We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Celest Farmer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Celest thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
When I started playing in college & I started performing more on campus with a friend. It helped me meet some cool people that are still in my life today & the jam sessions really brought people in to show their creative expression. I started writing songs more to the point where I’d rather finish this song instead of going to class. Lol I thought to myself I could do this everyday, my time and energy ended up shifting before I knew it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’ve been playing guitar since I was about 15. I started taking it seriously after I started meeting musicians and artist in college. What solidified music as a career for me is when an acquaintance of mine needed a guitar player. I wasn’t even going to charge her but she insisted. I gave a price & we rehearsed. After we performed a beautiful set she paid double what I asked for, apparently I wasn’t charging enough!
I’ve always had a strong mindset on money & thought to myself dang I just made $60 for barely an hour of my time. I felt so fulfilled for using my skill to help a friend entertain a room full of people & I got payed! That experience set the tone for me and my path.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Simple! If your friend or a local artist you like asks you to come to their show GO! Pull up! Stream their music, share it, and buy their merch if you can, that stuff goes a long way. Businesses that throw events should reach out to their local artist and give them opportunities to share their talent & earn from it, not just exposure, pay them, and support their living too.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I’m a shy guy so I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is the conversations and the way people will tell me how my lyrics may have resonated with them or helped them through a tough time because that’s what it does for me too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dontfretcelest.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @dontfretcelest
- Twitter: @Dontfretcelest
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Dontfretcelest?si=F6XScxjSGwwhLgvs
Image Credits
1. VIP Portraits 2 & 3. Ashley Weaver photography