Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“A gift that cannot be given away ceases to be a gift. The spirit of a gift is kept alive by its constant donation.” – Lewis Hyde, book The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World The sun some day is going to dieThat’s why I’m giving it all away tonightBecause I’ve givenContinue reading “Give It Away”

Instead of following the oft-repeated advice of “fake it til you make it”, how about just focusing on “making it?” Make art. Ship your art. Make more art. That way, you don’t ever have to “fake” anything. You just “make” it.

Because if you’re gonna write 1,000 posts, why not go for 1,001 right? Maybe that’s the one that will really resonate. That will be the one that really counts. But you won’t have reached that without writing the first 1,000. Or how a great trainer will get you to do a certain number of reps,Continue reading “1,001”

Time is a factor so it’s time that countsCount not the negative actions of oneSpeakers of soul say it’s time to shoutThree forms the soul to a positive sumDance to this fix and flex every muscleSpace can be filled if you rise like my lumberAdvance to the tune but don’t do the hustleShake, rattle, rollContinue reading “1,000”

“I don’t know.” There are many times and moments when those three words are the most honest words you can say. If someone asks for your knowledge on a particular subject and you have little or none…”I don’t know.” If someone is suffering and you haven’t been in their shoes…”I don’t know.” If you, yourself,Continue reading ““I Don’t Know””

Everyone wants to feel needed (and wanted). But no one wants to be around someone who’s needy. “This is happening” should be your mindset when recruiting collaborators for your passion project. They’ll see your passion and commitment to excellence by how far you’ve already taken it solo. They’ll know you’re going to do it noContinue reading “Needy Vs. Needed”

“The things that we love tell us what we are.” -Saint Thomas Aquinas “If you want to know who you are, you can make a case, a very compelling case that God is telling you who you are by what you love. And if you get close to what you love, what you love expands.Continue reading “Love and Excellence”

“It gets dark as I sit here, and the fireflies add wonderful effects to the flowerbeds. The birds of the air, the flowers of the field–was ever Solomon in all his glory arrayed as one of these?…There are so many of those brief moments of waiting in our lives. It is wonderful how sweet theseContinue reading “Grace and Gratitide”

“After enlightenment, one is still the same as one was before. One is simply free from unreality and delusion. The ordinary person’s mind is the same as the sage’s, because Original Mind is perfect and complete in itself. After you’ve had this recognition, please don’t lose it.” – Pai-chang “Enlightenment is man’s release from hisContinue reading “Enlightened…Now What?”

It’s never going to be “the right time” to make your art. You’ll always have some other distraction, let alone responsibility or need that requires your attention. Stop waiting. Just decide that the right time is now. And start. You’ll be amazed at how everything then falls into place and the universe cooperates with thatContinue reading “The Exact, Right Time”