We were lucky to catch up with Jenny Hahn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jenny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I grew up in a suburban neighborhood in the 80’s when kids roamed the streets on bicycles and kept roly-poly bugs as pets. Yes, I loved my MTV and Nintendo games, but I also loved to explore. My mom raised me and my younger sister to stay curious, and more importantly, to always believe in ourselves. One of my favorite memories involves piling into my mom’s burgundy Dodge Caravan with our childhood besties and a cooler of snacks, setting out on a day of exploring. At every stoplight or stop sign, she’d ask us: “Which direction now?” With no end destination in mind, it became an empowering turn-by-turn adventure led by us kids. We discovered new towns, country fields, carnivals…we even ran into our favorite celebrity this way! No GPS or paper map required, just an excursion of discovery without an end destination in mind.

I included this story in my recent book “Creative Flow: Tap and Express Your Juicy Essence”. It’s a perfect example of the concept of “following the thread”, which I define as trusting your inner compass without needing to know in advance where you’ll end up. This very much applies to creativity and helped mold me into who I am today as an artist.

Jenny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a practicing artist for more than two decades, creating hundreds of vibrant paintings in acrylic and tempera. What really excites me, however, is not the finished work but the process of creation itself. Making art is a portal to the beyond. In fact, creativity is a superpower that I believe everyone has access to, even when they say they don’t have a creative bone in their body. It’s an inherent human quality, whether it shows up in making art or starting a business or baking a cake or designing your wardrobe. No matter the application, the magic really is in the process.

As co-founder of Creative Nectar Studio, I’ve worked with individuals across the country to tap into their inner magic using basic art materials. I get to see firsthand the sparkle in someone’s eyes when a shift occurs — the very moment the contriving mind lets go and the spirit comes alive. This is why I wrote and published “Creative Flow”. It’s a hands-on inspirational guide for coming home to yourself and your innate creative power that provides a vocabulary and framework for this magic I’m talking about. I introduce and explore the 8 steps for accessing creative flow including the aforementioned “follow the thread”, and share simple practices for each step including reflection questions, mindfulness exercises, writing prompts and activities.

There are many other authors who write about creativity and the creative process, from Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” to Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act”. What makes my book different is that it’s a juicy, full color manifesto written in the voice of an encouraging friend who cares deeply and wants to see you thrive. Readers tell me they’re inspired just by opening it up.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Early in my artistic career, I thought being successful meant getting discovered and amplified by the gatekeepers of the field, meaning the gallerists, art critics, etc. I spent so much time trying to find the right gallery to represent me before I realized that my direct connections with others is what most often sold art. And once it came time to write my book, my belief that I needed to win a literary agent and sign with a big publisher was causing a delay and could have tied it up for years. What I learned, though, is that you don’t have to wait. I moved forward with confidence and the knowledge and experience I already had (and learned whatever steps i needed to know as i went along.) Now my book is out there changing lives instead of sitting patiently on my hard drive waiting for “someday”. There are so many tools available to artists, authors, musicians and entrepreneurs today that it’s not always necessary to wait until you’re “discovered.” Just do what you’re here to do, and do it your way.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

First of all, I don’t believe in the concept of creative vs non-creative people. We all have a creative flow of life force energy within us, it’s just a matter of whether or not we’re expressing it. Many people think you have to be trained as an artist or get a good grade from your third grade art teacher in order to be creative (Absolutely NOT!) But what they don’t understand is that tapping their creativity can literally save their life. Why else would someone choose one of the hardest professions to make a living? I used painting and writing to heal from an eating disorder. Many people engage in knitting or journaling or gardening or karaoke singing to relieve anxiety. Creativity is life. Once we really get that, I think we’ll see a lot less illness and loneliness and dissatisfaction.

There has never been a better time to reclaim your creativity than right now. It’s never too late. You only have to believe in yourself and stay curious. No matter how disconnected you might feel from your creative flow, reconnection is just a brushstroke away. If you’re ready to dip your toes in (plus have your own encouraging cheerleader right there with you every step of the way) I encourage you to check out my book, available at the links below. And may your creativity flow!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jennyhahn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyhahnart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennyhahnart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyhahn/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jennyhahnart
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jennyhahnart
• Other: Purchase the book here: http://www.creativeflowbook.com