Susan McCreevy: Artistic Transformation and Finding Community

Embarking on a transformative journey from the corporate grind to a life rich with artistic expression, mixed media artist Susan McCravy opened the doors to her personal studio in Inverness, Scotland, and with it, a world of infinite creative possibilities. Our conversation unfurls the tapestry of her artistic rebirth, how the act of creation became a sanctuary during quieter times, and the resonance of her previous experiences in shaping her current art practice. We share reflections on the joy of artistic discovery, the subtle influence of past roles, and the liberation found in a space solely devoted to one's craft.

Woven into our heart-to-heart is a candid exploration of the challenges that creatives face when balancing the commercial aspect of their career with genuine artistic pursuit. I divulge my own strategies for overcoming hurdles, like the dreaded money mindset blocks, and discuss the power of setting intentions to carve out a path in tune with our innermost strengths. We unfold the layers of structuring time effectively, the support gained from virtual assistants, and how aligning with tools like human design can unveil the most authentic version of ourselves.

As our dialogue meanders to a close, we celebrate the undeniable importance of community within the art world, from the prickly topic of pricing one's work to embracing the unexpected financial rewards of a life dedicated to art. The conversation brims with appreciation for the deep connections and unwavering support found through online networks, cementing the belief that creativity flourishes most when shared. Susan's narrative stands as a beacon of encouragement, urging fellow artists to trust in their journey and the enriching tapestry it weaves within the greater artistic community.

Transcript

Lea Ann Slotkin : 0:00

Welcome to Mind Over Medium, a podcast for artists who want to make money doing what they love. When you tune in a twink, you will learn how to attract your ideal commissions, approach galleries for representation, have a great online launch of your work, and how to do it all with less overwhelm and confusion. You will have the opportunity to hear from amazing artists who will share how they have built their successful creative businesses. My hope is to create a space where artists and the creative curious can gather to learn about one of the most important tools creative entrepreneurs need in their toolbox their mindset. Thanks so much for tuning in to Mind Over Medium podcast. Let's get started. Hey there, podcast family. How's it going?

Lea Ann Slotkin : 0:48

Today I am so happy to chat with Susan McCreevy. Susan is an artist working primarily with mixed media and whose work is inspired by all things major, and I appreciate you being able to do this later in the day because of our time difference. Well, I always ask everyone to introduce themselves. Just give us a little bit about who you are, where you live, give us a bit more detail about what you do, and then I always ask my guests to describe the time in your life when you felt the most creative.

Susan McCreevy: 1:19

Okay, well, my name is Susan McCreevy. As you said, I live in Scotland as you can probably tell by my accent quite far up the north of Scotland. It's not as far as you can get, but it's quite high up in a city called Inverness. So I've lived here most of my life in this part of the country and I like it here. I've brought my kids up here, so I enjoy living in this part of the world. What was the second question?

Lea Ann Slotkin : 1:47

I said, give a bit more detail about what you do.

Susan McCreevy: 1:50

Okay, I'm a mixed media artist and I sort of blend my art process with printmaking and mixed media art. That's the sort of specialist for me. I studied textile design at Art College and printmaking was the sort of support study, so I've always been interested in those two areas. More recently I got into the mixed media world and I was missing the printmaking and I discovered the jelly plate. So that's kind of how I managed to bring those two elements together again.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 2:23

And we will discuss that in more detail in a little bit, but can you describe the time in your life when you felt the most creative?

Susan McCreevy: 2:31

Yeah, I was having a little think about this question. I think it was really when my kids started getting a little bit older and they weren't quite as reliant on me and I was starting to feel the need to create art again. I'd had a bit of a period where I wasn't doing anything at all and I started sort of googling images that I liked and then discovered mixed media art which I hadn't really heard. And then I started taking free videos on YouTube and just trying different things and quickly discovered I was going to need more materials and more space. So I decided to invest in a studio in my garden and then I had that little bit more freedom. I was still close to my daughters, but I was able to come out here and create. So I just loved it and I just tried everything I possibly could and took every lesson and just really enjoyed that exploration time. That was probably the most creative I've ever been. Yeah, I just really enjoyed it.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 3:27

There's really something special about that time when maybe you've taken a break and then you get back into it and you just discover all of these things I know. For me there were like materials and ways of doing things that I had no idea because I didn't learn it in college. I just remember that being an exciting time for me too.

Susan McCreevy: 3:49

Yeah, it was like I had all these ideas in my head but I wasn't quite able to execute them. But I was just so happy to be able to try all these different things and have a go, and there was no expectation that I wasn't selling my work at that time or worrying about it being a business. I was just enjoying it, which is, I think people should embrace more of that period of their life, because it's really lovely to be in that position. It is.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 4:13

And you know, and I think there's nothing wrong with staying in that place either, if it's just something you love and it gives you joy, I mean, I think that's enough. But anyway, that's a whole other conversation which maybe we'll get to. Well, I was doing a little bit of digging around, doing a little bit more research about you, and there's something that we have in common and you are a visual merchandiser.

Susan McCreevy: 4:40

Yes, I did that briefly when I was working in London and Habitat, yeah, sort of the job came up while I was working in there, so I did that for a little while.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 4:50

I did that. I did that for many years. I did a lot of the fashion and merchandising and the visual part of that. It's like, oh okay, we've got that in common.

Susan McCreevy: 5:00

I think we just sort of trying to find an art even though you're working in the retail, trying to find an artistic way to use your skills. So quite often that has ended up doing that kind of role, I think.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 5:11

Absolutely. I always called myself art adjacent. I would find these jobs that were not quite being an artist, but I would just keep nudging closer and closer until I finally did it. Do you find that your time working in that profession influences your work now I?

Susan McCreevy: 5:31

think so. I mean, my work is quite commercial, I guess, but I don't think that really influenced it. Maybe the way that I, if I was going to do a stall, or have those skills that I'm able to merchandise and make it look nice and appealing for people.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 5:48

Yeah, I feel like it influences me and my use of pattern and color.

Susan McCreevy: 5:53

Yeah, I guess that would probably be more my sort of background and textile design. I would say that gives me that more influence, because I just really see everything in pattern and always finding pattern. And a lot of people do say you know, your work does look like textiles, so but that's just what I enjoy making. So I guess that's what's going to come out of me?

Lea Ann Slotkin : 6:17

Yeah, definitely. So if you can go back to when you made the transition from you know corporate life to a creative career, what did that look like? How long ago was it?

Susan McCreevy: 6:31

Well, I don't think ever. I wasn't ever doing a corporate job. I would say it was just from having the children. I was on my own as a single mom, so I was just kind of doing any jobs I could do to fit around my daughters, to keep the roof over her head. So the art was more of a creative outlet for me to for my mental health, I would guess, just to sort of feel like I could be myself other than just a mom.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 6:58

So the main reason for doing artwork and I can relate to that so much. I was a single mom for a long time too and I just remember it just felt like just the most precious time that I could carve out for myself, where you could take off your mom hat, the keeping that you know, the house stuff, the work stuff, and it really was a mental health thing for me as well, like it really helped me.

Susan McCreevy: 7:24

Yeah, definitely. I used to have one afternoon a week at the Highland Print Studio, or it was one day a week and I think I put the kids into the childcare in the morning and then I had the day there and I was so productive I just loved that day and I would go in and sit and have some more for lunch and nobody just served me. It was just a little pocket of peace. I really enjoyed those days. Even though it was only a few hours it was, I really appreciated being able to have that time.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 7:52

Yeah, definitely. How long have you been doing this full time? Not that long really.

Susan McCreevy: 7:57

I mean, my goal was to sort of be full time by the time my children had left school. So I've got one daughter still, but another couple of years to go, so I've managed to do it ahead of my own schedule. I was working part time in McDonald's. I believe People will be surprised to hear that up until just over a year ago I was working two days a week there. So I kind of went there because it was the sort of job where you could pick your hours and have them over a condensed period of time and I thought if I could do that then I could have longer periods where I could work on the business on the days I wasn't there. So I did that for six years and just kept plugging away and learning new things as I went and what worked, what didn't, and in September last year I was able to go full time. So it's been a bit of a whirlwind since then.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 8:52

Yeah, and you know, I think there's, I think, because of social media, instagram, all the things that we see, people's highlight reels, the best of that we don't take in consideration the sacrifices you have to make, the things you have to continue to do until you build up your career, and that's just fine. It's so OK to have all of that, and I think normalizing that for people is super important.

Susan McCreevy: 9:19

Yeah, definitely, I think, people who have a sort of high power jobs or corporate jobs and then they have to come home and find that headspace to be able to do the art. It's very difficult, but because I was doing a job where I could just walk out the door and that was it, I didn't have to worry about. You know, I wasn't the manager there at the end and I was just serving the coffees and things, so I was able to just shut right, cherry, that was my way, and then I would see them the next week and I could do so much work in that time when I knew I had those blocks of time available to me when the kids were at school and I was able to do things.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 9:53

Yeah, I think that you said something recently I think maybe in the mastermind we're together, I can't or maybe I read it on a social media post that the structure that you've created, I think, with your YouTube channel, is that right? Yeah, that's right. It helps you. And I find that I have to create my own structure too, or I can just kind of ping pong all over the place a little bit too much and not complete things in a timely fashion. Is that something? Yeah, so talk to me about creating that structure for yourself.

Susan McCreevy: 10:24

Yeah, well, I think I did struggle when I left McDonald's because I had all this time and I was, as you say, ping ponging about everywhere. And then it's only really in the last month or so that I felt because I've got this new virtual assistant who's helping me with my reels, so I have to be organized and have the videos done ahead of time so that she can help me with those, and that really has made me think more strategically. I'm planning my days better. So it's really been quite helpful, although it's giving me extra time, but it's helping me manage my time better, I think.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 11:00

Yeah, and setting up those structures for ourselves. I think it's helpful and it's nice too that we can play around with it as we need to, just being able to. I don't know. I think when I first started doing this full time, like you said, there was just so much time and having my kids in school at the time really helped, because I knew that I had from like nine to three, I guess, and then, you know, then I was mom doing the other thing, but my kids are out of the house now and that was a big adjustment for me because I didn't have those built-in parameters.

Susan McCreevy: 11:41

I get my time Because they're teenagers now you know they've got their own friends. They're doing yeah, they compete themselves. So I really, although I still have to be there for them, I'm not necessarily having to stick to those errors, as you say. So, yeah, you can end up working all the errors that are and get overwhelmed and burn out quite easily if you don't watch yourself.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 12:02

Absolutely Well. We are recording this at the beginning of the year 2024. Do you set any intentions or do anything to mark the beginning of the year?

Susan McCreevy: 12:13

Yeah, well, I like to do the word of the year and I had a little bit of a think about that this year. Just before Christmas I sort of delved into human design. Yeah, nice, I discovered about myself was that I should trust my own instinct, which I think I've always done to a certain extent. But I sort of thought I'm going to lean into that this year and just trust myself more than I normally do.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 12:41

Yeah, and do you care, would you share your word of the year? Have you landed on it? It was instinct, so that was the word I chose. Oh, nice, nice, that's great. Tell me about the human design. I know a little bit about it, but really not much at all.

Susan McCreevy: 12:57

It is based on when you're born, the exact time you're born and the day you're born and where you're born. So based on that, you can work out things. I'm a generating manifestor which has all these different meanings, so every different person has a different design and you can learn about it. That really helps you to understand yourself better as to what your goals are, to help you with your business and to help you with understanding the way your family works together. If you look at your families and designs, you can sort of figure out why you're butting against certain people. Things don't run smoothly. So, yeah, it's interesting.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 13:42

Yeah, I follow a couple of people on Instagram who are into it and I've never done any kind of deep dive at all, but I find it fascinating. I find any of that type of thing fascinating.

Susan McCreevy: 13:53

Yeah, I do as well.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 13:55

Yeah, do you do anything with the Enneagram? I haven't heard of that one. Okay, well, that could be another rabbit hole you could go down. I'm not going to explain it well, but there are types and based on your personality and all these things, I mean. There's so much to it, but it's pretty spot on. I was just reading something today about being a seven, which is what I am, the number that I am and the things that I should leave behind in 2024, going to 2024 as an Enneagram seven. I'm like, oh my gosh, that is yes, I want to leave those things behind. Yeah, what do you feel like your biggest emotional block that you had to overcome to get your creative career going?

Susan McCreevy: 14:45

I think one of the things I found difficulty with was the money mindset. That was probably one of the things that, because of my circumstances that I was in my own with my daughters, that I think I was kind of holding myself back to a certain extent because I knew if I worked those 16 hours the way that the government helps you in the UK, you can get help and then if you get over that, then I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get help and so I think it was just sort of frightening. I knew I could cover all the bills and we were all safe and whatever else. So I did a little bit of therapy money mindset with a lady called Michelle Walker and she really helped me to get over some of those blocks that I had and toxic money, things that were going on with things that happened, and that really did help and I think I just sort of had a breakthrough after that.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 15:42

That's great. It sounds like you're very mindful and willing to work on limiting beliefs and things that you feel are holding you back. I mean that takes a lot of bravery. Have you always been that way?

Susan McCreevy: 16:00

No, this is quite a recent thing. I mean, I've joined a lot of groups and I've met a lot of women since I've been in this online platform and they really have opened my mind to lots of different things. And listening to podcasts actually has taught me a lot and the listening to people talking and I think that relates to me and then I sort of try and understand a bit more about what they're talking about and then maybe go down that route myself. So the personal goal thing has really been the last few years has been quite big for me.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 16:38

That's amazing. What advice would you give or help would you offer to an artist struggling with their own limiting beliefs?

Susan McCreevy: 16:46

I think seeking help with a professional is a huge thing, and I have a lady that I speak to every fortnight and it's really got me through some tough times, and so I think it's very difficult to do these things on your own. I think you need to seek out help from the correct people to get you out of these beliefs.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 17:10

Yeah, yeah, and I mentioned this on the podcast from time to time that we're just so conditioned just to believe the stories that we are told about ourselves, about our families, and I don't think we're normally taught to question those and to create our own thoughts and ideas about who we are in the world. And do you want to carry these generational things forward? And so I think anytime we do that and try to break those generational patterns or bring something fresh and new to the table, I think that's a good thing to do, but it's not easy?

Susan McCreevy: 17:54

No, it's not, and I hear myself saying things to my daughters that I'm sure were said to me as a child. So it's very difficult to break out of that. But to hear yourself and recognize that it is a conditioned thing that you're saying, that, being aware of that, is half the battle, I think.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 18:12

Yeah, and I think just even recognizing them and then making a conscious choice do I want to still identify with this, or keep this, or do I want to change it, because it's not all bad? I'm not trying to say that generational type things are all bad, but I think just being aware and then choosing consciously can be so helpful. Definitely yeah. What things do you find most difficult about an online creative career?

Susan McCreevy: 18:44

Well, I wasn't aware of, once you get to this level, how much administration is involved in this. I mean, I'd heard other artists that were teaching online that they were having difficulty with actually creating the art themselves, but I really didn't anticipate how much I was involved in it and I'm sort of still struggling to find a balance there. But I mean, there are creative elements even to the administration side of it. So I'm trying to write in a newsletter or something I hadn't thought that I would really enjoy it as much as I do, and that's another thing that I've found out that I have a writing voice that I didn't know I had. So that's that, even though it's not creating art, I feel like I'm still being creative when I'm writing those letters and I get a really good response from people, so I think they enjoy reading them. I hope they do.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 19:43

Yeah, that's amazing and I think too, it is like you said. I mean, that is an extension of your creativity. Yeah, when you aren't creating or working, what do you like to do?

Susan McCreevy: 19:55

I love swimming. I'm fortunate enough to be a member of a hotel pool which has got a spa and everything, so it's a very nice experience going there. So I like to go there a few times a week and go out walking and live in a lovely part of the world so I do a fair bit of walking. I've got a little dog so he likes to get me out in all weathers. But those are the main interests really when I'm not creating, because I do work an awful lot, so I don't have a lot of time either side.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 20:26

Yeah, and I know you get a lot of your inspiration from nature, and so do you find that on your walks or where do you collect the inspiration?

Susan McCreevy: 20:35

Yeah, definitely, I'm always looking around or stopping and taking photographs and noticing things, looking at, looking down and just I think the more you start to notice, the more you do notice. I mean, like rusty walls and things the thing that I'm not alone there, like peeling paint and all these kinds of things but you just notice the things that you're drawn to and I love the seasons in Scotland and seeing things come into life again. Also, treesill, tree silhouettes yeah, that's a big thing in your work. Yeah, yeah, I'm obsessed with them.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 21:14

Oh, it's beautiful. It's funny. You say that I was putting gas in my car today and it's cold outside, so I jumped back in my car while it was filling up and across the street it was like a train trestle with a cement wall and it was beautiful because it was like the black soot and then it went to rust and just the pattern was so beautiful and I'm like I wonder if anyone else looks at it this way. Yeah, I don't know it, just like I'm like it struck me as curious, a curious thing to think about and to ponder on, but it was just so lovely.

Susan McCreevy: 21:50

Yeah, no, you're not alone. I think there's many of us.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 21:53

I agree.

Susan McCreevy: 21:57

Strange looking walls.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 21:59

Yes, I know, I know I took a picture of it like, okay, it's so pretty, the pattern was so pretty, yeah Well, do you set goals for yourself in your business and if you do, would you be comfortable sharing?

Susan McCreevy: 22:12

Yes, I do. I've set myself a goal for this spring to be able to buy myself a house. That's awesome.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 22:20

A new house.

Susan McCreevy: 22:22

I've lived in this house for 18 years. I've always felt that you know I can pay the mortgage here and it's a fine little house and I've done the best with it. But I would love a new house with my own drive. So to be able to sort of envision that and think, well, I actually yes, I could achieve that is quite a big goal. So I'm gonna hopefully do that next year.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 22:46

That's great. When you think about your goal, what comes up for you like feeling wise, do you get? Does that make you feel energized? Does it feel scary? How does that?

Susan McCreevy: 22:58

impact. If it makes me feel energized, I mean there's nothing wrong with this house. I could stay here. It's not gonna be the end of the world. I don't do it. But I love having a goal to work towards this state and just to have that achievement, to be able to do that which I never really envisioned doing A couple of years ago. I wouldn't have had that goal, but I think Kelly's really changed things for a lot of us. Yeah, definitely In the remarkable league?

Lea Ann Slotkin : 23:24

Yeah, for sure. When you feel overwhelmed, what do you do? Or to move through it.

Susan McCreevy: 23:31

I try to. I'm a big planner so I like to have things written down. I take notes, I list some, constantly stroking off things I've done. Sometimes I even write down something I've just done so that I can stroke it out because it makes me feel better I achieve something that day. But I think but nothing else will keep me grounded, just knowing I've got through so many things a day and I can only do that day and I've managed it. So it keeps me grounded.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 24:02

Okay, let me ask you if you have the same issue I have because I'm a list maker. I take I journal, I do all that, but then I have too many journals going at the same time and sometimes I forget where I've written something down. Does that ever happen to you?

Susan McCreevy: 24:16

Yes, I've got a bit of four on the goal just now. Yeah, they're all different, yeah.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 24:22

I have three.

Susan McCreevy: 24:23

I can probably spend a whole day just planning and not actually doing anything, Please.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 24:29

I know, yes, well, it's happy. I'm happy to know I'm not the only one. I just I know I, a friend of mine, was talking recently about and I keep meaning to do this I keep forgetting, because we were talking about this whole having too many planners and ideas and you forget where you've put something. And they have an idea bucket and they have a stack of index cards that they keep. So whenever they have an idea, they write it down and put it in that bucket so they know it's in there somewhere and then they can sift through the bucket. So I'm like I'm going to do, I'm gonna have an idea bucket. You can remind me, ask me if I've done it, because I keep forgetting to do it.

Susan McCreevy: 25:15

That's just another planner really in a bucket.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 25:18

I know, but for some reason, just having those little ideas in a bowl or something I think will feel helpful to me. I don't have to sift through a bunch of pages in multiple notebooks. Well, so you are obviously like me. You have a lot of ideas. How do you decide which ones to follow through on?

Susan McCreevy: 25:39

Well, I think you're going back to what you said about being overwhelmed. I've, you know, I've tried to give myself a structure this year and just stick to a few big goals and not do too many things, and so that's. I'm just trying to structure the business so that I can repeat things rather than have to keep making different courses and things, so that's, and then hopefully be able to have time for the new ideas. So at the moment I'm just in this sort of building the business phase, so I've not got a lot of ideas coming in at the moment. I'm just trying to bring myself in and stick to what I know I should be doing.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 26:18

Yeah, yeah, that makes sense, and it's nice that you are trying to make something be repeatable, because it can be very tempting, I think, to want to do new all the time or maybe that's just me talking, but you know to try the new thing or see what someone else is doing. So it sounds like you have a good handle on that.

Susan McCreevy: 26:41

Yeah, that was just surprising when I saw my human design was a manifesting generator and they generally want to be doing 20 different things at the same time. But I mean there is a lot of variety in my day. I mean, at the moment I'm working on a book deal and I'll have three courses this year, so got a lot of different pots to sort of keep going.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 27:06

That's great. That's really great. Well, do you ever have creative blocks?

Susan McCreevy: 27:13

I think I have times where I'm struggling to actually do any artwork and in those times I always revert back to my sketchbooks and just play in them or doodle or do something. That's more meditative. I don't, and that really always seems to just get me back in the floor again, having something that's not got a finished outcome or saleable Just for me. Yeah, it seems to work for me.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 27:42

How do you support your creativity? Do you journal? I mean, it sounds like you have a sketchbook practice. Perhaps Do you meditate.

Susan McCreevy: 27:50

Yeah, I would say the sketchbook practice is the best thing for me. I mean, I have tried meditating and I did go to classes and tried to sort of get it into my routine, but it doesn't seem to have stuck with me. I just, I think the only time I'm really sort of switched off and then I'm sort of meditative is when I'm swimming, because there's no phone or anything that can disturb me, and I just get in the rhythm when I'm breathing. That's for me Very meditative.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 28:19

Do you set a swimming goal for yourself, like so many miles or distance goals?

Susan McCreevy: 28:25

No, I try not to, because then I think it's another sort of tick list thing. I just like to do it until I feel I've had enough and then just relaxing time for me.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 28:34

That's great. Is it an indoor pool?

Susan McCreevy: 28:35

I hope, because it's really nice indoor A lot of people do swim outdoors here in this part of the world, but it's not for me. I like the warmth.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 28:44

Yeah, that would be a lot. Do you ever have bouts of imposter syndrome?

Susan McCreevy: 28:53

I do. Yes, I see artists that are a little bit ahead of me and wonder how on earth they're doing all these things when I see how much hard work it is. But I try to sort of stay in my own lane and just do my best. But I can certainly look at other people and think they're doing it better than me, or I should be doing this or I should be doing that, but I think I'm doing not too bad. So I just have to try and remind myself.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 29:21

Yeah, yeah, I was going to ask you how you work through it.

Susan McCreevy: 29:27

Yeah, I just think, you know, I look at where I was a few years ago and where I am now. So just trying to be realistic, and they may be a different stage in their life where they have more help. So just to try and sort of understand that everybody's circumstances are different.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 29:44

Yeah, definitely. It's good when we can learn not to compare our insides with other people's outsides, I think, because we just don't know what's going on for anyone else.

Susan McCreevy: 29:57

Yeah, that's right.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 29:59

So, practically speaking, how do you break up your or manage your time between the business part and the create creating part?

Susan McCreevy: 30:09

That's something I'm really struggling with just now. To be honest with you, I've just got this new studio outside of my home, so I've been kind of moving over there gradually and I think it's going to be better, because when I'm there I'm doing an awful lot more than I was at home, because there's not the distractions of houseworker kids come and ask everything. So when I'm there and solid working, so I think I will be able to integrate a bit more time for myself to be creative. I mean, at the moment it was just whenever I'm filming videos for YouTube or that I'm actually getting time to create, which is not an awful lot really. So I sort of try to understand that the business is building just now and my time will come again. So this is just part of the process. So don't try not to get too upset about the fact that I'm not creating as much as I would like, because this is an important phase of building the business and I know my time will come again.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 31:11

Absolutely. If you could go back to when you started on this creative career, on this journey, would you do anything different?

Susan McCreevy: 31:24

I don't think so, because I think I had to have that learning period and the explanation just to improve my skills, apart from anything else, and to find out what it was that I liked. So I think, really, you do need to take that time in the beginning to just if you just jump into thinking right, I'm good at this one thing, this is what I'm going to do for the next however many years you're doing it, I think you'll get disheartened pretty quickly. So no, I don't think I would change anything, to be honest.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 31:56

Yeah, that's great. Do you ever come up with any resistance or anything with pricing your work?

Susan McCreevy: 32:05

Yes, that is something I find tricky, I think, especially when you're in more of a remote part of the world, when you see what other people are selling things for in England or whatever. I do find it difficult to price my work a bit higher, but then I think the galleries are taking 50%, so you really need to put it up to make it worthwhile. But not everybody understands that, especially if you start selling it from yourself but you're keeping it at the same price as the gallery prices, because I want to have the same price for everybody.

Susan McCreevy: 32:41

For sure that's an important thing, yeah, it was actually putting some prices on work. I put some shelves outside the studio today and it was pricing them and it was just finding that little difficult. So it doesn't ever get any easier.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 32:58

Yeah, but I often think, well, would an accountant or a dentist have a hard time pricing their work? Probably not. Yeah, I don't know why it's a struggle for a lot of us to put a monetary value on our work.

Susan McCreevy: 33:18

Yeah, it's difficult and often you'll get asked if you can put a painting in for a raffle or something and I think you know you wouldn't say to your plumber can you give me a voucher for two hours of your time for a raffle? People have a different mindset to what the value of art is, I guess.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 33:37

I agree, I had an interesting conversation with someone recently who had asked just that thing to. I mean, it's a great cause, they're all great causes, everyone that asks, and just if people don't know that are listening. Like, as artists we get asked a lot to donate work for charity or auctions or nonprofits, things like that. I mean I could give every piece of my work away. I think that I'm asked and it's fine for people to ask and it's also fine for us to say no, no, no and yeah, it is an interesting thing because my husband's a lawyer. No one asks him for that ever. You know he'll do some pro bono work, but just like you said, like it's fascinating, I wonder what that's about.

Susan McCreevy: 34:27

Yeah, I just don't think it's seen as a viable business. Or I'm delighted to tell people how much I'm earning, because I think just to shock people that you can actually make a good living out being an artist is like just to change the mindset of people you know for other artists. I think it's so important to let them know that you know there are ways of making a living at this and making a decent living.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 35:01

Yeah, yeah, it's good. It's hard work, but it's good work to do for sure. Yeah yeah, what are you grateful for?

Susan McCreevy: 35:12

I'm grateful for the internet, so certainly would be about it.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 35:19

Yeah.

Susan McCreevy: 35:21

Really amazing women that I've met through the internet, that have become such close friends. Yeah, I've just found my people and my tribe. I've struggled all my life to find people that I connected with and really connected with and on a deeper level. So this is, like you know, almost coming up to 50. I feel like this is my time and I've found the people that get me.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 35:49

Yeah, it's not. It's so interesting, like sometimes my husband will ask me. It's like, like I've not really noticed you going out to lunch, or like, how are your friends? I'm like, oh, my friends are great, like, but I talked to my Marco Polo in Voxer and Instagram, you know, on Zoom, like it's changed so much for me and sounds like it's the same for you.

Susan McCreevy: 36:15

Well, yes, I mean virtually, but I mean there's people that I've met that are local. I mean, next month I'm going to Sky to visit a lady that I've met through a group, connected artists, I mean, and another lady came here for that in person workshop. We've become best pals. I'm going to stay at hers next weekend. So, even you know, in our local area, yeah, although we might be online, we're seeing each other in real life and I just love that. It's shared interest and goals.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 36:45

Yeah, it's remarkable how that has opened up our world. Yeah, that's great. Well, what is there anything else that you? I hope I've touched on the things that feel important to you, but is there anything else that you would like to share?

Susan McCreevy: 37:02

You know? No, I think we've covered most of things that are going on in my life.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 37:07

Yeah, well, where can people find you? What do you have going on that you can share with people?

Susan McCreevy: 37:11

Okay, on my website it's just wwwsusanthecraryvcom I have a free course which is available for anybody to take. It's a collage course, so it's a great access for people that say I can't draw, they haven't done a lot of art. It really is a great entry into the art world and I've done it with a lot of beginners and I've really enjoyed it, and also more experienced artists, so it's a really good little course to give you a taste of what my teaching style is like. And then I've got a YouTube channel which I post a new video to every fortnight. So there's a lot of content already on the YouTube channel if you wanted to binge, watch those if you're interested. But yeah, that's the sort of main things I've got going on at the moment.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 38:00

That's great. Okay, I have to be an American dummy. I always forget what a fortnight is. Is that every two weeks?

Susan McCreevy: 38:05

Every two weeks yeah.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 38:07

I'm literally, I'm always like wait. What is that?

Susan McCreevy: 38:11

So I'm fine monthly. Is that what?

Lea Ann Slotkin : 38:15

you call it, I'm monthly. Well, that's great, and I'll be sure to put all that, all your links, in the show notes. I appreciate spending this time with you and I really appreciate you taking the time, and I'm happy to get to know you too.

Susan McCreevy: 38:32

Yeah, you too. I hope you do some more of that lovely artwork that's behind you.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 38:38

Thank you. Yeah, thank you. I've been working today until I have paint all over my sweatshirt, so yeah, yeah, well, you have a lovely rest of your evening.

Susan McCreevy: 38:49

Thank you very much. I'll speak to you soon.

Lea Ann Slotkin : 38:51

Thank you so much for listening to Mind Over Medium podcast today. If you found the episode inspiring, please share it with a friend or post it on social media and tag me on Instagram at Leigh Ann Slotkin, or head to my website, wwwleighannslotkincom. To book a discovery call to find out more about working with me one on one. You can also head to my website to get a great tool I've created for you to use when planning your own online launch of your artwork. It's an exercise I've taken many of my coaching clients through and it's been very helpful. It's my way of saying thank you and keep creating.