We were lucky to catch up with Jay Holobach recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jay , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?
Prior to transitioning into being a full-time artist, in my previous professional life I was a Program Manager working at organizations such as NASA, US Navy, GM, and Raytheon. After every project our team would conduct an “AAR” or “After Action Review” using Five Key Questions that were designed to help us grow and get smarter for the next project.
Upon transitioning to being a full-time artist, I quickly realized how those Five Key Questions could be adapted to also apply to my artist day job whether looking at how a show or exhibit went or how well a painting went. You may be a songwriter, photographer, sculptor, writer, etc., it doesn’t matter as the questions are scalable. Genius!
I want to share how I’ve used the AAR process to grow my own paint brush. I’ve stopped chasing the next big workshop, video or whatever. Yes, those are important when used correctly in your personal learning plan. However, at the end of the day you own your own work. No one is doing your work for you. I think it’s important to speak into yourself and then to listen to what you have to say. Your voice is important.
Every painting since 2018, I have asked the following Five Key Questions, writing down my answers in my cheap lined notebook:
1. Why did I paint this? (My Intent)
2. What actually happened with the painting? (Reality)
3. What did I learn as a result? (New learnings)
4. What new actions are required the next time I go to paint? (New things to try)
5. Does this painting deserve a frame? (Some deserve to be banished!)
For me, I meet with my paintings on Wednesdays, sitting with the prior week’s painting(s) asking these questions. This helps me focus on my personal growth while not worrying about what everyone else is doing. It’s methodical and I’m not going to lie, slightly boring. But the growth I’ve witnessed in my brush has been nothing short of amazing. Can growth really be that simple? Yes, yes it can.
Here’s a challenge for you. Take the last painting (song, sculpture, photograph, dance, chapter, story, etc.) you’ve created and ask it the Five Questions. Write down your answers. See if you gain an ‘inch’ (or millimeter) of insight into your creative process. If you do, try it again. It’s really a never-ending story because it’s your own story in your own words. How cool is that?
Jay , 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?
As a contemporary representational artist, I paint both in the studio and outdoors on location (en plein air). Painting inside and outside is important as each ‘setting’ informs the other. I don’t see my art as a single genre (eg., southwest art per se) but more of a ‘hey, that’d be fun to try…” and then apply my style of brush to that subject.
As a teacher, I write and create my own classes both independently and also for the Edmond Fine Arts Institute here in Edmond, OK. One area I specialize in is teaching adults who’ve never painted before. I provide the fundamentals (emphasis on ‘fun’) so they can go back to their home and paint on their own. It’s important to try something new and to do so in a safe space for experimenting. My classes and workshops allow adults to try something new in a fun, engaging way.
As a volunteer “Paint Buddy” for a philanthropic organization that pairs artists and children with cancer, I get to help children explore the endless possibilities of art and creativity. It’s fulfilling to know that painting helps alleviate some of the hardship they are going through. If I can help one child smile, I’ve accomplished my goal.
As a public speaker, I promote art in the public space by giving demonstrations to art guilds, at corporate retreats, and institutions. Making art accessible is something I strive for. Inaccessible art is irrelevant like a tree falling alone in the woods, did anyone see it?
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Reading is mandatory if you want to grow as an artist. You have to be open to new ideas – even if you don’t agree with everything you read or hear. At the end of the day, you get to make up your own mind, but you need data in order to draw a conclusion from. Here’s a SHORT (hahahaha) list of books to help fuel your growth:
Alla Prima II – Expanded Edition Everything I Know about Painting–And More, Richard Schmid
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, BJ Fogg
The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self, Michael Easter
Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See, Bianca Bosker
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, David Bayles and Ted Orland
Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises Our Achievement, Happiness, and Well-Being, Shawn Achor
No More Secondhand Art: Awakening the Artist Within, Peter London
The Artist’s Way, Julie Cameron
Living the Artist’s Life, Paul Dorrell
Are you done yet? :-)
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Watching my art put a smile on someone’s face never grows old or boring. For me, it’s watching a person interact with one of my paintings. Inevitably, the smile comes. That’s when I know the story has become personal between the viewer and the painting. I’ve made someone’s day better. It’s a little thing. Yet, I’ve found that the most profound things in life tend to live in the minutiae. Win those tiny moments and you have a lifetime of joy. That’s my paintings. A friendly smile to greet you when you get home after a hard day. How cool is that?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jayholobach.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayholobach/
Image Credits
Jay Holobach