We recently connected with Tawnylawns and have shared our conversation below.
Tawnylawns, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My formal training is in music, but I’ve always had a desire to work with my hands. So when my bandmate and I decided to take a year off to build the set for our miniature marionette video “Oh You Two,” it felt like a big risk. Looking back, it was just what we needed, as we wound up spending hours on end building tiny set pieces while active-listening to our favorite albums and soundtracks. It’s easy to encounter plateaus in your practice, so switching genres was a great way to develop new skills in art department while allowing our musical minds to percolate.
Not only did I finish this project knowing so much more about set-building and film, but I also had a ton of new production ideas I wanted to try in the studio. I think I will always alternate between fields moving forward as a necessary part of my practice.
https://www.videostatic.com/watch-it/2018/09/05/kodachrome-oh-you-two-kodachrome-dir
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 Elissa (aka tawnylawns) and I am a musician, video artist, and entrepreneur located in Austin TX. I am a co-founder of the experimental Brooklyn-based label FOIL, and one half of the electronic duo Kodacrome, who have been featured by the likes of BBC, KCRW, Vice, MoMA PS1’s Cocktower Radio, and the soundtrack for Marvel’s Runaways. In addition to always making space for my creative practice, I am also the founder of a talent booking agency that aligns fellow artists with work in the world of luxury events so we can all support our passion projects without having to be glued to a job full-time.
Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to have been awarded grants from the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity (CAN), the Mudhouse, Crete (GR), and the Mauser Eco Foundation, where I’ve made space to develop my practice. I’m proud of the fact that I have taken risks and experimented with mixed media outside of my formal training, which has allowed me to maintain a sense of curiosity and beginner’s mind around my work.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I see so many talented creatives devalue their own artistry because they aren’t able to spin their gifts into a full-time living. Looking back, I thought that was the only path too, but soon came to realize that the more I tried to create an “industry” around my creative process, the less authentic it became. So for me, unlearning that mentality, and de-commodifying my artist practice has allowed me to create a portfolio I am really proud of, and one that has pushed me to learn and grow.
It was a painful extraction, but once I understood the reality of the game, and how much ego (and cash) it takes to cut through the noise, it was a relief to finally let go and not judge myself through that lens.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
When you are committed to a creative practice, especially when you’re consistently in flow, you see the world in a different way. Every walk through urban decay becomes a pantone swatch, or every high-friction interaction becomes a sub-plot in your next story. It allows you to exist on a different plane of consciousness and see that we are all in this together, and truly feel the interconnectivity of all things and beings. When you look at life this way, it makes you a magical human!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kodacrome.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/its.tawnylawns
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kodacrome
- Twitter: @k0dacr0me
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/k0dacr0me
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VoF9wfrVHw