E52 - Keep creativity thriving by focusing on your wellbeing. With Guest: Licensed Artist, Patty Iba
The Create-Today Home Page:
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Beth: Welcome back my friends to another episode of create today with Beth Buffington. Today, I am bringing in another one of my fabulous creative guests.
to talk to you about creativity and how they do it. I have today, Patty Iba. She's an amazing illustrator, and I have had the good fortune of having her as part of the Create Today community. She's here today to tell you about how she does her art. Why she does her art and how she keeps her art healthy.
So Patty, I am so delighted to have you here on the podcast today to talk about creativity and, how you see creativity through your beautiful eyes. So come in and introduce yourself and tell us who you are, where you are and what you've been doing with your creativity
Patty: thank you so much, Beth, for having me on your [00:01:00] podcast. I'm very honored. I came from a very creative family. I am the youngest of seven. so I have. four engineer brothers and two sisters that are teachers.
And my mom was a prolific maker and my dad was an engineer entrepreneur. So I think it's in the genes. I grew up. in the country. So I, was making all the time, just out in nature, making things and ended up, of course, loving art through school and discovered in high school that putting pictures and words together is called graphic design.
And that was really exciting for me because Although I loved art, I didn't know what I was supposed to do with art. So graphic design sounded like, Oh, you can make money doing that. So that's what I decided. That was my career, [00:02:00] graphic design. And I went into that and I loved it for a long time. And then after a while, that kind of ended and I picked up a paintbrush again and did my art and discovered that I, really, really liked creating art just for me.
And now I put that art out into the world and in front of companies and do art licensing. So my art goes on products such as. gifts or books or plushies or home decor. And that's where I'm at now. I recently signed with an agent to do the business side of the art, because that's a big part of it.
I love doing the art part and figured out that the business part was. for somebody to do. So
Beth: that's where I'm at now. Great. we have some similarities. Not with like the how large our family is because I, I came from a [00:03:00] fairly small family. I just have one brother, but lots of engineers in my family and my mom was a teacher.
And I, see that so many of the engineers I know, they have this Amazing creative streak in them. my dad has done woodworking And my mom has been a prolific quilter
it just was never unusual to have some strange little creative project happening in the family.
Patty: cool. Very similar to my family where, yeah, I mean, to be an engineer, you have to be very creative because they're problem solving and you're always being, you're using your creativity to Problem solver.
I think so.
I love following genetics and how my genes, of course, my two sons, one's an engineer.
And the other one is an artist or jewelry designer. So, it always just filters through, it's in our genes. it's part of us.
Beth: I'm not surprised. Yeah, it's a super fun thing to watch. So, tell me, and for the, [00:04:00] for all the listeners that are out here it's I always like to let people know just, you know, how did you find create today. And what made you decide that this was something that you thought might be helpful for your creativity?
Patty: Well, let's see. I think I met you at Art Biz Jam. Art Biz Jam. Yes. It is a great community or group of artists that get together and talk about the art business. Mm-hmm . Related to art licensing. And you were thinking about teaching procreate because you had, taught others at least online.
That was right after, right During the pandemic, I think. Yes.
Beth: Yeah. And it was, but
Patty: yeah, and I had my iPad and. bought it specifically to learn Procreate and I had Procreate, but I still hadn't put the two together yet. And so that was just perfect timing for you to say, who wants to learn how to use Procreate?
So I raised my hand. I think I was [00:05:00] one of the first people in your Procreate classes which was awesome because that just leveled up. My illustration abilities procreates just so easy to use
Beth: What I love about procreate every single student that has taken it. They, learn by watching me do art on procreate, but that's not what's important, not learning how to draw like I draw, but learning how you can draw what you draw.
that is my biggest thing is learn how to make your art with procreate. Not just follow my tutorials,
And your artwork is extremely unique. And it's been great fun to watch how you've been adding Procreate to what you do.
Patty: yeah, it's so much fun because, I didn't want to give up my, watercolor brush and my paints, cause I still love doing that.
But I also know how to use the computer and how to use my tablet and, I know how to do digital art as well from my graphic design experience. So. I'm loving the journey of putting the two [00:06:00] together. Where I do my watercolor art and then I put that into Procreate and I layer it with, more digital art.
And so I want to try to keep both of them together and both of them are playing happily together. And it's a journey, that's, it's a lot of experimentation though, but it seems to be working. Yeah,
Beth: that is one of the glories of procreate is there, there's no rules. Yeah. if it works for you, then that was a successful technique and you don't have to stop drawing or stop painting.
you can figure out what you're going to do and not do. With procreate and with your traditional art. but it's also a super easy way to give those digital files to your clients who that's what they need.
Procreate is just so easy because you can do this non destructive art that allows you to make changes so fast. so fun. Yes. So
Patty: thank you for my procreate lesson.
Beth: Oh, you're welcome. Because [00:07:00] you
Patty: taught such great. Procreate lessons. I thought, well, Beth, she's a good one to keep in touch with because, you're just really good at helping people strengthen their skills and, helping people with their confidence too.
So I, enjoyed keeping in touch with you. you offered some workshops and classes or your Create Today groups, And then a membership. So I went ahead and did that too. And that just keeps us in touch when you have wonderful speakers that come on, and it keeps me going in the right direction.
And it keeps me interacting with other like minded artists. And people and I learned so much and it just keeps me on that road on the right road.
Beth: Well, one of the things I have seen just with myself is that my artwork gets stronger and goes farther.
And I feel more confident about what [00:08:00] I'm doing when I have the chance to meet other people in the industry The more creative I can meet and get to know and make friends with the happier I am with my creativity.
And so having an online community where we can have creatives come together and get to know each other and learn from each other is invaluable. Yes. Yes,
Patty: it is. It's very very helpful to just keep in touch with each other. And, it's not competitive at all either. it's very everybody's cheering each other on and supporting each other and inspiring each other, it's.
It's nice to have that community of artists I also have another group that I'm close with and we're just friends and we just keep each other accountable
Beth: So thinking about your creativity when and how did you discover That your passion for creativity was more than just graphic design more than just doing [00:09:00] something for someone else.
I know I used to always say with my graphic design that they didn't really want my head. They just wanted to take my wrist. And have me do a layout for them.
So how did you find out that your passion wasn't strictly graphic design? And then
Patty: as you know, and as a previous graphic designer, like you just saidyou're being creative for these companies or these businesses.
And I, did that for a long time, 20 years or so. And I got to a point where, A few things happened and I was depressed. There were some losses in my family and just working was just, it just got really boring and just really technical. And I couldn't figure out what was wrong for a while.
But I knew something inside of me was, it just wasn't right. And so what I ended up doing was I picked up a [00:10:00] paintbrush And all this time as a graphic designer, you're mostly sitting at a computer. So I really was sick of the computer and I, so I picked up a paintbrush and I just started to paint and I took some painting classes and then something deep inside just kind of bubbled up and came out.
And it was just so much fun to create something that I wanted to create. for myself and it wasn't for any company, it wasn't for a business, it wasn't to follow a project and it just took off from there. I just painted whatever I wanted and whatever I felt like and I found a new passion andit gave me a realization that all this time that I thought I was being creative for other companies, I was being creative, but just for them, I was just figuring out, answers for their problems.
And it wasn't anything, even if I tried to make [00:11:00] it nice looking, of course, they'd say, no, that needs more white space or no change that font.
Beth: know, or there's too much white space. Oh, yeah. that's
Patty: what I meant. It was opposite.
Yeah. No, that's too much white space. Fill it with this with all this stuff.
Beth: Can we put another logo there? Yeah. Oh, stop it. That
Patty: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So of course you do it because well, that's what they want, But yeah, it gets pretty stifling. So, yeah. And once I started creating pictures and illustrations for myself, which I've, I also realized, oh, that was the fun part that I liked about graphic design was whenever I had to make a little drawing or something, a little graphic on the side, that's the best part.
Oh, aha. That's what I really like to do. So that's how I. I basically found my passion came from that. now that's all I do is art for me is what I say, [00:12:00] not for anybody else. And hopefully other people will like it.
Beth: And what you find as a licensed artist is that you when you do your own work, there are other people out there that look at your work and say, I need that
And
Beth: it is important for you then to know that there are people out there needing what your brain is bubbling out with. It's like good on you for realizing you had something to share that was more than what kind of magazine advertisement can I do for you today? And this was, this was where you needed to go and serve.
Patty: Yeah, I really try to focus on the process and if I feel good about what I'm making, then usually it's more successful as a piece of art that I'm putting out in front of somebody else.
Patty: So I don't, I really try not to worry about the end [00:13:00] product or, how it's going to look or what it's going to be on.
I just try to create. What I want to create and do it for fun.
Beth: So. Let me ask you what, as, a creative who is making your own art talk to me about some creative rituals that you have that, keep you focused and then tell us a little bit about how are you getting yourself.
ready so that you're strong enough to create the art that you need to emit?
Patty: So for my creativity to, to flourish and come out, I guess, I really have to just clear my brain and I, I basically try to keep myself as physically healthy and mentally healthy as possible. And that seems to help my brain and help my creativity come out.
first of all, I like to get a lot of sleep, physically and mentally that's [00:14:00] good. Good for my body. And, luckily I love to sleep. when I was a little kid, my brothers would get mad at me because I wasn't waking up and that Christmas morning, so I'm the one who liked to sleep.
But even now I wake up. pretty slow and I do, I stretch, I do some, a little bit of yoga and stretching just to wake my body up. And then for my mind, I go outside on my patio when it's nice because I live in Southern California. So it's usually pretty nice. And I have a either healthy smoothie with me or oatmeal, something like that.
And I sit outside and I, I say hello to the day. I look at the big blue sky and I listened to the birds and I look at all the colorful flowers and I just. I'm in the moment, I'm in the present, and I'm just thankful for that day, and for the clean air that I'm [00:15:00] breathing, and, it sounds a little silly, but that's just the way I do it.
Everybody does it differently, but that's the way I clear my head, and I start my day, and it sets me up just for that day. Whatever is going to come. So I really just erase my brain and in the moment and I'm thankful for whatever I have. so that helps my mind. I think another way. I also just clear my head is I go to the gym or I exercise a lot.
Whether that's a nice long walk or my favorite is just to go to the gym and do some like jazzercise or body pump and for that hour, I'm working physically on keeping my body healthy, but my mind is also just shut off. It's just listening to the teacher and figuring out what I need to do and trying to stay coordinated.
So [00:16:00] I'm not thinking about, work or anything, bills I need to pay, whatever. I just erased my brain again. I think what that does, at least for me it, it clears space in my head for those creative thoughts to swirl around and grow and figure things out. And so when I do need my creativity, then, my brain's not cluttered with any negative thoughts or anything that distract me I'm just in my own little world, but hey, it works for me.
Beth: that's all such good advice to share, Patty. And for people that are listening to the Create Today podcast the thing I say over and over is that creativity is as important as. getting good sleep and having good nutrition and getting exercise.
And they all fuel each other too. [00:17:00] if you are eating well, you have more energy so that you can exercise. And if you're exercising, that's going to help you sleep because you've actually depleted your energy for the day. And then your body's ready to rest.
Yeah. And because you're doing all of those things, it allows your head. to clear And then when it is time to be creative, you are energized, you're well rested, And then creativity flows smoother.
And I think you just said that so well, that those things all work so importantly together.
Patty: Yeah. Yeah. it's a balance of all of those,
I've really just concentrated on my mindset and staying healthy for a long time. it's, it doesn't happen overnight, but, but the more I practice. the better I get, the better I feel and the [00:18:00] more creative I've been. And this is the most creative I've been, in my whole life.
And it's just getting more and more and more so. And I, I think I think you, because Your speakers that you have come on and just the words that you say, it's very helpful. And again, I think my creative community that I keep in touch with, it just keeps me going in the right direction.
Yes, we've, we have a lot of speakers that come in to talk to the create today membership about so many different things, not just like how to draw better, it's right. Lisa Murphy, who comes in to talk about a healthy aging. And she talks a lot about nutrition and exercise and getting good rest.
Beth: and those things are all very important to grow your creativity. And if you're someone that's thinking, I don't move very much or whoa, I could eat better. You don't think that overnight you can just flip that coin and suddenly be going to the gym five days a week.
Start slow, and make it something that you look [00:19:00] at and build up slowly. So introduce some better foods, maybe some more vegetables or some more fruits in your life. Maybe go start taking a walk every day. What little shifts can you make? And those little shifts are going to really make a big difference in how your creativity is going to blossom.
Just with little changes.
Patty: Oh, yeah. Yeah. I look at it as little steps. I think yeah, at least you're taking a step to, you know, it's better than no steps. Little steps are great.
Beth: My husband is an athlete, and he constantly talks about that. If you, if you think you're going to suddenly, put on some tennis shoes and go run a marathon, you're sadly mistaken.
And his phrase is ramp it up slowly. And it's the same thing with getting your creativity. If you're feeling a little bit blocked, take a look at all the different [00:20:00] pieces of your life that Patty's just talked about and see what maybe you could do to get a little more sleep or to get a little more exercise or to eat just a little bit better, just a little bit, and then see how that's going to affect the blockage that you might have with your creativity.
You'll probably see some changes. faster than you thought you would. So I think
Getting balance is important. So do you have any tips that you can give someone about what you're doing to maintain that balance, Patty?
Patty: Well, you can't be creative and happy 24 hours a day. So, what I try to do, in the mornings, I find that that's when My head is most open and and free and has the best ideas so that's when I try to,if I'm not already working on a project that I need to get done, then I will [00:21:00] actually just sit down and grab.
A pencil or a paintbrush and. actually doodle or create some little flower or just whatever I feel like creating, or sometimes it's just a blob. And I like to mix up colors and see what the colors do. And mainly I do that again, to just kind of feed my creativity and create something from my imagination.
It's very intuitive. And it also, Keeps my hand in practice as far as if I don't touch my tools. In a long while, then the next time I pick them up, then it takes a little while to get warmed up.
Beth: Yeah. Working with your creativity is a lot like exercise.
if you're a really good runner, if you've not run for a week or two, and you go out and run a long ways, you're going to be super exhausted. And it's the same thing with your creativity. You'll sit down and think okay, today I'm just going to make this great masterpiece. Maybe not, you know, maybe [00:22:00] today you just need to do some doodlingThat kind of creative play often will lead to those great masterpieces. And it's that creative play that is strengthening the way you think and build your creativity.
Patty: Yeah. Yeah. So that's what I try to do every morning. it doesn't have to be a masterpiece. It's just something,
Beth:
Patty: And again, it's sometimes it's just a feeling, you know, I don't, I'm not worried about the end result. I don't, that's why it's just a blob. it's just a feeling. I just want to, feel the mushy paint on my paper and stuff like that. So once I get done with that, that again, that usually happens in the morning.
And then in the afternoons is when I actually sit at my computer and get. Just the more, what I call boring and mundane stuff done, clean up a file or clean up an illustration or maybe send out some emails [00:23:00] that I'll do in the afternoon.
Beth: And so I guess I'm kind of compartmentalizing. Knowing when your brain is strong in an area is important. Like if you're feeling most creative in the morning, that's not the time to pay bills. You are flagging in the afternoon and you have trouble even drawing a straight line. That's probably not the time to brainstorm new ideas Exactly. So you have to kind of know yourself and also there are lots of creatives who they can't be creative until they feel the crunch of a deadline. they have to almost create that sense of urgency, even if there isn't a deadline yet.
Knowing who you are and how you need to structure the way you do your creativity or when you do it, that's genius. stop and think about [00:24:00] that for yourself.when am I feeling creative? When do I need to be a little more techie or geeky But when do I need to just let my brain play with color? Right.
Patty: Yeah. or when I do turn my creativity off and I just need to do that routine stuff. What I found is helpful is to have a system or a process for that creative stuff. let's say for instance, I've developed a, group of work, a group of art, a collection, and it's beautiful, but it's a mess.
It's a hot mess. it's just everywhere. So I've figured out a system, a process where I know what to do with that mess and how to at least organize it and put it in a organized manner so that I can finally pitch it out and make it look good, which I have a template for, how it's supposed to [00:25:00] look.
And it doesn't take too much creativity. It's just a process in my system. And I just do that. again, when my brain's not in that creative mode, it's, if I have that system already set up, then it helps. It's more productive.
Beth: Yeah. Yeah. Big difference. So having that balance, it's really important. So let's talking about moving from creativity into something that actually becomes a project. Do you have a project that you want to talk about to just to let people know what you've been working on?
Patty: Yeah. I'm really excited about this project becauseso when I have a seed of an idea, I.
I try to grab hold of it, and I just hang on to it, and I try to run with it and play with it and Elizabeth Gilbert in her big magic book
She explains this really well, where you just have to hold on because it's fleeting. It's a fleeting idea. It might [00:26:00] go away, so I try to hold on to that idea. And after one of our Art Biz Jam conferences it happened to be at Dendeco. This was last year. I was very inspired by the artists that were there.
And Dendeco, they have a Lift your spirit or lift the spirit mentality, which I really like and lifting the spirit that involves a lot of emotions, when you give something to somebody you make them happy because they were sad or, anyways, lifting the spirit involves a lot of emotions.
had a seed of an idea after that conference. And it was actually even on the plane and I was trying to connect the dots. Well, emotions, are a big thing. my little grand niece, she's, super cute, but she's. Three. And she was having a big problem learning her emotions and dealing with her emotions because, like all of a sudden sad, why is she so sad?
And she didn't even know what sad meant, or why she was sad. [00:27:00] And then I was thinking of my youngest son, he wears his heart on his sleeve. I can always tell how he's feeling. And so I have emotions. swirling around in my head, and I was trying to figure out how do I find something that would help understand these emotions.
And my other son, I actually, I ended up asking him, what's an animal that has a lot of emotions? And he came up with an octopus. I said, oh, an octopus. And I just thought that was, a brilliant little animal. So I put emotions and the octopus together and emo, the little octopus with big emotions was born.
And so I ran with that idea and drew him up how I imagined him. And he wears [00:28:00] a little t shirt. With the different emotions on each sleeve so that you can turn up the little sleeve and it'll show what emotion he's feeling, whether it's happy or angry or sad or proud. Anyways I ended up pitching this idea to Demdeco and they loved it.
And so I'm just really happy that they're going to develop, or they have developed Emo. He will be out to the public in January. And he also comes with a little board book that I illustrated. And the board book introduces Emo and his emotions. And I think it's just a great product especially for right now where the emotional wellbeing of people is, forefront and mental awareness is big.
And, I think emo will be great for little kids as well as adults or anybody who just needs a little friend to [00:29:00] understand their emotions.
Beth: I love that so much.
This is such a timely product and What a wonderful way to illustrate that so gently and understandably to children.
And then to be able to share it with The people around the world that need this kind of little octopus in their world.
So the creativity that you took to get this thought of and then illustrated and then to pitch it, I just.
I'm so proud of you. It's so, exciting. I'm going to be in Atlanta in January and I want to come to Dumb Daco with you so you can show me your octopus because I'm pretty sure it's going to be in the showroom in January. Yes.
Patty: That's why I'm going is to, to see Emo and yeah, I'm really excited about him.
And, he came from, my heart and from all of, again, all of those little things that were in my head and yeah, to team up with them, Demdego was just a dream because they're [00:30:00] the exact right company to do Emo. So, yeah. We can't wait to see them in January,
Beth: so excited, for this project to come to fruition and then see where it goes next because I think it has good legs,
Patty: lots of legs,
Yeah. And again, and it was, the process that I just loved. And the imagination and the play, it had all the good magic,
Beth: all the good magic. I know that when you were talking to me about this, that when you thought of the idea that it was like you, couldn't draw and sketch and write about it quickly enough because it just flowed from you.
So you knew that this was something that needed. To see the light of day and needed to be shared with others. And I think that's the thing I love about all my creative friends is just watching the ideas they come up with, and then watching them get it ready [00:31:00] to get where it needs to go.
I love hearing about the stories and then watching the stories come to life. It is. It's so exciting. So I'm so excited for you
Patty: and honestly, I couldn't have done it with without knowing how to do procreate because it was all done on procreate so fast and I just, picked up this pencil and that pencil and that color.
So, yeah.
Beth: Well, and I'm sure that it was a very easy way for you to share your artwork with Demdeco because when you're working in procreate, your artwork is already digital. So it's an easy way to share it with clients and anyone that needs to see your art as you're pitching. So yay for procreate.
Patty: Yay. Yeah. It's a win for procreate
Beth: there. A huge win. So, with this wonderful story that you have to share, I mean, this is such a success story to, to go from, I have an iPad. I wonder what I could do with it. I mean, when I first talked to [00:32:00] you about procreate, I remember you saying, you know, oh yeah, I bought an iPad so I could learn procreate and I bought it months ago and I still haven't learned it yet.
And then going from that. To what you're doing now. I mean, seriously, it's only been when you pitched your project to Demdeco, maybe you've been working with procreate for a year or so ish. what I want you to do is for creatives out there who are thinking, I have ideas. I wonder how could I get my ideas out into the world?
What, what kind of advice do you have for creatives? And this could be if you're a creative who is wanting to do illustration, or it could be someone who is like, I have similar ideas, but mine is with music or mine is with fabrics or fiber. Like what, what's your advice to creatives?
Patty: I think the most important thing is staying healthy.
I mean, healthy in your [00:33:00] mind and your body. If you're hurting somewhere in your body, then your mind's. screaming, ouch. And, that's really all you think about. it's tougher to pull that out. So if Again, if my mind and my body are good, then I don't have anything to worry about.
I let my creativity flow. I know, hard, everybody's in a different position, but like you said, little steps, To help keep your mind happy and your body happy. I think that's probably the most important.
Next, I think would be to let yourself play. Again, it's freeing your mind, but if your mind is free, your brain can play and creativity can come and it kind of works both ways. We talked about, balance. Sometimes you just got to make something and then realize that, oh, that's, it is creative and that, helps.
Your [00:34:00] confidence, right? Yeah. Andit works both ways. You just got to give it a try. Just try something like when I picked up a paintbrush, I didn't know, I didn't know what to expect. Don't expect anything. don't expect a great masterpiece or anything. just play, exercise your creativity, I guess.
Beth: I think something else you said that is super important is. that when you have an idea to get it down, don't wait. Otherwise, all you have is you had a good idea, but now you don't remember what it is. So when you catch that idea, get it done in some form, if it's doing some sketches, or it's writing some notes to yourself, get that idea down so that you can get back to it when you can sit down and really Slash out what this is going to turn into because masterpieces start off as just a little flicker in [00:35:00] your head and you want to catch it and get it written down somewhere so that you can go in later and really develop it.
Yes. Right.
Patty: Yes. And hopefully your brain is clear enough where that idea can grow and swirl around in your head and catch on to other things and, it just keeps growing and gets bigger and bigger and better and better.
Beth: Yeah. Cause your idea for emo happened on the plane ride home?
Patty: Yeah. Yeah. That's when it started. That's when yeah, I knew I wanted to do something about emotions. And again, I was thinking about my niece. I was thinking about my son. I just needed, I needed that some special little animal to help me. But that's, that all started on the plane ride home from Art Biz Jam.
And and then it only took me, I think, two or three, three days to. Pull it all together. And then I pitched it to them. They go the following week. yeah, it was, definitely [00:36:00] something I grabbed onto and I swirled around in my head and I got it out on paper and
Beth: just get it. So I love how you've given advice from, How to take care of yourself.
If you are not kind to yourself, how can you allow your creativity to be what it is, what its possibilities are like driving a car, you, fill it with gas. You, clean it, you change the tires, you make sure the windshield wipers are working. It's the same thing for your own creative self.
You've got to take care of that engine. You got to keep it energized and healthy and got to have good nutrition and exercise and sleep. And then it's going to perform to its best abilities. So what you've been doing is taking care of your creative engine. And now you're able to take these amazing [00:37:00] journeys and know that you're capable of starting the trip and getting to your destination because of what you've been able to do for yourself with.
With taking care of your body and finding a creative community and learning new things and then practicing what you've learned and staying in tune with your ideas, all that just kind of flows together and just like stirring cream into coffee, Yep,
Patty: yep, yeah. And again, it's the process that I really try to keep in mind and what, as long as I'm enjoying making whatever I'm making, I'm enjoying creating it.
Then it's all good. That was, that's success. To me, that was my goal was just to be creative and enjoy what I like to create. And the end result and who ends up with this art, that it's all, that's all gravy really. I mean, yeah, I love to, see it on all kinds of products and everything, but really the main point [00:38:00] is that I enjoy the process of creativity and.
Beth: Yeah.
Patty: That's, a little selfish, but that's just, each one of us can be selfish and show our creativity and it all adds up to. Great stuff. And I
Beth: think when you're selfish about how and what you're creating, but the selfishness goes away when you are brave enough to release your art and get it out into the world.
And then it's serving a purpose and it's helping other people to learn things, decorate their house, help them function, So many good things that this creativity can become because You were selfish in the beginning and you took care of yourself, right? So selfish, but not really.
Patty: Yeah. Whatever I share, if everybody else likes it, [00:39:00] then great. But that's, yeah, that's not my my main goal.
Beth: Yeah.I think really at the heart of it all any, creative that you talk to that has had success in a project that they've worked on. especially a pet project.
It was something that they didn't really feel like they had a choice. It needed to get out of their head. It needed to get into whatever that thought was. And become a thing. And then when you're done, you're like, I have this thing. I hope somebody wants it. And sometimes the thing you made doesn't see the light of day, but you need to be just as happy with the birth of that project as you do with a project that just soars into, you know, being famous and everybody wants it.
And that you need to feel that same sense of completion and pride of ownership over both those projects. .
Patty: Mm-hmm .
yeah. A successful [00:40:00] project to me is something that just, couldn't keep in. It had to come out and it And it's beautiful. And it came out the way, I wanted to I don't know if I mentioned, but I'm an intuitive artist, I decided, and what I mean by that is I just do what I feel.
And whatever comes out, whatever technique I can use. And I don't really have a good idea of the end product. So I don't really know what it's going to look like intuitive. I just do it and whatever comes out, comes out. And I'm often surprised by the end result because sometimes it doesn't You know, it sort of looks like what I wanted it to, but a lot of times it doesn't.
And that's what I'm fine with. That's like, that's what came out. So yeah,
Beth: that's a, fine way to be creative. It's if you force something, [00:41:00] you won't end up with. What's really in your heart. And sometimes your heart knows more than your head does and just letting your hand create whatever is bubbling up at that moment.
And eventually you'll look down and go, Hey, I just drew a thing. Look at this. And then your head can take over and go, you know what? I've got a great idea. I have a sentiment that might go with that. and then you can get a little more geeky with it and figure out Where that might go as far as a company and how to further that along, but just to let the idea out, even if you don't know what it is, that's exciting.
Patty: Yeah. Yeah. I think one of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein and it'sCreativity is intelligence having fun. Yep. So, so hopefully I'm intelligent up there and I just let it come out, just let it play, let it have fun. So, yeah.
Beth: So really the takeaway today is look at your creativity.
[00:42:00] How can you have fun with it today? And then how can you take care of it by taking care of yourself? And if you're one of those people that is so busy taking care of everyone else in your world and you're last. But you're thinking I wish I could sit down in the evenings and do a craft or, work on some knitting or do a painting or a drawing, but I just don't have it in me.
It might be because you haven't taken care of yourself you haven't been as kind to you as you need to be. So what might you be able to do to be a little kinder for yourself? Be a little selfish with how you're taking time in your day to fill those buckets and then watch your creativity grow from there.
Be interesting to see.
Patty: Yeah, even if you have a just a few minutes while you're sitting in the car waiting for your kids to come out of school or something, just work on your own mindset, try to [00:43:00] clear your mind, don't pick up your phone.
Beth: Turn off your
Patty: phone. Yeah, and again, I don't have those little kids.
to occupy my entire day anymore. They're all grown and on their own. so it is easier for me now to do what I'm doing. But it is a culmination of all those little steps, cause I've been, trying to do this all along. And now I really am able to do it 100 percent be creative and do whatever I want and not worry.
So, I know it is harder when you're at a different stage in life. Yes.
Beth: Yeah. Yeah.
Again, just play, just play, have some fun. So Patty, it has just been so much fun talking with you today.
I am so thankful that you came so we could share our conversational goodness with everyone that is joining us today here on the podcast.
[00:44:00] So if people want to know a little bit more about you how can they find you out in this wide world?
Patty: So I am on Instagram and Facebook and I have an Etsy shop and I have a website. and all of those are pretty much labeled pattyibaart. com So sometimes it's a dash or a dot, but pattyiba.
Dash art or patty Eva dot art, or just patty Eva art.
Beth: That's patty with a Y and Eva. I B a correct. If you're looking for Patty, as we are finishing up our chat here, that is how you'll be able to search her. I will also have all of Patty's information in the show notes. So you'll be able to find some live links.
To see her Instagram or get to her portfolio or learn more about her in any way that you're curious. So look to the show notes for that. But Patty, you've been a delight. Thank you so much for taking some time out [00:45:00] of your creative day to come and share with the creatives that will be tuning in to listen to this episode today.
So everyone take a moment to take a look at your own balance. What are you doing? To make sure that your creativity is as healthy as it can be. You need to do something with your nutrition. Do you need to do some resting? Need a nap? Do you need to get out and take a walk or get to the gym? What might you need to do so that your creativity can be ready to really rocket to whatever its potentials might be?
Take a look and see what you need to do to get some balance in your creative life. No matter where you are or how balanced you happen to be today, whatever you do, always take time to stay creative. My friend, we'll talk to you again soon. Bye [00:46:00] bye.
Offerings at BDI Create.Today
Register to the Create-Today Workshops!
https://www.bdi-create.today/workshop-events-calendar
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:56 Patty Iba's Creative Journey
01:24 Discovering Graphic Design
02:19 Transition to Art Licensing
03:57 Joining the Create Today Community
04:51 Learning Procreate
05:39 Balancing Traditional and Digital Art
13:09 Creative Rituals and Maintaining Balance
23:28 Understanding Your Creative Process
24:19 Organizing Creative Chaos
25:21 From Idea to Project: Emo the Octopus
26:02 The Journey of Emo: Inspiration and Development
32:21 Advice for Aspiring Creatives
32:50 Nurturing Your Creative Self
33:33 The Importance of Play in Creativity
34:24 Capturing and Developing Ideas
40:05 The Intuitive Artist's Approach
41:53 Balancing Creativity and Self-Care
43:59 Connecting with Patty Iba
How to connect with Patty Iba:
Website = https://pattyiba-art.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/pattyiba.art/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/PattyIbaArt
LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattyiba/
Etsy Shop = https://www.etsy.com/shop/PattyIbaArt
Offerings at BDI Create.Today
Register to the Create-Today Workshops!
https://www.bdi-create.today/workshop-events-calendar
Register for “Learn the Art of Procreate”
https://www.bdi-create.today/courses
Tutorials and other resources at Create-Today:
https://www.bdi-create.today/almost-free-resources
The Create-Today Home Page:
https://www.bdi-create.today
