Creative artists need design reviews, direction, & someone to authentically support their enthusiastic ideas.

Before StudioMaek was a website, on Facebook, Twitter, or on Instagram it was a it was a practice. 

2002 was the first year I started formally teaching and mentoring struggling artists. It happened naturally really; I loved testing and problem solving. It The more I helped, the more the passion grew as I built skills and gained knowledge that organically drew creative people to the studio – the studio that had no name. 

Long before the days of Google Hangouts, Skype, Discord, & Facebook Messenger we had ICQ, E-mail, forums,  & Yahoo – Now I am really showing my age. Together, my husband and I ran an online artist website that grew to a community of over 30,000 digital & traditional artists. 

After a day’s work at the office , then college – where I studied for my  B.Arch in architecture, followed by a 2 hrs commute in the Boston traffic , I’d settle in to my office at home. I was a  stereotypical artist with a smoke in one hand , mouse in the other and the steam from freshly brewed coffee bellowing from my desk top. As soon as Windows 95  finally booted up I’d start responding to messages.

Creative people like you had questions, but mostly they needed reassurance.  Taking a puff of a cigarette, and a sip of coffee I’d begin answering e-mail  & IMs (I think the cool kids call a message a “DM” now but I can’t keep up.) 

They’d contact me with the same  familiar subject line. Hey Mae “what do you think of this?” or with questions, “How do I do” X ? “What’s the best way to”…  or “Can you take a look at this?” 

So why, if I’ve been mentoring creative people for 17 + years , has it taken me this long to open StudioMaek?

The simple answer is – I didn’t know. Honestly, that’s it! 

Sometimes we just don’t know what we don’t know. but when we know better we must DO. 

– ya know?

I’ve  read A LOT ! Books on organization, business, psychology, art, architecture, physiology , philosophy,  theology and thought provoking articles ranging from neuroplasticity & trauma to how plastic is made & why do we start wars; all with a mission to find the common threads to creativity, the mind, & why it is so important to the human experience. Ar first this was a mission to better understand me , but over time it evolved to something bigger, a way I could serve you. 

From books like :  When the Body Says NO, The Gifts of Imperfection,The One Thing, Essentialism, & Wishcraft, and a long list of  other titles I can’t recall at this moment as my  fingers beat the keys, I learned about myself and how I can  best help you too . Dr. Gabor Mate’ helped me discover why we struggle so hard to be seen and Brene Brown taught me to step into the arena imperfectly, while Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan opened my mind to the idea of  using design skills to organize my life. Greg McKeown gave me tools to identify my priority, but it was Barbara Sher who taught me how to find my why. 

Barbara explains in the most layman language  the process of using reverse engineering to discover our unique purposes. After reading Wishcraft,  A book published over 40 years ago, I put pen to paper, and spent months identifying key moments in my life. reminiscing with full feeling in the memories that we feel like the truest, most authentic version of ourselves. Can you think of one now? A moment where you felt like you were the best you?

When diving into long forgotten memories you’ll unearth buried parts of you.  When comparing your high “flow” days with your most joyous childhood memories, you’ll notice patterns. That’s what I did, and through that experience I arrived at the most shocking answer – it was you. . 

I’d always thought it was art that drove me, creating something out of nothing , manifesting thought into tangible pieces of art ,but that’s not the whole story- that’s not what the data revealed.

It was being in the arena cheering you on. No matter what love I hold for art, it’s being in with artists who make me feel alive.

In those moments helping you shine your brightest is where I thrive.

The feeling is like a day at the theater viewing a musical, but being the star.  Ideas come together effortlessly as I enter flow, spinning and dancing like Maria in “ The Sound of Music” feeling like I am on top of my own great hill. But, I’d not have had this Oprah “Ah-ha” moment if not for a bout of depression. 

While I don’t encourage you to fall into a dark pit of despair,  I do encourage you to try the exercise to discover what the one thing is that makes you feel most alive and  then spend the rest of your life asking new questions.

Is what you are doing right now in your career, with your family, in your relationships, and at  your home supporting your goals? 

Learn more! Step into the studio & Subscribe to get inspired with each new StudioMaek article conveniently delivered to your inbox.