically infinite ways to go about solving these problems, but I’d argue that your work will be much better off if you can find a creative approach to solving that problem. My guest this week excels at that very thing, and it’s one of the many topics we cover on this week’s show. Alex Brubaker is a fingerstyle guitarist and produces his unique sound using a variety of methods, from live looping to percussive taps on his instrument. We also discuss how songs speak stories, why Alex started playing barefoot, and the pressure social media imposes on today’s artists.

Episode Transcript

Links:

Alex’s Website: www.alexbrubakerguitar.com

Facebook Page: alexbrubakerguitar

Instagram: @alexbrubakerguitar

Twitter: @AlexBrubaker

Links to Alex’s Music:

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music


iTunes Store

Topics Covered:

How Alex Found His Voice and Style

Using Limitations to Spark Creativity

Songs Speaking Stories

Alex’s Creative Process

Using a Live Looper

Keeping An Audience’s Attention Between Songs

Playing Barefoot

The Difference Between Live and Studio Performance

Producing Album Art

Juggling Releasing an Album with the Birth of a Baby

The Challenge of Social Media Culture on Artists

One Year Anniversary of Building Harmonic Castles

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

Many creatives brush up against a common roadblock — the dreaded impostor syndrome — a feeling that they're unworthy to contribute their creativity to the world, a feeling that they are “lesser” artists.

This is just one of many topics I had a chance to discuss with this week's guest, singer Nicole Johnson.

We had a great conversation about two different ways to overcome feelings of creative doubts, and I'm excited to hear what you think.

But first a little bit more about Nicole. She discovered her love for singing at a very young age, and since then she's never stopped, always seeking to push herself and to share her wonderful talent with more people. That mission recently brought her to Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, where she performed the national anthem, we discussed what it's like singing in front of so many people, how to set the next goal for yourself, looking at creativity beyond the traditional arts, and much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Full Transcript

Links:

Nicole’s YouTube Channel

Nicole’s Instagram: @nicolelear

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

www.jontilton.com

www.causeofcraft.com

Topics Covered:

Nicole’s Early Days of Singing

Singing in Front of 30,000 People

Singing with a Audio Delay

Taking Iterative Steps to the Next Level

Connections Between Creative Disciplines

Honoring a Composition

Anticipating Nicole’s Future Albums

Finding Your Voice and Style

Tackling Discouragement and Impostor Syndrome

Finding the Right Next Goal for Yourself

Dreams and Goals Changing with Age

Using Art to Portray Life

Creators in the Image of God

Creativity Beyond the Traditional Arts

Teaching Others to Sing

How integral is art to our lives? Why must we create with purpose? Artist Elaine Tolsma Harlow joins the show to discuss the importance of process, her battle with leukemia, collaborating with the audience, and much more.

Full Transcript and Selected Art Samples

Links:

Elaine’s Website: www.etharlow.com


Elaine’s Instagram: @etharlowart


View Elaine’s art in person at:


LaFontsee Gallery, 833 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

www.lafontsee.us/elaine-tolsma-harlow

Topics Covered:

Elaine’s Start in the Art World


Euncaustics


The Importance of Process


Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone


Never Tiring of a Similar Subject


Why Paint Flowers During the Pandemic?


Changing Beauty


Collaborating with the Audience


Painting with Purpose


Returning to Art After Battling Cancer


Behind the Scenes of Elaine’s Process


The Importance of Seeing Art in Person


Teaching Art


Art as an Outlet

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.