We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Ikerd recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
Learning the crafts has been an ongoing process. When I began studying music when I was a kid I had a natural aptitude, but I also worked hard and definitely love music. That also later turned into composition, performance, and on into branching into different forms of visual art and mixed media. From there, the design element branched into invention and eventually engineering, with me furthering my education significantly most recently. There is always so much more to learn when it comes to arts and design, or continuing to learn about construction and science, and especially when it comes to entrepreneurship! I still have more to learn and apply when it comes to prototyping, and scaling my new designs. I am definitely learning as I go, and what I have realized is that is normal. In order to keep growing, you have to keep learning and re-strategizing, and try to remain flexible mentally.
Sarah, 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?
Studio Shangri-La started out as a small physical small gallery space, and also a music practice and recording studio, and it has become a multimedia production company. The projects and services range from large mixed media paintings, to digital installation to the independent music label, and most recently to design & invention, specifically prototyping hardware. The range is from the practical and imaginative immediate output of the artwork, to the more passionate moonshot projects, like making a process for a trashcan that can break down plastics into water. That is just one and the flagship ambitious designs to be realized, in the interest of sustainability, and making a mark, making the world a better place.
I’m inspired by science-fiction, and those lofty ideals, such as from Star Trek, in which humans have figured out how to harmonize technology and nature, and live more sustainably and prosperously. The most recent evolution of the studio I find to be the really inspiring, in incorporating continuing education in the sciences, as well as innovative design. As products are concerned, there is a lot of artwork for sale online, as well as music. And the music has a variety of styles to it, because I greatly value different modes of expression and different moods. The artwork tends to focus on biosynergy, the harmonizing of nature and technology, philosophy, beauty and appreciation of the grand design. The aesthetic is very bright and modern, sometimes pop art, then at times peacefully minimal, and other times ornate. I enjoy experimentation.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Creativity in general can be harnessed in any profession, and should not be downplayed in society. Everyone can enjoy and appreciate art at some level. It’s truly valuable so people making the arts and different mediums should be justly and generously compensated and credited.
Creative qualities abound in nature, and everywhere there is some kind of design or problem-solving. The practice of the pure arts or applied arts are indicative of humanity and civilization, enrich any culture. Funding for the arts is important, and it’s also important for the arts as work to be well compensated, so that one doesn’t have to necessarily scramble for grants. The compensation should be automatic, like it is for any other type of work.
Freedom of expression and respect are also important. Healthy self expression is very important through the arts, and for the public health of society. A more free thinking society is important for the evolution of humanity.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Certainly everyone has some lessons to unpack. For me, I had to relearn to not get discouraged and give up too easily, to stick with my beliefs and ideas, and to keep on building. Sometimes results are slow to accumulate, and other times they move faster, or show up in ways differently than what you initially expect. It’s really important to be present and grateful in the process of making, in order to access that fulfillment with what you’re doing. Yes, it’s great to be goal oriented because you accomplish more, yet it’s even more important to be process oriented to enable more growth, learning and enjoyment.
I have had to believe in my goals and see their worth to me. And also to honor them with being open to strategy in my creative approaches. My experiences at MIT, from classes and programming has greatly benefited me there. At a recent event, I heard from a startup founder, whose company has come a long way, but said there is still a lot to figure out, and that it is definitely a learning journey as you go out and just do.
Another thing I have learned and learned is that you can’t or shouldn’t necessarily expect people to understand your vision. You have to follow through on it yourself, and basically ignore any kind of discouraging or doubtful comments that you might hear because those are very subjective to one’s own experience.
Rejections can also be learning experiences, or guideposts, even stepping stones and exposure. People have differing visions of course, and it’s to stay committed to what’s authentically yours, with the realization that it can evolve. It’s also great to be supportive of other people’s dreams, to be that person who is encouraging, and who says that others can do it. There’s really nothing to gain otherwise. And anybody can tap into the great field of creative intelligence and awareness in which we live – that’s another fascinating story.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studio-shangri-la.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.ikerd
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ikerd
Image Credits
A combination of different works from the portfolio
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