I think a big hurdle with creative stuff (especially in the age of social media) is the pressure to constantly create something great and to post about it. It's healthy to acknowledge that just because you're making something doesn't mean you need to commodify it or even share it publicly at all. When I was in the early stages of things, I really wasn't ready to open it up to judgement or critique. I think that would have dissuaded me from it entirely. Even accomplished artists that have made a living off of their work still have to make "bad" pieces from time to time, and it's ok to take time to find your voice and what you enjoy making. Critique groups are a valuable thing and often very positive, but if you need to incubate your ideas within your close circles for a while, do that! Also, I'm recovering from a migraine, so I don't know if any of this is coherent ✌️
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It's way too easy to over-write, over-paint, over-create. Just because it felt easy doesn't mean that it's bad. In fact, that zen feeling of inspiration *should* feel effortless. Don't let your work ethic ruin something good.
At the very least, step back before you do more. If it needs more work, you'll know the next time you look at it.
Sep 1, 2024
And so many other side-quest interests I haven't scratched the surface of... The nice thing about it is being able to go where the inspiration strikes and having something else to rely on when you feel stuck or discouraged about one of the other things. If I had any advice, it would be: Don't put yourself in a box for the sake of 'marketability' or your 'brand' unless your livelihood depends on it. I do kind of compartmentalize my different artistic outputs into different sites/accounts, but it's just to make it easier for people to take in. I also try to set up some guardrails to focus on one of the things at a time (days, weeks, months, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish.) Just try not to let external forces take away your curiosity, wonder, and whimsy!
Feb 7, 2024
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I think a lot of us think of idea generation as separate from creating, and that in order to create, we need a good idea to execute on. I try to remember that creating is actually a mode of idea generation, that sometimes sitting down to make things opens our brains to inspiration instead of the other way around.
So I think the thing is just to make time and space to get into a focused state to make things — and specifically to make BAD things without having a plan or a great idea beforehand.
Oct 29, 2024
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The perfect lil snack for when you don’t want a big snack
Apr 3, 2024
Here it is, folks! Volume I of what could very well be a continuous project. Thank you so much to everyone that submitted - I smiled the entire time I was putting this together. It's best listened to with headphones ☺️
Liner Notes:
This collection of field recordings is a collaborative effort with users of PI.FYI, each of which recorded their own pieces. It features audio from all over the world and exhibits eclectic moments from London Underground commutes to cuckoo bird calls in Dhaka to the sounds of a century-old American diner.
Online communities like PI.FYI often represent a diverse set of people, places, and experiences, but together, the submissions form a living collage that highlights the commonalities of modern life - a unifying message for such a tumultuous time. The first track features all of the sounds played at once in an attempt to create an audio snapshot of an online community but in their offline lives.
The individual recordings are unedited except for minor gain and compression adjustments for consistency across the collection.
Mar 29, 2025
