Life & Thoughts
Creative Block → 001
Creative Block is a weekly newsletter that gives you a glimpse into my life, creativity, design, and music. It's like a little pick-me-up that you get delivered straight to your inbox each week.
Hi Everyone, Temi Coker here and I want to first say thank you so much for subscribing to my newsletter/publication. I want to acknowledge that I am not a professional writer; rather, I am an artist who leverages design to evoke emotion and stimulate conversations. With that being said, I hope to deliver a glimpse into my life, my creative approach, and encourage meaningful exchanges within this community.
Why the name CREATIVE BLOCK*
I'm often asked for tips on how to overcome creative block, and my answer is simple: take a break and find other sources of joy.
Have you ever heard the phrase "they live down the block"? When I was brainstorming names for this newsletter, I wanted it to capture a sense of community. The aim is to bring us all together to discuss the creative journey we've embarked on. "Creative block" is a term we often hear, but I thought of reframing it as a location where creatives can gather, be honest, and transparent. Let's hang out at the "Creative Block" – a space where we can find inspiration, share stories, and be open and candid about our experiences as artists.
Who am I?
I'm Temi Coker, and my Nigerian heritage plays a huge role in my art. Using colors, patterns, dimensions, and textures, I aim to create art that celebrates black beauty and challenges conventional beauty standards.
My art is not just about creating beautiful pieces; it's about telling stories and inspiring future generations. Through my work, I showcase different aspects of my Nigerian heritage and share stories that reflect the beauty and diversity of my culture.
I believe that art has the power to spark change and inspire people, and that's why I'm passionate about using it to create a positive impact. By showcasing black beauty in my art, I hope to challenge the status quo and inspire people to embrace their unique beauty.
How will this newsletter work:
My goal for this newsletter is to build a diverse community of creative people, such as writers, artists, and musicians. I want to share my experiences and learnings as an artist to inspire you, and provide links to interesting content like music, articles, and books. This newsletter is free and I plan to establish consistency and a strong community.
→Life & Thoughts:
As of late, I've been struggling with exhaustion and burnout, trying to balance a multitude of responsibilities. While my wife and I are looking forward to our upcoming month-long trip to Europe starting May 1st, I can't seem to shake off the stress that's been weighing me down. It's possible that I may only truly feel the excitement of the trip once we're at the airport.
During this vacation, I don't have any set projects to work on, and I plan to focus on resting. However, the notion of what constitutes rest for someone like me, who finds joy in designing, still eludes me. Can designing for fun while on vacation still be considered restful? Is gathering inspiration for future designs still considered rest, or simply a means of collecting ideas? These are questions that still trouble me.
The truth is, I'm not sure what rest truly means for me. I have a lingering fear that if I don't constantly take advantage of new opportunities, I will lose the momentum I've built up so far. In 2020, my career in design suddenly blossomed, and while I was grateful for the influx of big-name clients, such as Adobe, Google, and Footlocker, I couldn't help but worry when my "luck" would run out. I kept pushing myself to work and build, believing that financial success as a designer would bring me peace. Yet, the reality is that making more money has only brought me more problems and less peace.
I know that my younger self would be proud of where I am today and how far I've come in my craft. But, sometimes, despite my achievements, I still struggle to feel at peace or joyful. Fortunately, I have my wife & friends who remind me of how much I've accomplished, and it's been an incredibly encouraging source of support. I think people often see the success and don't recognize the struggles that come with it, such as the nights of tears and months of fear, worrying that my career may come to an end.
Despite my current emotional state, here are still things that brought me joy:
This week, I had the opportunity to teach a workshop and speak at a conference in Austin, Texas. The experience was fantastic! The workshop was centered around the idea of creating something using a photo of oneself or a loved one, while tapping into our inner childlike freedom. Attendees were given playdoh, scissors, exacto knives, and construction paper to use, and they had a blast creating with their hands. It felt wonderful to see everyone having so much fun and getting back to a more tactile way of making things.
The next day I spoke about my journey a the Conference. I don’t have pictures, but here are some of my slides.
My intro:
“During my college years, a friend shared a valuable insight that has stayed with me throughout my creative career: "The Journey is the reward, not the destination." Today, I would like to take you through my personal journey, which can be likened to a book with different chapters that mark different stages of my journey. Each chapter represents a significant milestone in my life that has shaped me into the person I am today.”
I love doing these types of talks because people get to see how I started and where I am now. It’s not a spring, it’s a marathon. I started my journey in 2011 when I switched my major from biomedical engineering to Digital media. I knew God was calling me into something creative and I’m glad I listened. It was a rough transition cause I didn’t have much support and my parents weren’t happy at the time. Fast forward to now, they’re sending screenshots of my work to their friends and family ––– “this is my sons work that he did for apple and the oscars!”. One thing I’ve learned is everything I went through was to help others and to be faithful with my gift regardless of the audience.
Here are some take aways from my talk.
"The Journey is the reward not the destination”
“Your art matters. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise –– Not even yourself. “
“Create the type of work you want to be hired for and don’t neglect passion projects”
“Always be a student.”
Weekly Column of Inspiration 🧶
📔 Reads
👁 Sight:
Palette Supply (A unique photography studio that i’ve been obsessed with lately)
Arc Browser (a new web browser that I use. Game changer)
Congratulations on sending your first newsletter! I resonate with a lot of this as far as rest and understanding the challenges with having financial success.
I absolutely love the title, as this is something I am currently struggling with! Reading through, I am starting to remember things I love to do! This is a beautiful article 💗