We recently connected with Sharon Burton and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sharon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

When I was a teenager and full of passion and artistic potential as a visual artist, I wanted to go to art school after graduation. This was the mid-80s and although some people were pursuing a career in the arts, many of us “Gen Xers” were encourage to pursue what many of our parents considered “stable” and financially rewarding careers. So my father, who recognized my artistic talents, was well-meaning, but basically said that if he was going to contribute to my higher education, a degree in visual arts was not it. I recall him saying something like, I could always pursue my art stuff later.

I ended up getting a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration followed by a Master of Public Administration and worked primarily in the public and non-profit sector which has been rewarding and allowed me to make a decent living. However, the art thing started with little nudges right after getting my graduate degree when I would ride past the art college where I lived on my way somewhere. I kept ignoring it but it wouldn’t go away. I talked myself out of pursuing studio art classes due to feeling I was “too old” to be in a classroom with younger people and that I only was an artists in my mind…that I really wasn’t an artist…I haven’t created in years and other not so empowering thoughts. But, I did decide to immerse myself in the visual arts scene…training to be a docent for a large art festival. I found myself attending panel discussion and art lectures and became more enamored with artists…their inspirations and how they worked.

After I moved for another job, I immersed myself in the art scene…but as a curator and advisor on the side. After working with artists for a few years, I kept hearing in my head that I need to create…that yes I am artist and have something to say. So, in my late 30s, got the nerve to take studio classes in drawing, mixed media, etc. and found adults of all ages were pursuing their creative passions like me.

It took me a while to actually show my work. A friend and art colleague who was co-curating an exhibition with me was the person who helped encourage me to put my own work into the show after a lot of hesitation. I received some great feedback from the artists in show which encouraged me to create more work and actually submit to local art exhibitions. It’s been over 18 years since that initial show and I have been showing my work in Juried and non-juried shows ever since.

I don’t think I would have been as dedicated as a younger person. I don’t think art school would have been good for me…the stories from my artist friends have convinced me that it wasn’t for me. I also think I have more depth in my subject matter and what I want to convey as someone who has had significant life experience.

This was the reason I wrote my book, “Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration for Creativity at Midlife” to help others move forward with their creative passions. It’s never to late to be creative.

Sharon, 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?

The first answer gets to how I got to be involved with the visual arts. I started blogging about the local arts scene as part of my curating practice in the late 2000s. I started getting a following and partnered with galleries, art centers, curators, etc. to curate art shows and events with emerging artists. My own creative practice began to flourish as well.

The art market can be glamorous but it is tough…and in the area I live there were not a plethora of art collectors who were serious about collecting (especially in my peer group). The people who were had already been scoped out by other art advisors and galleries so the competition was tough. Many of the art professionals I either knew or worked with were also not often very kind, supportive or ethical and I got burned a bit being naivee to many situations. It’s also a field where discretion is a must and being very outspoken at the time didn’t help me, lol! There were many people that you had to keep happy. for referrals, gallery owners, art historians, art curators, museum curators.. Being introverted, empathetic and more focused on the beauty of art and the artist’s stories behind it instead of the money aspect made me feel like a fish out of water.,especially at prominent arts fairs. When a prominent member of the art community that I served on the board of a prominent arts organization she co-founded kept purposely mispronouncing my name and “forgetting” what I did as an art professional when I was introduced publicly, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After 10 years as a curator and art advisor, I was done.

After a health episode, I had to take a look at what I was doing, who I was doing it with and what made me happy. I found myself enjoying being around artists more than anyone in the art community. I also had looked at becoming a creativity Coach off and on through the years, and since I like working with artists directly, I started to look into it. My own story as an emerging artist was the basis of how I connected to others who wanted to pursue a creative career…whether it was the visual arts, music or writing. I felt my talents and personality best fit that role in the arts community. And in 2019, I received my creativity coaching certification and have not looked back since.

I didn’t want to be a coach that was about how creatives can make more money or connect with the art world. Although my experience has assisted people with the latter, my focus is to help people move from “I can’t do (fill in the blank)” to “yes, I am (fill in the blank).” I wanted to build a practice that reflected my values…and that included mindfulness and wellness. I received a certification as a Yoga Nidra and meditation guide, because part of the process of becoming unblocked and confident as a creative is to settle the mind. I approach my practice with an open heart and I try to reach people where they are at. Establishing a bond with artists and creatives is the only and most important relationship to me. And I take that very seriously.

I have worked with artists and creatives from across the country, in person and virtually. I have been asked to and have presented at national workshops and conferences from Florida to California. I became an Amazon best-selling author and a teacher artist at local arts organizations. I have worked with creative people outside the visual art world and expanded my understanding of the creative community. I have helped to inspire people to move past their comfort zones to pursue their passions. I am most proud to see those creatives who have moved past feelings of imposter syndrome to become fully confident in their talents and abilities.

Now, as the world has changed rapidly, I see my role more to continue to keep creative people inspired and motivated to do their work, and but to help others find calm in leaning into their self expression for connection and well-being.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think resilience, as an artist, entrepreneur, person in this society is about your “why”. I begin most of my coaching sessions with creatives on this one topic. The question is “why” are you pursuing your art, music, writing, etc.? We drill down with that question to make sure we both know what ‘s really driving the passion.

When you understand your “why”…it makes it harder to give up on something. When my “why” was not aligning with what I was doing as an art advisor and curator, I pivoted. Yes, I released myself from that pursuit, but I found another way to reach my passions based on my “why”.

The “why” keeps you from spending money you don’t need to spend, exploring “shiny objects” or in many cases, dealing with disappointment and rejection. The “why” is your North Star and when you feel you cannot move forward again or take a few hits, it reminds you why you are in the game to begin with.

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

I think society can provide opportunities for artists and creatives to work in affordable spaces and interact with the community. Artists, writers and other creatives have residencies, but what about a business, school, or other organization providing a residency as well to help connect people who wouldn’t have the opportunity to interact with a creative person? I believe so many young people as well as the elderly in disadvantaged situations can benefit and become inspired from being around creative people that work and live in their neighborhoods.

I also think that society can benefit creatives by re-thinking what it means to be patrons. Yes, by all means, go and support the local independent musicians at their concerts, buy the local artist’s painting, attend the poetry event and buy the author’s book. But expand it to include promoting these artists and creatives to others in their communities…talk them up on social media or while at the cocktail party. Send notes, donations, flowers, etc. to encourage them, especially people like independent musicians who may not work as much during the winter time, their off season. If there are young people in your life or people who want to pursue a creative passion, connect them with these artists and creatives for informal interviews or a shadow an artist/author/creative day.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://sparkyourcreative.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/sparkyourcreative
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SparkYourCreative/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sparkyourcreative/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sparkyourcreativecoaching6582
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/sparkyourcreativepodcast

Image Credits

Aaron Davis
Mina Habibi