We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eden Dozier. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eden below.
Eden, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?
In short: Yes, I take vacations. I think it is vital for an entrepreneur — or anyone for that matter — to take some time to turn off “the thinking” and let inspiration flow. I’m rarely inspired when I’m grinding as there is so much energy output occurring. I have to remember to pull back energetically and let the creative energy return to me.
My only advice would be to listen to your body and your intuition. I know that all sounds very New Age and “woo woo,” but we know intrinsically when we need to stop. Our bodies talk and signal to us much more than we would think… We just need to pause and sit still to listen.
Moreover, a vacation doesn’t always have to mean a 2-week trip to Bali or 10 days in Italy. For me, booking a nearby hotel for the night or driving somewhere within a 2-3 hour radius is enough of a break to get me reset. Alternatively, if you travel for jobs, tack on a few more days and relax!
Eden, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Initially, I started my creative endeavors as an artist — paint, and pencil, however, I’ve always been drawn to visual art and love everything from contemporary and abstract, to sculpture and film.
I first picked up a camera when I was about 8. I used to get in trouble for taking my mom’s Polaroid and using up all of the film. In my teens, I was enamored with disposables. I loved taking pictures of my friend’s punk bands when they’d practice in my garage and documenting at parties and shows as I got older. All this compounded with my love of storytelling, fashion, and portraiture, it evolved into the portrait photography work I do today. While portrait work is my primary focus, I also do content photography for restaurants and influential people.
I think it’s important to create ongoing relationships with my clients and subjects. I think establishing trust and a sense of friendship really shows in the product — the photography. It also allows for the magic to come out a little easier.
More than photography, I have also pivoted into the AI art photography sphere, and my co-creator, Marisa Dugas, and our partner, The Fat Boy AI, and I have just recently launched an AI lifestyle brand called Poni & Aquarius — www.poniandaquarius.com
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is multifaceted… the sense of accomplishment, riding the high of a creative wavelength, seeing the pride my clients have after receiving the finished work — it all gives me such a sense of fulfillment. Feeling as though as I’m contributing energy to something greater than myself — collective consciousness, as it were — is stimulating and motivating and kinda keeps me going.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Something that I’ve had to unlearn is that I don’t know everything. I was very headstrong when I was younger and I “knew better” than others — which of course is never the frame of mind to approach anything with. Being in a consistent state of wonder and curiosity and eager to learn, I’ve found, is the only way to grow and expand both creatively and in business, as well as personally.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.edendozier.com
- Instagram: @edendozier
- Other: www.poniandaquarius.com
Image Credits
www.edendozier.com