My Creative Journey ~ Where I Was & Where I Am Today

Hey friends,

I was just re-interviewed by Emily Kerr-Finell from Wholesale In A Box about my journey as a creative business owner and am finding it interesting how much has changed for me in the 5 year span between interviews!

For more background you can read this post too, about how I quit my day job. Look how tiny my art studio was when I first started! That was my entire line of greeting cards and prints inside a converted closet. Literally, if you were to turn right in this photo you would be perusing my sweaters and shoes.

And in this post I talk a little about how I rediscovered my creativity after many years.

I think the takeaway after having had this creative business for 8 years is that I no longer try to grow like I thought I SHOULD be growing. Maybe I don't have to go to stationery shows and conventions in order to grow. Maybe I don't have to hire employees in order to scale. Maybe I don't have to ___________ (fill in the blank) in order to be successful. There are plenty of ways in which we compare ourselves to others and then decide we're lacking or falling short (Social media, right?) and for me, I feel liberated when I shake off those "shoulds" and do my own thing. Maybe this is a product of where I am in this season of my life. Midlife has a way of helping you prioritize and shed the expectations you might have been carrying for awhile.

These days I find I'm much more interested in talking about my journey starting out as a non-creative person and my desire to have more meaning in my life. To me, the intersection of creativity, mindfulness, joy is what really interests me. Right now I'm taking a creative biz class and the part that is most illuminating so far is the introspective exercise designed to uncover what really gets your creative juices flowing. That resulted in this statement:

I said I am an artist and writer but really I am passionate about noticing the sacred in the mundane, encouraging others to live a life rooted in mindfulness and gratitude because paying attention will cultivate a life steeped in meaning and joy. And what particularly lights me up is the transformative power of midlife, the reciprocal process of learning and unlearning, and infusing creativity into all aspects of life.

So this. This is what I'm coming at ya with in 2023! I am so beyond excited because I am taking that statement, digging deep and making some really beautiful, meaningful, and transformative offerings for you my friends.

6 comments

  • Laura Bray

    What an inspiring post. It’s been a pleasure to watch you work over these past years-I love your heart-centered focus and your unassuming kindness.
    ———
    Little Truths Studio replied:
    Thank you, friend. I love that we’ve been able to grow creatively together over the years!


  • Aleta

    Hi Lori,
    This is wonderful. I have been going all different directions and just been thinking I need to create what is me instead of chasing what I see that seems to be the new thing.
    Thank you
    Aleta
    ———
    Little Truths Studio replied:
    Aleta, I appreciate you. Thank you always for your comments and emails. It really is liberating to give ourselves permission to stop trying to do it all and be more aligned with the natural flow of things.


  • Mrs Rat

    I love your artist’s statement. It gets to the heart of art’s value: how it can transform the way we see, feel, appreciate and understand life as we live it.
    ———
    Little Truths Studio replied:
    Thank you so much! And you are so right, I think of it almost as a personal mission statement.


  • Harriet Thomas

    I love your art and your messages so much. I am so happy I found your cards!
    ———
    Little Truths Studio replied:
    Harriet, thank you so much! I’m glad my art speaks to you. Thank you for stopping by.


  • emily anderson

    Lori, I love everything you do. I’m so thankful that you are finding your peace, no longer being a minion to the societal hustle, and following your heart. I’d love to learn more about this creative biz class you’re taking! Looking forward to reading more about your journey.
    xo-
    emily
    ———
    Little Truths Studio replied:
    Emily, thank you. I’m so glad we have connected! And I’m so inspired by your journey as well.


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Hi Friends!

I’m Lori Roberts

At the heart of Little Truths Studio is a shared journey. To be better humans. To make the world more beautiful with our actions and intentions. To declare our values into being. I speak these truths through gentle art, thoughtful words and a desire to embrace a slower, kinder way of life. Learn more about me >