The Creative Myth

Valerie Fernandez - Finding Authenticity in your Art

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +1200

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we talk with renowned underwater couple and wedding photographer Valerie Fernandez. She is a beautiful, highly empathic and creative soul who has found her voice in her art and now aims to help others find an authentic reason behind their creations.

Valerie works closely with her couples to create absolute magic – she describes the drive behind the images that she creates in four words: intimacy, connection, passion and vulnerability.

Some of the topics we cover are:

Creating intimacy in your portraits.
Understanding your surroundings
Your self-image vs your relationship image.
Dealing with a loss of your creative output.
Why plagiarising others' work is only hurting your creative self.
How Creativity is born of failures and constraint.
And what you can learn by taking in an underwater session while 7 months pregnant!

Valerie on Instagram: @valeriefernandezphotography
Check out her website: Salt & Shores Photography

Follow us on Instagram for insider content: @thecreativemyth

People mentioned in this episode:
Tinted Photography
Chuy Photo

Ashley Kalagian Blunt - The 'Write' Reasons for the Wrong Book

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +1300

In today's episode, we chat to our very first author, Ashley Kalagian Blunt

She is the author of two books, How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, a thriller novella and collected essays. My Name is Revenge was longlisted for 2020 Davitt Awards, shortlisted for the 2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards, and a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award.

Ashley’s writing appears in Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, Overland, Australian Book Review, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, the Big Issue, Openbook, Westerly, Kill Your Darlings, the Canberra Times, and more.

She is the co-host of James and Ashley Stay at Home, a podcast about writing, creativity and health, and was a judge in the 2020 Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship.

Her Armenian travel memoir was shortlisted for the 2018 Impress Prize for New Writers and the 2017 Kill Your Darlings Unpublished Manuscript Award, and received a 2015 Varuna PIP residency.

Ashley is an award-winning speaker. She’s appeared at Sydney Writers’ Festival, Story Club and the National Young Writers’ Festival, and is a Moth StorySLAM winner.

She also teaches a range of creative writing courses and mentors emerging writers. She has a decade of experience in teaching and curriculum design, working with children and adults, and has a Master of Research in creative writing.

Before moving to Australia, Ashley lived and worked in Canada, South Korea, Peru and Mexico.

Podcast - James and Ashley Stay at Home: https://bit.ly/3JUypeg
My Name is Revenge: https://bit.ly/3JVJk7C
How to Be Australian: https://bit.ly/36X4u6T

Procrastination & Creativity - Your Amygdala's Addiction to Conflict Avoidance

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +1300

In this episode of the Creative Myth, we discuss the powerful and often misunderstood phenomenon of procrastination. It's everywhere, and in all societies, probably since some early hominid decided not to give their cave a cleanout "just now". So what can we do to make it less impactful in our modern lives? And is there something we can do as creatives to harness the 'ancient' power of procrastinating? Spoilers... There is!

Jai Long - Making your Break, Creative Entrepreneur

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 19:00:00 +1300

In today's episode, we chat with the amazing Jai Long. If you haven't heard that name up until now we don't understand how... Jai has an energy about him that you just can't help but vibe with. He's a wedding photographer based in Melbourne, Australia, a high-level Business Coach, co-founder of fashion label NōSkin, founder of The Wedding Photography Summit, host of the Make your Break Podcast, an incurable optimist and a prolific reader!

There's something for everyone in this one. Come, listen, and get inspired <3

Karin Klenner - Mud Cake & Hyper-Realism - An Artist Life

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 15:00:00 +1300

Ever wondered where to make the first cut on a life-like cake of a baby orangutan stroking an adorable little kitten as it looks up into your eyes? Well if you've just gotta, then apparently it's best to start in the back.

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we catch up with Karin Klenner, a super talented sculptor and artist who works in the delicious medium of mud cake! Karin has made a name for herself by creating some truly unbelievable 100% edible cakes; from German Sheppards to Baby Yoda, she has grown her art and her business in leaps and bounds. We discuss with her the ins and outs of cake art, the intricacies of marketing a small business and doing it all with a family to take care of.

Organising your flow for maximum creative output

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +1300

In this episode of the Creative Myth, we look at how our creative lifestyles seem to clash with basic organisation and discuss three big things you can do as a creative person to help maximise your creative output. But don't fret all you self-styled "non-creatives", there's plenty of useful info in here for you too!

Goal Setting for Creatives - Making Better Resolutions in the New Year

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +1300

In this holiday special of the Creative Myth we look into goal setting for those with a creative disposition, just in time for all those new years resolutions! We discuss ways to make your goal-setting more effective, some tips and hacks for creative goal setters (how to make your goals more appealing and achievable) and share some of our goals for 2022 with you.

Spontaneity and Creativity - Should You Just Wing It?

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +1200

In this episode of the Creative Myth, we dive into the pervasive idea that creativity is some sort of spontaneous bolt from the blue. Something that just happens to some people. We discuss how this actually plays out in our lives as creatives and talk about ways we can hack our lives to be more open to the mythical eureka moment.

Yanina Tacchini - A lesson in living your all

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +1200

Today's chat is actually the ember that sparked this podcast into life! We recorded it in December 2020 while travelling to small-town New Zealand for our youtube channel. After posting about an incredible meal we shared at one of her restaurants in Oamaru, today's creative reached out to us to see if we would like to meet up and grab a coffee. That's when we asked if she'd like to be our very first guest on the Creative Myth!

We only had our portable recording gear, a single microphone to share, and the wait staff were getting set up in the background.

Still, she is such an inspiration we just had to share this discussion with you, and of course, we will have her back in a future episode and in high fidelity the next time around.

So without further ado, say hello to Yanina Tacchini. Co-owner of two outstanding restaurants, one amazing coffee shop, mother of three and creative extraordinaire. In today's episode, we discuss the power of authenticity, why you should be taking risks, how loving what you do can fuel your creative brain and the benefits of getting back to basics.

Sera Choat - Designer, Sewer, Teacher

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +1200

Today on The Creative Myth, Sirjana chats to Sera Choat, the incredible fashion designer/school teacher behind My Keeper, a handmade designer rental company based in New Zealand.

Sera has nurtured her creative business from the ground on up and has a ton of wisdom to share.

In today's episode, we discuss the power of following your heart, the origins of her creative drive, how defining success makes all the difference, living your gratitude, following your dreams, and did you know that maths is actually useful outside the classroom? Go figure.

Scheduling and Creativity - Worth it's Weight in Time?

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 15:00:00 +1200

In this episode of the Creative Myth, we discuss the powerful and sometimes maligned creative tool of scheduling and its ability to enhance your creative thinking. We talk about how we utilise scheduling tools as creatives and entrepreneurs to bolster our creative endeavours. That is, if one of us can bring our selves to trust in the process!

Radha Engling - Travel Journalist, Influencer, Foodie

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 19:00:00 +1200

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we chat with the ever awesome travel journalist and content creator Radha Engling. Based out of New Zealand, Radha has made it her mission to live a life well-travelled. She and her partner Brooke are travel journalists, content creators and photographers. They write for multiple publications and create videos and photo essays for tourism boards and private establishments around the world! If you've ever wondered what it takes to be a successful travel blogger, then listen up cause today's guest has those answers and more. Spoiler alert - creativity has a little something to do with it.

Stacey Owen - Joyful, Grateful and a Bit Ridiculous

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +1200

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we chat with the badass Stacey Owen. Photographer, entrepreneur, CEO, conference planner and podcast host. Based in Canada, Stacey is the founder of Pepper. A creative agency born to help out entrepreneurs and creatives get ahead in their business. Today we chat about Becoming a pro photographer, Starting a creative agency, Conference and Chill, Fostering Community, What you should be outsourcing, and the difference between craft and creativity... (among much else).

Fear and Creativity - The Ultimate Odd Couple

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:00:00 +1200

What if we could show you that we are all born creative? Creativity is often thought of as a mythical quality that some of us are just born exuding, and those not lucky enough to have the "creative gene" are doomed to live their life as accountants and car salespeople. But have you ever considered that accounting and sales are creative journeys in their own right? Welcome to the Creative Myth with us, Ben and Sirjana. We are two humans in love living a 'traditionally creative' life as internationally nomadic elopement and adventure photographers under the moniker of Tinted Photography.

In this episode of the Creative Myth, we discuss fear and it's powerful relationship to creative endeavours and all endeavours in general really. We talk about how as creatives we encounter the fear of failure and judgement in our daily lives and how we acknowledge it and work with it to strengthen our creative outputs.

Ayush Kejriwal - Fashion Design and Personal Branding - The Organic Extension of Self

Sat, 15 May 2021 19:00:00 +1200

What if we could show you that we are all born creative? We sometimes think of creativity as a mythical quality that some of us are just born with while others have to go without. But is that really the case? We are here to find out and hopefully fan that creative flame within you as we seek out "creatives" from around the globe and ask them what they think. Welcome to the Creative Myth with us, Ben and Sirjana. We are two humans in love living a 'traditionally creative' life as internationally nomadic elopement and adventure photographers under the name Tinted Photography.

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we chat with celebrated Indian saree designer Ayush Kejriwal. An introspective and thoughtful creative who draws inspiration from the world around him. Based in Scotland and driven by values of creativity, experimentation and a passion for cultural diversity, Ayush describes himself as the human embodiment of a magpie. "Always on the lookout for shiny cultural offerings wherever they are in the world". Today we chat about finding your creative voice, building a personal brand, "being bold", inclusivity, positive self-image, bathroom affirmations and inclusivity in the fashion world... (among much else).

Jacob Loafman - Photography and Creative Caffeine

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +1200

What if we could show you that we are all born creative? We tend to think of creativity as a mythical quality that some of us are just born with while others have to go without. But is that really the case? We are here to find out and hopefully fan that creative flame within you as we seek out "creatives" from around the globe and ask them what they think. Welcome to the Creative Myth with us, Ben and Sirjana. We are two humans in love living a 'traditionally creative' life as internationally nomadic elopement and adventure photographers under the name Tinted Photography.

In this episode of The Creative Myth, we chat with acclaimed American photographer Jacob Loafman. A bit of an all-rounder and creative tinkerer, Jacob is a fellow Rangefinder Magazine Rising Star, the founder of Creative Caffeine Workshops and a damn fine wedding, portrait and fine art photographer based in Missouri, USA. Today we chat about overcoming your fears, avoiding stagnation, finding inspiration, hustle culture and conversing with yourself (among much else).

A History of Creativity

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 20:00:00 +1300

What if we could show you that we are all born creative? We tend to think of creativity as a mythical quality that some of us are just born exuding, and those not lucky enough to have the "creative gene" are doomed to live their life as accountants and car salespeople. But have you ever considered that accounting and sales are creative journeys in their own right? Welcome to the Creative Myth with us, Ben and Sirjana. We are two humans in love living a 'traditionally creative' life as internationally nomadic elopement and adventure photographers under the name Tinted Photography. In this very first episode of the Creative Myth, we discuss the history of creativity and what it means to us personally as we lay the groundwork for this series. Each episode will introduce a new 'creative' personality we have met in our travels, and occasionally, you'll hear more from just us. Get set to be inspired and recharged as we interview some incredible personalities from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Can we unlock the secrete of living a creative life?