We were lucky to catch up with Marissa Lamar recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Marissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
In 2024 I had spent most of the year vacillating between continuing to pursue my artistic endeavors or to just give up, give in, throw in the towel. The last few years had brought many changes to my life and I just couldn’t manage to keep up with anything. I had also fallen into a trap of just never feeling like I was enough. I got too wrapped into numbers and metrics, and forgot what it meant to just create for the sake of creating.
So, I spent a year making things. Not expecting any outcome, just making them. I am a mom of 2 young girls and time to create can feel impossible in this phase of my life, but I insisted and carved out moments for myself to do it.
In all this I got contacted by a producer and friend from Freda Recording (Nick Bullock) and asked if I wanted to come make a record.
I didn’t have the time, I didn’t have the funds, I didn’t have the songs done. Regardless, I said yes.
Fast forward to December, having a 3 year old and a nursing an infant, I drove 3 hours a day to the (beautiful) new studio. It made no sense but it was a creative act of rebellion and it was worth it. I created something beyond what I expected by far. I rejuvenated my love for making art for the sake of it and nothing else.
In the last year I also dove into writing a poetry book and just finished the first draft. I am incredibly proud of all this work and elated to share it with anyone who needs it.
I guess my point is, creating is always worth it, it’s an act of love and resistance to the world’s apathies and pressures.
Even when it makes no sense, go make something. :)
Marissa , 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?
I am a musician and writer, as well as a mom of 2 girls. I started making music in my late 20s after almost dying from Lyme Disease complications. Ever since this I have been addicted to creating and making as much art as I can.
I have released over 45 songs under my band “Highland Kites” and just recently started a solo project “Mar Lamar” with new music coming soon. I also just finished writing my first poetry book.
My band and I toured the US 6 times and did over 100 shows.
I love inspiring others to create.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think just the insistence on creating, despite what’s going on. You have to carve out time for yourself, knowing how important it is. Realizing that the world was not make to give me time to make things and I had to insist on it has changed how much I am able to do. It never “makes sense” as an adult with responsibilities to go take time to create a piece of art. But we need it, the world needs it, it matters!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The art itself is the reward! I do love when someone reaches out saying that the art helped them, that gives me so much joy and motivation to continue, but, I had to learn that even when you don’t get told your art is good, or that it’s helping, you have to do it anyway. Once I started pouring all my focus into the art itself and being proud of the art itself regardless of outcome, my joy came back. I think watching my kids make art, and seeing how they are just happy to make it, and proud of it because of what it is, really helped me change my perspective on things. I realized I had to find that kid again within me, and did that by just making things “just because”.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @marlamarrr
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/marissa-highlandkites-1
- Other: @marlamarsart on TikTok :)
Image Credits
One of the photos by Mallory Quinn and one by Diana Mantis, others are self portraits