What limits us as artists? How can we maintain our artistic spark in a noisy, algorithmic world? Our guest today, Nigel "Sand" Sandridge shares his powerful strategies for finding inspiration and continuously moving forward as a creative.Sand, also known as Sensei Sand, is originally from Chicago but now lives in Manchester, England where he runs a media company called NoMargins Media, as well as being a partner in a clothing brand called Hundredtags Studios. Sand’s always busy but thinks it’s important to have as much fun as possible and try to ooze as much dope energy as you can on other people.In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to…Be a Creative Outside the MarginsCultivate a Fan BaseBootstrap Your ArtFor more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
Are you an artist or creative? Are you ready to take your art to the next level in 2023? Today’s short episode is a bit of shock therapy to get you going and keep you going.Art is not easy. The creative life is full of setbacks and challenges. However, if you resolve to pay the price and if you commit to showing up every day, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. And if you commit, when you get to the end of the month, the end of the season, the end of the year, you'll be blown away by what you have accomplished and what you have produced.So, let’s get this done together in 2023. Listen to the full episode to get your kick in the art and to start off 2023 with a bang!For more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
Ready to kick off your artistic goals for the new year? Want to know how you can get better results in 2023 than ever before? Tune in as Adam Toporek discusses why New Year’s resolutions so often don’t work and what you can do differently to make sure you are successful with your creative and artistic goals in the new year.In today’s episode, you’ll learn…Why New Year’s resolutions rarely workThe principle behind “Warren Buffet’s” 25/5 PrincipleHow to create goals and the habits that support them The power of the “Break the Chain” MethodHow Adam tracks habits with the Done appThis is our last episode of 2022. Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and happy new year!For more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
What lessons can fiction writers learn from nonfiction? How does a professional journalist find angles that his subjects want to talk about? On today’s podcast, writer Andy Frye gives us insights into these topics and more.Andy Frye is not only a talented writer himself, but he's interviewed some of the most accomplished people in the world. Andy has written for Rolling Stone, ESPN, and currently writes about sports business for Forbes. Over his career, Andy has interviewed hundreds of athletes, rock stars and other celebrities, and now has published his first novel, Ninety Days in the 90s.In today’s episode, you’ll learn…Lessons from star athletes and musiciansLooking for non-obvious storiesHandling time travel in fictionFor more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
Fiction writers–are you consistent with your writing? Our guest, fiction writer Kyle Woods, shares how he approaches his writing and the power behind his philosophy of “read every day, write every day.” Born in New Orleans, Kyle has had a variety of different jobs and creative pursuits, from sous chef and pedicab driver to stand-up comic and actor. Throughout it all, however, Kyle wanted to write, and he eventually dedicated himself to fiction.Tune into the podcast to catch some of Kyle’s crazy stories, learn about his creative process, and to hear how his love of Muay Thai has impacted his art. In today’s episode, you’ll learn…Kyle’s writing rulesHow to maintain focus as a creativeDealing with self pressure and writer’s blockHis approach to historical accuracy in fiction The connection between martial arts and creative work
Where can artists find inspiration? Can they use the world around them as sparks for their art?Ideas are everywhere. The key for creatives is how they allow themselves to experience the world, how they open themselves to the inspiration provided by everyday life. Using the tradition of the readymade, this episode will help you draw inspiration from the world around you and find art in the most mundane of things. In today’s episode, you’ll learn…The Readymade Philosophy.How to Use the World Around YouA Creative Exercise for New IdeasFor more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
What does it mean to explore different artistic passions? Our guest, Sara Jillian, shares her life of creativity and how she has explored writing, illustrating, acting, being a clown and more.An artist from a young age, Sarah learned how to embrace her creative nature, and she shares with us the events, challenges, and lessons that brought her to where she is now. In today’s episode, you’ll learn…If you should focus on just one art form.The challenges of distraction for artists.Being authentic when taking on a character.For more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
You know you need a break from a project, but how? How do you step away without feeling like you’re walking away? In this episode, you’ll learn some tips and tricks for stepping away from your art, strategically, and with an eye towards coming back fresher and stronger than before. If you listened to our last episode, 5 Signs You Should Step Away from Your Art, then maybe you’ve already made the decision to step away. Today, we’re going to talk about how to do that in a way that will make you happier and your art better.In today’s episode, you’ll learn…How to step away from your art. How to know when the time is right to go back.What your approach should be when you return to your project. For more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
Is it time to step away from your art? It’s one of the most difficult decisions an artist can make, and today, you’ll learn how to know if the time is right. Stepping away from a project can be powerful and can be just the medicine your project needs when you are no longer making progress or feeling stuck. However, it’s often difficult to know if the time is right. Are we giving up too soon or have we finally reached the point where stepping away is the best solution?In today’s episode, you’ll learn the following: Why taking a break is importantA cure for feeling stuckHow fresh eyes equals fresh perspectiveWhat a lack of enthusiasm might meanWhy you should run away from negative feelingsFor more, go to https://adamtoporek.com
Do you ever feel unmotivated? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed that your art feels like yet another MUST in your life, just another thing in an impossible list of things you need to do. What if there were a technique to help you break through that resistance, a powerful and easy way to shed those feelings of overwhelm, to take off the pressure, and start making artistic progress immediately?Welcome to the power of creative sprints! Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:Why sometimes you don't do the work, despite your passion. What a creative sprint is and how it can help you break through artistic resistance.Whether or not the famous Pomodoro® Technique is right for you. The type of timer you should use for a sprint. How you can use sprints to supercharge creative problem solving.If you enjoyed the information in this episode, please make sure to subscribe to the podcast and, if you want more resources, make sure to join our newsletter at http://aKickInTheArt.com.
Welcome to the first episode of A Kick in the Art – a podcast for artists and creatives of every kind. Today’s episode is all about WHY Adam started this podcast and HOW it can help you breakthrough artistic barriers, develop powerful creative habits, and share more of your art with the world. Listen in to hear about how A Kick in the Art can help you as you follow your creative path.What will you learn in this episode? Why Adam started this podcast.A different view of what it means to be a struggling artist.The challenges we must overcome to succeed with our art.How Adam created more art in the last 2.5 years than he did in the 20 years before.How we can make the creative path easier and be more effective artists with principles from psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines? Let’s start this journey together with Adam Toporek. Subscribe and keep updated with creative conversations and resources every week.Podcast website: http://akickintheart.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/adamtoporekWebsite: https://adamtoporek.com