It’s one thing to have potential, talents, gifts, and skills. It’s a whole other ballgame to study your craft, practice, iterate, and then be bold enough to share your offerings and art with the world. Kristina Webb, Charles Arrington, Keturah Ari’el, and Ashleigh Newman are ambitious young adults who are using their passion & platform to earn a living while inspiring others, but more than that, they are artists.
Artists create and artists share. Social media has not only presented us all with an opportunity to connect with people around the world, and to share, but it has been an awesome way to discover people who are doing what they love. I came across Kristina and Ashleigh’s work on Instagram and Charles and Keturah’s work on Tumblr. Although I have yet to master drawing a smiley face, I am still in awe of and inspired by their work and I admire their vulnerability.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”- Brené Brown
It takes a lot of guts to put your work out into the world, especially on social media platforms, where the comments can at times be not so nice. Luckily, from what I’ve seen on the pages of these four particular artists is comment sections full of praise, and inspired people who are encouraged and moved to start sharing their work.
“I’m an artist, that means I’m sensitive about my ish”- Erykah Badu
Imagine a world where everyone did the things that were scary, things that were hard, and put things out into the world in spite of being scared of what other people might say. Too many people sit on their skills; they don’t study their craft, they won’t write their book, they don’t offer their opinion in class, or try new and difficult things.
For a while I wrote as a ghostwriter for others and on private blog for myself and the people who discovered it. I knew I had things to say but I was always able to convince myself that no one wanted or needed to hear it. I realized though, that it wasn’t fair to read the work of others and not contribute my voice. That, and something I heard author, Seth Godin say, convinced me to publish, publicly. Seth said,
“If you can build a media platform for yourself, you should. It’s generous, it’s the right thing to do, and it builds trust in the people who read and follow; but it also builds self-trust.”
Some people will steal your stuff.
They may credit for your work.
You will have haters.
But whatever you do, don’t stop creating.
Never stop sharing.
We need you!
Click each name to check out some of the fantastic work by Kristina, Charles, Keturah, and Ashleigh .
Launch Young Adults 