Do you ever feel that sometimes your friends don’t understand your creative passions? That the creative being inside of you is often quietly hidden from your real world? Sometimes the people that we have grown up with and shared years of friendship and relationships with are a world a way from our creative addictions. I find this hard to deal with at times and often I will hide my true passions from those I am closest to.
Most of my close family and friends do not read Mocking Bird and it’s simply because I haven’t told them about it. I’ve come a long way with blogging over the years and I almost feel like it’s too late to start sharing the little pocket of the world that I have created here.
I do however have lots of friends that I can share my creative life with but many of them live on different continents and are known to me by way of a computer screen. I love that I can chat away about photography and a creative rich life with the amazing people I’ve met through the internets, but often I wish that my close friends, whom I love dearly, understood this thing I do.
I’ve just scored a book deal and I am embarrassed to even mention it to family and friends. That’s not normal, right?!
Do you have many creative arty friends? Maybe I was supposed to meet them at university but never did. I’d take an art class but I couldn’t paint to save my life!
Thankfully I’m meeting up with one of my awesome photographer friends very soon and she is introducing me to one gorgeous spirited creative lady whom I can’t wait to meet.
Who are your creative soul mates?
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well i have my best friend who i have grown up with my whole life who shares my creative passion. i also have a couple of other close friends who i can share my ideas with. it is however awkward when you really want to talk to someone about art or something but you know they jsut arent into that! but the people you meet through blogging is amazing, it is such a creative community!
Pearl xo
Thank you SO much for all these wonderful responses.
It makes me feel better to read that others have these kinds of thoughts.
I have actually told my family and friends about the book- well…I told my family and announced it on facebook & friends have since asked me about it. They are all very proud but I get embarrassed talking about it, no matter how excited I am. I think you Aussies do understand what I was getting at- we aren’t a people who boast and I would hate that people would think I’m doing that.
Thankfully I have a man in my life who totally gets all this and he is a blogger himself. He supports me with everything I do, I’m very lucky.
It’s funny with the whole blogging thing too. When talking about my blog, I call it my “photography website” to friends and family. A lot of you mentioned having 2 separated lives and I think that it’s like that for a lot of us. Your family and friends see you a certain way and sometimes the two shall never meet.
George’s worlds are colliding!
oh and i want to come back and reply to your individual comments when im not half asleep. ;)
Hi Amanda,
Great post! On top of not having many creative friends from home or university, I also just finished a masters degree in International politics, and none of these new & dear colleagues can really relate to my passion for photography, creative writing, blogging, and the like. I’ve actually just started writing regularly on my blog/journal & actively searching for other sites, and it’s a real pleasure to find posts like this!
Thanks & congrats on the book deal :-)
Jessica
I completely relate to this. For the longest time, I had a blog where I documented my creative process and shared stories and photos from my life. At first, only my husband knew about it. I had a day job at the time and I didn’t want my boss or coworkers to think I was “cheating” on them. After all, much of what I wrote about was how I was going to break out of the day job! :)
Recently, I actually DID break out of the day job and started a photography business. I felt like in order for people to know about my new venture and for me to be successful, I couldn’t hide that other side of me. In fact, the more *real* someone is online, the more likely I am to want to support them. I finally had to believe that to be true for me, too.
So a month ago, I opened the doors to my photography website and told people for the first time about my blog. It was one of the scariest things I’ve had to do. Like you, I felt like a little embarrassed. I know now that came from being afraid of how they would react. Afraid they wouldn’t understand. But all I really can’t control their reaction. I can only control what I put out into the world.
I have to tell you – since I shared this other side of myself with friends and family, I’ve received so many messages and comments, cheering me on. And I’ve been surprised by how many people actually DO get me.
I feel you. Most of my family has no idea that I even do anything artistic at all. My friends probably have some opinion about it, but they don’t say anything. I feel silly blogging, because a friend or two will see it, so I feel stupid if I post anything that isn’t just personal ranting.
I have a friend who used to draw with me on a regular basis, but I feel like we’ve split off a bit and don’t have as much in common anymore. I don’t think I have any creative partners at this time.
I long for creative soul mates, and have begun to meet a few online, but I really wish I knew someone close by who understood my creative mind. Sometimes art can be a bit isolating. But thank goodness for the internet, really!
I know how you feel, a lot of my friends see my polaroids as a big waste of money for such few film ): Only my online friends and my boy really understand the depth of my love and the artistic value I garner from them… I really hope once I’m in school for photography I’ll meet more creative souls to share and collaborate with.
i know exactly what you mean… most of my creative influences (if not all, actually) are people i have met online. i think it’s okay to have those two separate worlds as it allows for different perspectives (which is also part of the creative process). having said that… you best be flaunting that book deal, girl. that is a mighty accomplishment and something to be proud of. CONGRATS!
What an interesting post and discussion. Thank you for putting it out there and I think it is most probably such a relief for everyone to read and realise they are not alone.
At the end of the day, I think we all really deep down want to be accepted for who we are and when you feel you find people who just get it (online or in ‘real life’) it is a magical moment.
Putting yourself out there with some sort of passion in this world, is taking a big leap and not everyone understands it. But if it makes you feel wonderful, then too bad to anyone who would try to make you feel any other way.
Wow! you hit the nail on the head! My mouth is dropping open because I was just discussing this with my husband this past week. I have always been a creative person, but I don’t feel like my friends get it. I sooo wish I had just ONE friend that was into the same things as me. I would be ecstatic! I have recently started a blog after feeling too stifled by facebook. don’t get me wrong, facebook is fun, and that is where I keep in daily contact with my friends…but I needed more! I was basically using facebook as a kind of blog, posting albums of photos of my projects and my photos that I thought were great. I really did not get much of a response to my posts and I was really wanting it. kinda like, check this out! isn’t it awesome!!! my husband is very creative and totally gets me which I am so thankful for!! However, none of his sisters, and he has 6, respond to ANYTHING I would post on facebook. I can totally relate to one of the comments that mentioned she wondered if it was “showing off”, like look how creative I am, and look what I can do. THAT IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL! I wonder this ALL the time. I just can’t figure it out. And as far as my blog goes, I am having a blast…all by myself…but I really wish my closest friends and family would get into it…and they are not responding at all. I sit and think, how can this be, if one of them had a blog and told me about it, I would definately read it and comment. Wow! I can’t believe that this seems to be a common feeling amongst creative people! I guess, I should just keep doing what I am doing and hope to meet a few creative people through my blog. Thanks for your post, I think I feel a little better now! :^) P.S. One more thing, sometimes I do let my guard down a little and let out my creative side to people close to me only to have my closest friend say to me “you’re weird”. And that is why I guess we creative people keep this stuff to ourselves!
I’m relatively new to your blog (but I love it already) so this is my first comment. Your post really hit a nerve with me. I don’t really have creative soulmates among friends or family. They don’t really *get* what I’m trying to do or what it means to me. Thankfully my husband is creative too but we speak different languages: he’s a musician and painter, I’m a writer and photographer.
Oh Manda dear, you don’t know how deeply I understand this.
It’s a strange place I’m in. I pray each day that I find the REAL people to be my true ‘creative’ soul mates. I have been in some not-so-ordinary circumstances with regards to my ‘creative self’ and not having REAL people nearby to share it all with. I am working on paintings now so perhaps in some time I can ‘put them out there.’ This may mean by myself and that frightens me terribly. It’s a horrible feeling to be a a lonesome creative person. Hahahahaha…i feel like an OUTLAW sometimes! an outlaw in Ruby Red Cowgirl Boots!
Oh, I know exactly what you mean! Very few of my f&f read my blog, I’m sure they don’t ‘get’ me at all!
I’ve made a few great friends thro blogging, which I only started doing last summer. One is coming to visit me in august, another from Vancouver (what a coincidence!) plans to come next year
I love being able to discuss our creativity this way, it feeds my brain in a way I could not hope to have, as I am often quite isolated from other artists in the real world
i am soo lucky to have a few friends that just started sewing just like me!! so we have sewing parties and always make new things! i think it’s always great to have a partner when starting out in hobbies so that you have someone to push you!! also, i have a few friends that are getting into photography like me, so that’s awesome too!! but i am super impressed by all the blogging creativity out there too and all of my blogger friends inspire me too! =)
I totally hear you on this. I am a self-employed artist and also just started selling my Polaroid prints, and although my husband is supportive, most of my family and acquaintances just…don’t get it…or really care. It’s just out of their orbit. It seems odd to me because making art and taking photographs is how I breathe, and I do wish I knew more artists but don’t seem to have really connected with any outside of the computer.
oh my gosh… i completely get what you’re saying.
i love my friends and family but there is no one i can really share all my passions and dreams with, like they can never completely get it. and it gets frustrating. i have so much inside me and no one to share it with and that makes me feel like i’m about to burst any moment. sometimes i feel like i cant really grow as an artist because i have no one to share these passions with.
and that’s why i love looking thru blogs and flickr. i find so much inspiration and a few kindred spirits.
i am still searching for my creative soulmate (more of dreaming and thristing for one or two or more.). i do wish to find him/her soon.
oh and congratulations on your book! i’ve always loved your photos :)
I can relate in every way. I’m a new follower to your blog and have it to resonate on so many different levels.
My life has been so fractured for so long…work life kept there, family life kept over there, creative dreams kept in a separate silo. That makes for a hectic, crazy…and oftentimes unbalanced…way of living.
I’m working towards putting all the eggs in one basket, with the full knowledge that some will get broken. However, I have only this one life (right now, ha!), and I shouldn’t feel guilt or compelled to hide any part of it. The people who love me will accept it, even if they don’t get it, and the ones who don’t didn’t love me anyway.
It is time for me to write my own story. Peace!
I have been reading your blog for quite a while and am sorry not to have commented earlier. Congratulations on your book deal! That is very exciting and something you should be proud to tell your family and friends. However, I can relate to you not telling your family and friends about your blog. I have done the same for the most part (although, I find myself straying from it for long periods, maybe for the same reason). I have led a conservative professional life for the most part, and have not met many creative people along the way. However, I am grateful for all of the creative, talented bloggers (like yourself) which provide a consistent source of inspiration when its difficult to find it in my personal and professional life. I too wish sometimes that my close friends and family shared my artistic interests. However, perhaps its the medium in which we share our interests that allows us to attract like-minded friends? Maybe if we share more of our artistic interests with those close to us, we may discover others that share those same talents/interests?
YES – I ventured onto your site a few days after you wrote this – I am and have been so overwhelmed by this thought that I can not contain it into words for a proper response – creative soulmates – YES!
(hope your grandfather is better!) xoxo R
Creative soulmates are essential! When we grow, we sometimes find the paths of our loved ones to go different routes than ours, which is OK–it keeps things interesting actually. However, I’ve found that my true friends will support my creative endeavors and new ideas even if they don’t quite get it (for themselves). They just know that it is right for me and love me all the same. I hope your loved ones can do the same for you! Congrats on your book deal, that is fantastic :)
xo, trish