We were lucky to catch up with Nich Mueller recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nich thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I was sitting on a marble bench in front of one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world with an Art Teacher, a Psychotherapist, and a Translator. The topic was that of an ancient sculpture park in central Italy that had eroded to some extent over the last 500 years– the story of this sculpture park is all wrapped in a bit of mystery. Either the owner of the big house on top of the hill (Orsini) had paid artists of that time to build what is now known as “Sacro Bosco” as a gift to his love; or according to the Art Teacher, was intended solely to impress its guests, much-aligned with alchemy, to provide those who enter with such a wonder that they experience visions. I wonder what that means.

They are the Gardens of Bomarzo, colloquially called Park of Monsters, and we were there earlier that day. It is a maze with fantastic, symbolic, and thought-provoking sceneries. It makes you think, how much inspiration this work of art has trickled out over the many thousands of years… No wonder it has inspired great art like Salvador Dali and the 1999 film version of Alice in Wonderland. Among others.

The Psychotherapist was adding to the conversation. Yes, artists and scientists during these medieval times worked in alchemy; exploring science, art, sculpture, music, and dance not because they were doing it to be paid, but rather to seek some contribution to the world that they would smile back upon in the afterlife. What you discover here, could inspire those that follow and take place in any part of the Circle of Knowledge, as the human race swiftly drifts by throughout the galaxy.

The only reason I could understand any bit of this was because of the Translator, which I am so grateful for. The following was so beautiful to me:

As I sit there in front of Il Duomo di Orvieto, I am thinking… that is exactly how I feel about my connection to what I create. I make songs, not because it’s a job or not-a-job. Not because I am trying to gain some extra money or fame. I take time to be creative because it is my own artistic journey– one that I’ve embraced for a long time, and don’t intend to stop. A journey for myself to explore many things: what spirituality means to me, how I see the world, what’s happening in the world, things I want to say. Or not say.

Create to find yourself, then see how it may affect others. This is my creativity.

If I devote time to continue this creative journey. I am happy. This is my art.

I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge that, I think artists and creatives are not paid enough and well supported in today’s age. I don’t have any issues with my friends, professional musicians, who work as a freelancer and create derivative art to pay the bills. I get it. I play in the wedding band… Really talented artists and performers struggle out there to receive fair pay for what we could be providing back to the world.

The more we support the arts, the more we all thrive.

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

My name is Nich. I am a songwriter. Many interests come and go, but one that’s alway been there for me was writing songs.

I really like piecing things together… Writing songs happens to be my preferred way of piecing things together and expressing myself to the world.

There are many ways to do that. I spent years leading a free jazz band at a local brooklyn bar; we usually played a well-known movie via projector on the brick wall behind us, with a white sheet, no-sound, so that we could improvise music as live soundtrack to the film. Playing with that kind of freedom was fun. I’d like my songs to sound like that, sometimes.

Another way you’ll find me expressing myself is through photography. I’ve always had a camera, even as a kid, and looking through the lens– literally shaping the world around me into a frame, is something I have practiced both with my lyrics and the actual photos I take. And even though I have a digital Canon DSLR camera to use, I always prefer to snap one with my polaroid.

I spent years getting deep into understanding harmony and how my voice worked. I sang tenor in the vocal jazz quartet, Four Corners, and we released our self-titled album in 2013. As well, I’ve honed my piano playing, and spent thousands of hours feeling rhythms, making melodies, and experimenting with harmony on my piano. So when I am home, I like to spend some time during the day improvising, whistling, singing, playing the piano, writing words. And the editing process that happens in my brain throughout all of this, is my songwriting practice.

That is just the beginning of writing a good song. Then you have to perform it, rehearse it, record it, release it. There’s a lot of steps nowadays. I enjoy the “writing a good song” part most, and everything else is sugar on the cake.

When I write songs and perform them with the band, I feel the mood shift in the room– the guitarist in the band says my songs make people think. Perhaps because those are the sounds that I want to hear. Songs that make you think, wonder, smile, and frown. What songs might accompany the world, as we see it now. My band Culture in Flames is my opportunity to write the songs I want to hear in the world, and explore what comes of this process.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Financial support is the primary thing, but only because that’s the world we live in. I have spoken to my friends about this as “The Money Crisis”. And not on a small scale. I mean a global redefining of the socio-economic value of art in our modern world. How we achieve that, I’m afraid, is a question much larger than I can answer on my own.

But we can start by addressing existing conventions that artists and creatives receive financial support. Increase in artists, musicians and dancers pay every year as inflation increases (I’ve spoken with many friends in the artist community that say what they receive now, per average on a gig, is the same or less pay than it was 10 years ago). Support arts organizations that employ artists. Start going to more live shows with live musicians. Diversify your interests– educate yourself on a wide variety of subjects. Stand up for teachers and immigrants. Collaborate with others and find your creative community.

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

Many times over, I’ve had to unlearn my own pre-determined definitions of success. This happens over and over again with most professional things in life. Opportunity for success can change quickly. Surprises happen. You receive a different perspective of the world that makes you stop and go about things in a different way than you expected at the start.

I acknowledge that I grew up white and privileged; enough to have a piano to play since the age of 8. And fortunate enough to have taken piano lessons with Frida. She always wanted to teach me by the book, which worked well enough, but when I practiced at home, most of my time went into coming up with my own creations on the keys.

I grew up believing that I could be as successful as I want to be as a musician, as long as I work hard enough. And so, as a young professional, I often went into situations expecting that they would work out for me. And I would be surprised when things got difficult. I know now that this is a very privileged way to look at the world.

Then I moved to New York. And you get a different view of the world in NYC, one way or another. Your pre-determined definitions of success are constantly challenged here… You see so many different types of people and situations living in Brooklyn. I realized I have so much to learn from the world, and from others. I had to unlearn my white privilege.

Not to mention, thousands of other brilliant musicians and creatives on the scene… so I like to stay focused on listening, and being open to others– this helps to foster opportunity, and community, which can lead to something one might consider success.

But being open to others is only the beginning, some opportunity for success can only come from taking some action to connect or give back. And so my definitions of success are not as rigid as they were years ago. I know things change, and my songs will keep changing with the world around me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nichmueller.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichmmmtunes/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfi4pdCmvQ4Cg9D__8gIkg
• Other: Latest Music Video, “Happiness Machines” from DOT DOT: https://youtu.be/JRm-4kmoPzI The Dotted Line – full-length album coming soon.

Image Credits
Painting by Caroline Hahn: https://www.hahnstudio.art/ Photos by Stratøs: https://stratostones.com/kalamazoo-artifacts Polaroids by Nich Mueller Sheet Music by J.S. Bach