[VIRTUAL SUMMIT 2020] UN PANEL SOBRE CÓMO REEVALUAR SU TRAYECTORIA PROFESIONAL CREATIVA This is an archived video of Session 1: “Stop and Take a minute: A Panel on Reassessing Your Creative Career Path” from the Fresh Arts Virtual Summit which was streamed live on August 8, 2020 featuring Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean, Carla Lyles and David Dove. https://fresharts.org/summit-2020-reassessing-your-creative-career-path/ Outspoken Bean: Hello, What's good y'all? It's Outspoken Bean. I'll be our moderator for our conversation that we'll be having today with Carla Sue and David Dove. But before we get into that, right, let's go ahead and let's start off with a poem from me, all right? It's a newer poem. So, I'm gonna actually read it 'cause I'm trying to get it memorized and stuff, and it starts out as... I am past the point of no return. Then I remember my promise. In making a customer to my service. That came in non-negotiable terms, targeted as a don Walmart policy that I won't nor can't return myself. When I left the shelf, I started life. These priceless times are tagged to me. I have to remind myself that I have to retell myself not to discount me. I am the manager on call and general. The answer to how I can help you can always be found on the road with the mirrors. What's new in store has always been in store. The inventory has been bar coded and accounted for. My worth is my offer. That is my only offer attention shoppers. We have a steal of a deal. Here I am on and in the aisle. I am no longer waiting for intercoms to announce my colleague. That was it, thank you. Hey, I'm imagining you're clapping. Appreciate it, right? So, let's get into... Let's bring in the other artists. Carla Sue and of Nameless Sound, David Dove. Let's do it. Hey, Hey! David: Hey Bean, how are you doing? Outspoken Bean: I'm all right. What's up, man? How are you? David: Hanging out on the Saturday morning with you. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you for being here. Really appreciate it. David: Thank you for being here. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, definite. So, we have so-- Let's go ahead, if you don't mind introducing yourself and then also you have some video, yeah? David: Yeah, we do. So, my name is David Dove. I am an artist. I'm a musician, and I'm also the director of Nameless Sound an organization here in Houston that presents experimental and creative music from artists from around Houston, from around the state, from around the country, from around the world. And, you know, incidentally to give the whole picture, we also work with kids. All over Houston and workshops that involve creative music and improvisation. And we have one of our programs is called They, Who Sound. It's a-- Outspoken Bean: Yeah. David: You want me to go into that Bean and just sort of tell that story? Outspoken Bean: Yeah, go ahead and tell that story. And then you we'll play the video. David: Okay, cool. They, Who Sound is a weekly concert series that we do. We're doing with Lawndale Arts Center at Lawndale Art Center and it features mostly local and regional experimental musicians. Every week there will be two performances by two different artists or two different groups. And, you know, not only was it an opportunity to listen to music every week, but it was sort of a... it was a free concert. It was a sort of a gathering point for a lot of people who were kind of a community point for a lot of people who are interested in this music, either as performers or as listeners and just a real connecting point. So, obviously when the quarantine went down, like everyone else, you know, we lost a lot in that project. And I guess I should set up this video and tell you what it is, right? So, one of our responses to presenting work in this time was to... a lot of musicians at that time were going online. It seemed to be the very quick response to a lack of opportunity to perform was to get on Facebook live. And I was thinking, what can us, as an organization do? Because it's, it's easy for musicians to go ahead and get themselves online. They don't need us to do that necessarily. Outspoken Bean: That's right. David: And I was thinking, you know? We're getting our groceries delivered, we're getting everything delivered to us now. Everyone's going on Amazon. How come we can't just deliver the performance also? Outspoken Bean: There we go! David: So yeah, so we set up a project called They, Who Sound Special Delivery. And anyone could sign up to get one or a package of four performances. 10 minute performance delivered to them. And we had a list of artists who had agreed to do this. I did the work of scheduling it and sending people around. We had, you know, it was all outdoors, kept six feet away. We had a rule that everyone was meant to wear masks, but we're gonna be a little more strict about that as you can see from the video, but not everyone followed that rule. Outspoken Bean: So, get your disclaimer. Is that your disclaimer. David: Well, you know, it's an interesting part to talk about, of course this was in May, you know, we're looking at it like, you know, I don't know. Things look a little more serious now, but-- Outspoken Bean: Yeah, you're right. David: And well, you know, we can talk a little bit more about it afterwards. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, let's get to the video. David: Let's roll the video. Yeah. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, let's get to the video. Video plays with music overlay: ♪ Never, never ♪ ♪ Always, always ♪ Video shows various artists playing musical instruments in different settings. David: We're back. Outspoken Bean: Whoa, man that's so cool, man. That's so cool. We got, we got Nameless Sound here, y'all. And, you know, the internet is, it's usually undefeated unless you need it for a good cause. And the internet it's giving Carla some issues right now, but we're still gonna go ahead and play her video. Hopefully you don't mind David. We're going to go ahead and play her video, hopefully that can give us some... give us some time and she'll be back in. So let's go ahead and play Carla's video. Carla: I was just watching... just watching the Home Shopping Network. Announcer: And now you can get this one of a kind item for the low, low price of just-- Carla: And I thought to myself that I could probably do the same thing for people in my community solely to help small businesses during this crisis. It's just such a really cool way to support my community. Just recreate the same kind of feeling of the Home Shopping Network, but more off beat and cool. It's the Carla Sue Network. It's a home shopping network, you know, for the homies. And I put it out on social media to make sure that they get some publicity. I basically was gonna do this solely for myself. I lost my job. I got laid off like many people. Sales slowed down dramatically with my small business. So I was thinking, okay, how can I promote myself? But then I started to speak with my small business friends and just hearing their stories, which were just so heart wrenching. And I immediately went into the mode of like, okay, how can I help everyone, including myself? They have been sending me just video footage of them with their product or pictures. And I make a slide show and I do a little voiceover. Put on my best Home Shopping Network voice. A lot of the businesses have contacted me and let me know that, you know, they've gotten a lot of leads off of it. They have some followers now, new supporters. So it's been great. And that's all I wanted was just them to be able to just get the proper support during this time because of small businesses are suffering pretty bad right now. Skin care products, clothing, baby clothing, I have a person that has a farmer's market that are... They're growing their own fruits and veggies. So it's a whole array of businesses just to show everyone in the city that you can buy everything you need right here locally. We do a lot of outdoor markets, a lot of small businesses, you know that's how they start. They start doing the outdoor market circuits, pop up markets festivals. You know, we see a lot of the same businesses at these markets in this circuit and we get to know each other. We get to know each other's families. And yeah, it's definitely a really strong community here. You know? I am a part of this community of small businesses in the city and just to be able to support them in any way that I can just feels good, it feels right. So I'm definitely going to keep doing it. Outspoken Bean: That's so cool. David: That's right. Outspoken Bean That is so cool. So, we'll be getting things... hopefully she'll be able to join us soon. Everyone that is watching, make sure you type your questions and we... for myself and for even Carla Sue and for David. So that way we can... we can answer or for me, I'll take some questions and that way I'm go ahead and answer them. I'll go ahead and say them and say them to the person who needs to who was directed it to, and then we can answer it. Sounds good to you, David? David: Sounds fine to me. Outspoken Bean: Sounds fine with me. All right, man. So, how long, like... You're a musician, right? David: Yes. Outspoken Bean: And we've been... how long have you been in this... You're from Houston? Are you from Houston? Like, how did you get into creating Nameless Sound? How did that, how did that journey start with you? David: Well, Nameless Sound has been going for 20 years now. Outspoken Bean: Okay. David: And the journey started a few years before that. You know, I started as an artist and I was playing improvised in more experimental kind of music. And I felt that traditional music education was too conservative and that young people didn't have an opportunity to do creative things with music, you know? That typically in school you go, you're in the band, you're in the orchestra and all these things are great things. But there wasn't an opportunity to really make your own music, right? To compose your own music, improvise your music. Outspoken Bean: That's right. David: Me, I'm an improviser. That's how I work. Outspoken Bean: There we go. David: So I started by it's before Nameless Sound. It started with a workshop that I proposed over at MECA Arts Community Center. And I just wanted to work with young people and give them an opportunity to improvise and to do something that wasn't being done in the traditional setting. And I was also presenting concerts, finding opportunities to bring artists, mostly the kind of avant garde jazz artists and into Houston to perform. And I was just sort of putting it together on a project by project basis and a mentor, my mentor was a composer named Pauline Oliveros. I would recommend anyone look her up. She's a really special person. And she said, "Hey, you should start an organization." You know, this seems like something that can get some support. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, right. David: And you know, when Pauline said jump, I always ask when and how high, but sometimes I was a little slow. Outspoken Bean: That's a good person to have in your corner with that. David: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, right. David: Sometimes I was a little slow and she would nudge me, you know, it took a couple of years because again, I wasn't an arts administrator or, you know I was really doing this as an artist and an extension of my practice. So, that's the seed of it, you know, it's a 20 year journey, of course. Outspoken Bean: That's right. I like that, yeah. So, it sounds like, is there much difference from, so I asked that question, right? That beginning. David: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: I think a lot of the things that's happened to us informs, I call it the human time machine it informs on how we're gonna react later, right? And whether we want to, or not, whether we want to like accept it or not. So, with that, it sounded like, you started this or it was 20 years now. Oh my gosh, it's a long time and you kind of started from the beginning. So was there anything reminiscent to when the pandemic happened and you didn't see the pandemic really happening or I'm assuming that, but is there anythings that, lessons that you took from the beginning that you were able to put right now for what you're doing now? David: That's a great question, Bean. Yeah, that, yes, absolutely. Outspoken Bean: Awesome. David: You know, two things that I would say is in short one is that... one is that both situations are, what we do as artists is that we... problems present themselves, right? And we find creative solutions. And oftentimes in those creative solutions, new opportunities arise. I mean, in music, we see it all the time, that whole forms of music come out of situations where things are lacking often, you know? Outspoken Bean: Come through, man! Come through! And that's like, when you think of jazz, right? You said, you improvise. David: Right. Jazz in a lot of ways is that. You know what I'm saying? It's this, like, we don't have all the tools there, so what can you do? Yeah, I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to interrupt, but yeah. You know you're feeling it, so that's cool. Outspoken Bean: Yeah. David: And we're riffing, so that's cool. Outspoken Bean: Yeah. David: No, that's exactly what it was. Both situations. Okay, there's a problem. There's something lacking. What do we do? Outspoken Bean: Right. David: And then in finding that solution and we're improvisers, you know, that we not only improvise the music, but we improvise our life choices. Outspoken Bean: There we go. David: We've improvised as response to conditions, right? We improvise in our relationships to each other, and-- Outspoken Bean: I didn't think about it that way. You're saying whether we want to or not, we are improvising. David: Absolutely. Outspoken Bean: That's right. David: We always are, it's not a choice. Outspoken Bean: I didn't think about it that way. That's a good way to think about it, yeah. David: Yeah, I think it's important just to remember that, you know, and you know, interesting solutions to me, we also experiment so that the special deliveries was kind of an experiment because the online thing is cool. I'm totally into it. And like I was saying, like, you know, musicians are already able to do that. And also we're really missing, like being in space with each other, like the musical and space with each other. Outspoken Bean: Come one man. It's not the same, right. You're right. David: And in the special delivery is something that happened was that actually the performance became more intimate. Cause it's one thing to perform for 20 or 50 people or a hundred people. Or however many would show up to Lawndale or any other space, but it's another, to go to someone's house. And they're your only audience. Outspoken Bean: It's a level of trust, you know what I'm saying? David: Absolutely. Outspoken Bean: There's a level of trust there. There's a level of vulnerability with that because it's someone's home, you know what I mean? David: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: And it's actually more vulnerable than house concept in my thoughts, right? I've had the pleasure of doing a tour across the country, just going to house concerts, like going to houseconcerts.com finding people, doing it that way, where you're going into people's houses. But, those houses it's someone's personal house, but they do them so often where it's already kind of a situation where it's the setup, like it's the venue, but these people, it seems like from what I saw in that video, these people don't have artists come to their homes. You know what I'm saying? David: No, and there's a real wide range of things that happen in that, you know? Like, well you saw one, one person who ordered the special delivery was a choreographer and dancer and she just started dancing. She wasn't the performer. She was the audience. Outspoken Bean: See? David: Which is less likely to happen, you know, like in a public concert. Outspoken Bean: Right, in a controlled space. A lot less likely to happen in a controlled space, which are like those house concerts I was talking about would be, there's still a controlled environment. Right. David: Right. And you know, in another situation I mean like, I even think the music was kind of it's intimacy actually became sort of a surprisingly uncomfortable for some people in the audience actually. Outspoken Bean: In the audience or for the performers? David: No, none of the performers told me that. Outspoken Bean: Okay, good. David: I didn't hear that from any of the performers. I didn't hear any, yeah. But, you know, I don't want to like go too deep into it. 'Cause I, then I'm sort of going into how someone else might have felt. And I don't really know what it is, but a little bit of feedback was that there was... I felt like a little bit of that vulnerability was touched too, you know? Because as an audience member, you're used to being anonymous, relatively anonymous. But when you're the only audience member, you sort of become... Outspoken Bean: Your focus. David: Yeah, you can become the focus all of a sudden. Outspoken Bean: It turns from a floodlight to a laser. David: Right, yeah. Outspoken Bean: We have a question here? How have you, viewers, had to adjust your projects or practice? Let us know in the comments? Oh, that's not a question, yeah. David: That's a question that you're asking. Outspoken Bean: I'm asking home viewers have you had to adjust your projects and your practice. Yeah, that's for y'all. I thought that was a question... I got excited, I'm sorry. So how many of these have y'all done? Or do you want to disclose that number? David: We did, I should have counted those up. You know, we did a round of them that lasted about a month and I think 15... 10 or 15 people ordered them. Most people ordered a package of four. Cause it was like 13 dollars for one, or you can get four for 40 bucks or something like that. And so we did quite a few. Then we took a pause and we're gonna probably start it up in a couple of weeks. We're getting ready to launch a new website. So when we launch the new website, we're gonna start it up again. Outspoken Bean: Come on, website. Man, I just launched my website this week. I'm so excited about it. Okay. Yeah, y'all outspokenbean.com, check it out. Right, right, right. David: But we've been dealing with an old clunker for years. It's a good old clunker, but we're really excited to have a new one, but you know, we're going to be doing it for the next year or so. So, on and off. So, you know, anyone can order, so, anyone can sign up and sign up. Yeah. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Again, y'all make sure you drop the questions in the comments and if you have an Instagram or website or whatever, if you want to put that in the comments afterwards, go ahead, excuse me. Go ahead and do so, so that way I can shout you out. All right? This is all love right here. All right, man. David: Right. Outspoken Bean: You know, and while we're here before I get into some questions. Man, dawg, that sounds like, that sounds like something I would do, man. If you want to pair me up with one of your musicians, man? David: Yeah, sure. Outspoken Bean: Pick your package, I'll show up. David: Sure, yeah, yeah. Yeah, can you improvise? Outspoken Bean: Huh? David: Can you improvise? Outspoken Bean: Yeah, yeah. David: Are you sure? Outspoken Bean: Yeah, I do. And I can put poems to anything, man. It's all good, yeah. I can improvise. Freestyle a little bit, yeah. David: That sounds good. Outspoken Bean: That'd be something I'd definitely be into. David: We love working with writers. We love working with writers and texts and stuff. Outspoken Bean: Oh man, let's do it. Let's make that happen, man. David: Absolutely. Outspoken Bean: I have a question for you. How would you recommend someone interested in audio visual and sound art getting started from a technical standpoint? Is there a particular software slash equipment slash tools you found helpful or mandatory to learn? That's a real specific question and I love it. Thank you. David: That's a very specific question. I don't know if I'm the most qualified person, but I'll think about that for sure. Because you know, I'm a trombone player and I do use electronics and stuff, but you know, I'm not an expert in the electronic stuff and the software stuff. But what I would say is that in no place in sound art or experimental music, is there ever a mandatory start point? They're a thousand start points. Outspoken Bean: Come on. David: And, you know, maybe I think the mandatory start point is to just like dip your fingers and toes in a whole bunch of different things. Outspoken Bean: Oh yeah, yeah. David: Who knows what's right? If something sticks. Outspoken Bean: It's like messing up, trying things in that path though. David: Yeah, I mean this is why this is creative work is there's no single line. Maybe, whoever's asking this question, maybe they're interested in using, you know, Ableton or Maximus Bee, you know, some of his computer things. Maybe you're more interested in stringing together, guitar pedals, and loop pedals and microphones. Maybe you're more interested in circuit bending and taking apart electronics. These are all very different pursuits. Outspoken Bean: That's right. David: So there's no mandatory start point except for just to start and mess around and mess up and try again and make yourself a laboratory. Outspoken Bean: And collaborate. David: And collaborate too. Outspoken Bean: Collaboration is so important, right? It's so important to collaborate and man and you know, and take... And also another one that I would probably say to myself, I would, something I would say 34 year old self would say to 24 is take criticisms, take criticisms. Whether you agree with them or not, there's something there that I can bend. Not all criticism is good, but I do think listening to them in the sense of like, from people you trust, when we say that. Criticism from people you trust and trying to take those in and meld them to be your own, I think is really important. But yeah, you gotta start. You just gotta start. David: One other thing and maybe I'll just plug and I know we're about to do Carla again, so I plug before I can get out of the way for her. Nameless Sound, typically, of course not now, has a workshop. That's a weekly workshop at MECA. It's open to anyone in fact, Bean you should come and sit in on it, when we get back into the real world and the person who asked the question about where's my starting point? I would encourage you to come to our workshop once that gets going again. Again, it's open to anyone. It's an improv workshop and it's a great opportunity to like experiment with electronics, experiment with your voice. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, I would love to. I would love to, and I'll be there. Let's bring in Carla! David: Alright. Outspoken Bean: Yay! Carla: Can you guys hear me? Outspoken Bean: Yes. Can you hear us? Carla: I am actually inside of like a Sprint Boost mobile store. Outspoken Bean: That'll be all right. Carla: But, I'm here now. Thank you guys for your patience. Outspoken Bean: Also don't say their name again. Also, do not say their name again. Carla: Okay, apologies, apologies. Outspoken Bean: They did not sponsor this. Hey, Hey. Carla: Cancel that. Outspoken Bean: Carla, so we're so happy to have you here. Carla: Me too, I'm happy to be here. Outspoken Bean: And things happen, right? You're in a unidentified phone store. And just give like two sentences, give a brief of who you are real quick. Carla: Hi, I'm Carla Sue. I'm the owner of Carla Sue greeting cards and gifts. And yeah, so funny and vibrant greeting cards with a punch to them. And yeah, this is my way of relating to this little counterculture world that we have of like nerdy black girls. Outspoken Bean: And here we are. Carla: Which we're like to bang screw. Outspoken Bean: Bang screw. Carla, I don't know why I didn't know about the Carla Sue network. Carla: Oh, that's okay. Outspoken Bean: I'm a little embarrassed 'cause I follow you and I didn't know this was happening. And I'm like that is incredible. Carla: Aww, thanks. Outspoken Bean: That is so, I think a lot of times the term is think outside the box, right? And I think that's the cliche. A lot of times you gotta think, you gotta go back inside the box. That's been proven and we've already done the work of thinking outside the box. When you're thinking about creativity of your greeting cards. But, something like this happened where we can't go outside like that. We can't, it was for a good amount of time. We couldn't do the farmer's markets where you and I really we met, right? We couldn't do all of that. So, you went back to the, what do they call those? What was that channel? QVC network box. You went inside the QVC network box and created something that is, that you already did the work outside the box. Then you went back into a box to create something that was proven. Carla: Yeah, yeah. Outspoken Bean: And it's just like, I'm sitting here looking at it and I'm like, that is incredible. I know how you came to-- Carla: Oh! Outspoken Bean: I know how you came to doing that, right? I know why, right? The pandemic, you know right? That's kind of an answer for everything, but like, were you growing up, were you a fan of QVC? There was people I know who were fans of QVC and stuff like that. Were are you a fan of it? What made you say, you know what? I should do that specifically. Carla: Oh, first of all, heavens no, I wasn't sitting around as a child watching the Home Shopping Network. Outspoken Bean: Right, yeah. Carla: I was watching, I don't know, Barney, but... Outspoken Bean: Right. Carla: So no, it was in the midst of everything happening. All the markets getting shut down and just feeling, like you said, I mean, just feeling like I had to think fast and take things back to the basics because I knew that money was tight and inventory was low. So, I had to get creative and I was watching, I was flipping through the channels and on my TV and I saw this guy really hamming it up, selling scarves and but the guy, it was a, it was just the most-- Outspoken Bean: Like a Billy? What was his name, Billy? He passed away. Billy Mays. Carla: I don't, no this guy, I don't know. I've never seen this guy before. He was not at... He's the most unlikely person to be selling scarves, to me, but he was really selling it and I believed him. And so I was like, "I can do that," you know, just on a much doper level. Cool, but, and so I just started the Carla Sue Network. I was like, I can do that. I'm gonna call it the Carla Sue Network. And yeah, that's dope. It was just one night in my garage, relaxing, drinking wine and yeah, the idea came. Outspoken Bean: I think that's awesome. I think that's awesome. Carla: Thank you. Outspoken Bean: And so what people have contacted you to be on it? What kind of artists? Carla: Everybody, I mean, you know what to be completely transparent and honest with you, like the Carla Sue Network it was at a time where, you know, I was really just trying to put myself on and put others on, you know just desperate to like get us all help, you know? However, I didn't anticipate like how large it would get. And I wasn't ready for that. I was not ready to handle that along with my day to day sales. And, you know, it was just a mess. Hundreds of people and I couldn't keep up. And then Carla Sue began to gain a lot of momentum, you know, my business. And so I had to put it on pause and, you know, I hate that. 'Cause it's like this ad, whatever the reel that you guys saw, it keeps being run on channel two. And I have to say, "Hey guys," I had to take a break because honestly my focus is now currently on the revolution that's happening right now. So, I feel like that is that just to be frank, that is where my focus is. That's where my art is going to be based on and really just creating things that brings the culture together and brings people that appreciate and love the culture, black culture. Just bring us all together on a common bond, you know? So, you know, and then laugh in the process, you know, and build each other up in the process. So, I'm only interested in creating that type of art right now. But I think the Carla Sue Network was just like way too ambitious at the time. Great concept, it wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be, but I'm happy everybody loved it. Everybody loved it. You know, I featured who I featured. They got a lot of sales and a lot of traffic from it and that's all I wanted. Outspoken Bean: Right, and some of them seems like you can't, you can't sow and reap in the same season. Carla: Right. Outspoken Bean: And so I'm glad that you were able to reap something during that season, you know? Carla: Oh, yeah for sure. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, so it sounds like you've made multiple transitions during this time. Carla: Oh yeah. Oh yeah growing pains. It hurts so bad, but it's so good though. This time, this whole time, you know, it has allowed me to just like tap into things that I haven't had the time to tap into, you know? It was like, "okay, I'm not selling a lot right now. "Things are kind of slowing down." I'm just gonna create a lot of content, you know, and just try to connect with the people digitally. That's my struggle. 'Cause I'm so used to seeing people face to face, in person, you know how we do, like you said, the market space. I'm sure it's same with you David, playing in front of crowds and stuff like that. And all of the events with Nameless Sounds, it's like, we're all just trying to figure out how to like, where we fit in this digital world. And it's been a journey for me to just kind of see like what works and what does not work. So basically I've been playing around. So the Carla Sue Network, I did that. Everybody was for it. They're like, yeah, it's dope. And then when I stopped it, they were like, okay, that's cool. You know, 'cause I put it out there like, "Hey, I'm just going to try this." You know, I'm speaking to my audience, you know, and they knew that it was just like, "Oh, we appreciate you." They were just happy for the opportunity. And so I left that and then I did a brunch where I just interviewed creatives, which, oh my God I would love to interview both of you. That would be so amazing. Outspoken Bean: That's a yes on my part. And I speak for David, the answer's yes. Carla: Okay, but yeah, where I interviewed just dope creatives in my life and that built a lot of momentum. And then I dropped that and you know, I'm just kind of like seeing what will fit. Outspoken Bean: All right, listen, you, ain't going to get as excited about stuff just to tell me you ain't doing it anymore. You know what I mean? Carla: I know, it's bad, it's bad. It's bad, but it's bad. That's coming back though. I was just-- Outspoken Bean: Nothing else, until something happens. Carla: No, no, no but that is coming back though. The brunch is one of the concepts that I've been working my schedule. That's, I've been really trying to figure out like a proper workflow. That's been my struggle since I've started this creative business of just like figuring out when I can create and stop doing all the business crap that I hate so much. Outspoken Bean: Did you, you said something interesting, right? Carla: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: You said you're trying to create a workflow since you started this business, right? Carla: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: Or along those lines, right? Carla: Right. Outspoken Bean: So that's not, you're talking pre-pandemic. Carla: Oh, sure, sure, yeah pre-pandemic, yes-- Outspoken Bean: And so, do you find yourself, are you a kind of a person that kind of operates when things are not going like when things maybe seem chaotic, do you tend to find yourself creating more? Do you have a schedule? Do you, are you organized? I'm not organized. I'm, that's one of my things is I'm terrible at it. That's why I've got someone to help me be organized, right? But yeah, like, look if you want to talk about that also David, that's a question for you. I'm curious as well, yeah. How was your, how would you say your organization has improved? Because of this. Carla: Ooh, first of all, I'm a wreck, I'm a wreck, but yeah, I'm kind of a mess, but it's been a process of just like getting better. As things, like I said, as the momentum builds, you know, in sales, like there's this big boost of like people buying from black businesses and I have benefited from that a great deal and it's really dope, but also it's like, okay, we've been here and when is this gonna end? So I'm just really trying to make sure that I can be able to handle the sales, connect with all of my stores, take care of my child, take care of my husband and then still create in the midst of all of this stuff, homeschooling. Now everybody's trying to adjust to all of this madness and you know, I really had to like, you know, I was a project manager for a few years and I had to take things back to like, okay, what if I was, you know, working on a project right now, how would I manage this? Outspoken Bean: Yeah, right. Carla: And I had to open up Excel spreadsheets and you know, really do a lot of block timing. Outspoken Bean: The business! Carla: Block my time. Outspoken Bean: The business. Carla: Yeah, the business. But also still, but with doing all of that, I've had more time to create and it's like, Oh, okay, it's working. Outspoken Bean: You just said something. When you do the business, it creates... When you organize the business, it gives you time to create. Carla: But the thing that people don't tell you is that it is such a process to get on that track. If you're a person that's not typically used to being organized in this way and having this type of workload, this is a brand new world for me. Outspoken Bean: Right. Carla: So it is adjustment. I'm still in it. I'm still learning it, but I feel good about it. I'm dope, and things are going to be even doper for lack of better words. Outspoken Bean: No, those are fine words, girl. What about you David? If you want to take that same answer. David: Oh, we're talking about like about doing work and making work and keeping the organization flying and how this current moment is throwing some kinks into that and all of that? Outspoken Bean: Yeah. David: I mean, for me, you know, for 20 years I've been operating as both an artist and the director of a nonprofit. And now that in of itself, I mean, when I was in my twenties, that was like, you know, I had the energy to do all of that, you know? Carla: Yeah. David: I, you know, I don't have children. So like that's, I acknowledge that that's adds a whole nother layer of things. And I think that makes it a little easier, but even before pandemic as time goes on. Yeah, juggling that stuff is a heck of a thing. Carla: Yeah. David: And I'm fortunate now that I have like a fantastic team at Nameless Sound that works with me and it's a small group and everyone works their asses off, but you know, it's a few of us. Without going into too many deeply personal details, what happened for me at the time with the quarantine was I had like a health issue that was quite serious. Non-permanent related. That kind of took me about 75% of my energy away from having to deal with organizational stuff for quite a while. I'm much better right now, but it was tight, you know, in that moment you just have to, for me it was just about simplifying and prioritizing. And first it was just about actually like, you know, keeping the organization surviving. Because that's another thing is it's like, you're not trying to respond and like do work and like, and do the work that the organization is supposed to do. Carla: Yeah. David: The artistic work, you know, sending people out and, you know, having new experiences for people and having opportunities for artists, it was also just keeping the damn machine running, you know? Carla: Yeah. David: And so, you know, it's important to remember that they're part of a whole, and sometimes it can feel like you're putting in too much energy into keeping the machine running and not enough energy into actually doing creative work. And sometimes it can feel like you're doing too much creative work and you're worried that the nuts and bolts and screws are gonna come out of the machine. Outspoken Bean: Right. David: But you now, to step back to go, you know, there's a bigger picture. Maybe to do what Carla has done, perhaps? Hey, not this now, I know people love it. I know it's working, but it can wait or, you know, it happened and it was cool and that's enough that it happened. It doesn't have to keep happening, you know? And to prioritize because we have time ahead of us, you know? This is a long game and all of that. I mean I'm older than you guys. So I just say, I know it's a long game. That sometimes you get stuck and stuck like a hamster in that wheel and you've got to step back again, you know? It's cool for a little while. In fact that was my first response to pandemic was like, to quarantine, was like, you know, maybe it's like, in fact, I think the title of this very panel here, I can't remember what the title is, but sort of speaks to that and is like, "Hey, let's take a minute. "Let's step back." Maybe this is an opportunity to take a count of the bigger picture. I don't know if I've answered your question Bean, but... Outspoken Bean: You did man, you did and you kind of answered some of the questions that came in in the chat. So I wanna, this one is on this one is on the screen, but there's a few others, but I have had to shift my entire concept of how I work. I am a body and arts educator. Do you have any ideas of ways I could engage that go beyond the passive Zoom style experiences? I would say StreamYard, right? I'm kidding. Yes, they're for real! I like it here! StreamYard is kinda, I like StreamYard because it's kind of creating a digital stage. It has a backstage, it has wings. It has all these different things, right? But anyway, that's besides the point. Carla: I like it. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, like one thing that David is doing is like having people, you know, order artists to come to their front lawn, right? And that is not, that is not Zoom. You know what I mean? That is very much right there in front of people. And you said that Amazon, right, David, like, I think about like, yo people are thriving for like live connections and that kind of energy. And so, if you are doing something like that, right? Outside in August, 2020 is not the same as April 2020, right? April, 2020, I was more curled up in my house. I wasn't going outside at all. Most people weren't. Now people are starting to go outside and stuff. And so, you know, and then have a mask and things like that, you know? I would try to create something where it's like very limited people and they have to be six feet apart, six to eight feet apart, and if they're there, they need to have a mask on. And then maybe there's something you can create like that. You know, like, I don't know if you want to go to their homes. I don't know if you're by yourself, like David, you have a whole organization. So it's a little different. There's safety precautions and stuff like that. But you know, that's 'cause I'm even thinking like, Oh man, well, if you were starting to do this, I'm willing to be outside. I'm willing to be outside with people, away. I am, You know? And so I would think about that anybody else? And then I'm gonna get to another question. Carla, you had something to say? Carla: Actually, you know, I've been pondering on that this entire time as well. And so I was like, "Ooh girl, I don't know," when I read the question is kind of no idea. I'm still trying to figure it out myself. But, I've been having that conversation with my husband. Like, am I gonna go outside? 'Cause my friends are in the streets right now. They're out here and yeah, they're doing some, what it looks like. Outspoken Bean: It's one thing to be outside at a park. It's another to be at prospect park. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's-- Carla: Sure, sure. Right, right. Outspoken Bean: They're at bars. Yeah. Carla: Yeah. It's kind of a lot for me the way that my anxiety is set up. Outspoken Bean: Right. Carla: But however though, you know, I have been thinking about, you know, like I have some things in the works where it will be some social distancing stuff, you know? Very small intimate groups, you know, I'm cool with that. And I've been planning that. So, and then, but right now I'm just really focused on like connecting with my audience digitally. 'Cause I feel like that's where I'm going to be the majority of the time. So, I've been just doing little things here and there on my social media platforms, little shows, little segments. I do a little thing called in the car with Carla Sue, like intro-- Outspoken Bean: Instagram, and I don't know if you was using Zoom as all things digital and virtual, but there is a difference between each platform. There is a difference, right? I was doing something on Instagram live for a while. And that was my preferred thing with know you're projecting. I got that StreamYard. Carla: I like that. Outspoken Bean: There's other things to use against Zoom. Because Zoom has been synonymous now with work. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's synonymous with work. So maybe even just using a different platform. Carla: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Outspoken Bean: It's like okay, even though it's still on the computer. It's still on the phone, whatever it's triggering of my... it's not saying because my job uses Zoom. So it was like, when I think a Zoom meeting, I think of naturally work. I think work, you know what I mean? Rather than just like, "Oh this is not work. "This is different, right?" Like I think words are important with that. Here's another question we all seem like natural net workers. Can you share some advice on networking? I leave this to the two of you, David? Carla: Yeah. I want to hear David's advice, he's the ultimate... David: Yeah, well what is my advice on networking? You know, I'm not sure what to say about that. You know, I guess the advice that I have, I mean, we all know all the tools. I mean, there's no tools I can offer that you don't already know. I think the important thing to remember is like, I don't remember who's asking this question, but the important thing for me to remember is to remember what I do. So, you know, I'm an extrovert and yeah, I'm a natural networker and I'm both a performer and an educator and the director of an organization. And all of those things mean that I have to connect that connecting with people and building community is the essence of what I do. Carla: Oh, yeah. David: But also just remember what it is that you do, you know, like it's okay to connect with someone, to think they're cool, to develop a friendship or relationship with casual acquaintance. But like if your work doesn't connect with their work, it's okay. You don't have to be in the network. You know what I mean? Carla: Yeah, yeah. David: 'Cause you can exhaust yourself networking also, you know. And that's why I say is like, you know, keep it out there and not knowing the specifics of the person asking the question, it's like, know what your work is, be able to speak to it, keep it out there. It's an ongoing thing. Carla: Yeah. David: And you never know the people that you're gonna connect with that are really like the really important people. And then there's people who I have met through really random situations that maybe when I first connected with them, I didn't realize how integral they were going to be to my life. And you know, there's people that maybe I connected with who I thought, oh yeah, you know, this is who we're gonna really be rocking with. And you know, it wasn't. Again, this is just like, this is not like a statement, a judgment, a quality of people. It's just about like, there's a lot of people out there. So it's just like being open and being responsive and listening, always listening to people. So, those are very broad impressionistic answers, but... Outspoken Bean: I think I can, I can add to that, right? You said something very important. You said you're a natural performer. All of these things. And to me, networking is... to me is just, first off, we seem like we're natural net workers, right? Because, that's a very important word. We seem like it, but I like to talk. I like to network, but it still needs to be practiced. You know what I mean? I am a natural performer. I am, I'm a natural performer. Still needs to be practiced. This, rehearsals still happen for Broadway actors. You know what I'm saying? As natural as a performer as Beyonce is, she has rehearsals, you know? And, and so to network, networking has to be practiced. And it has to be practiced and talking with people. There's more people who are not natural at it than who are. So and you still need to connect with them. So connect with those unnatural people. David: Right, I mean, that's important. Outspoken Bean: Connect with the unnatural people and they won't know the difference. It'll be like zero negative one plus negative one is still two, y'all. We'll be all right. David: Well, I mean, you know, it's like we need the introverts too. And sometimes-- Outspoken Bean: We need the introverts, that's right. David: And sometimes the introvert, you know, it's... in a way it's like an issue of equity in a way. It's like the introvert, you might leave to put a little more effort or use some different measures to sort of get involved with that person then the extrovert, you know? Outspoken Bean: Come through, come through David. Carla, do you have anything to add? 'Cause I want to get through most of these questions. Carla: Oh, okay, oh yeah. I was just, I agree with both of you on both fronts, yeah. We have to balance each other out. The introverts and the extroverts. Introverts helped me get organized, so yeah. Outspoken Bean: Yeah, yeah. And some, and they're performers as well. In-person collaborations have to be put on hold. We are trying to work on things that could be complimentary to the project, such as blog website, grant writing. Carla: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: What are side projects, efforts, people efforts, people who can be working on outside of the arts. I want all of us to answer, but try to just be real quick with this. So go ahead Carla. Carla: Told you, like I said earlier, I'm focused on the revolution right now with my people and the liberation of all Black and Brown people at this moment. Bringing everybody together on one common bond, which is like, you know, ending white supremacy and liberating, you know, all of the oppressed people. So that requires all of us. And I've just been focusing on that and like working with different organizations. Helping to try to figure out how I can raise funding for them. And just kind of like, you know, putting a portion of my sales from Carla Sue to different organizations, like Reclaim the Block and things like that. So I'm focused on the revolution. That's outside of art. I don't know if that, but that's like a, it's not a hustle though. It's just so I don't know if that answered the question, but that's me personally where I'm at. Outspoken Bean: What were some of the things that you had to do to support that though? Those would be the hustle. Carla: Okay, so yeah, like I said, I was selling shirts to and I put a hundred percent of the proceeds towards to going to a, Reclaim the Block, to help the kids out in St. Louis, the freedom fighters. So yeah, it was just a lot of coming out of my own pocket, to make that happen. A lot of organizing and research and really just like trying to figure out where I exist in this space, but yeah, so I guess that's where was the hustle of just trying to hustle up as much money as I could from people who are willing to donate to this cause and try to inform them while informing myself, so... Outspoken Bean: That's right, that's right. It's really eats while it works. David? David: I mean, I don't know if I can say anything different that what Carla just said, you know? Acceptance-- Carla: It got a little intense. David: Well, except to support you and say like, you know what, there are things that are more important than making art sometimes, you know? That sometimes we see art making, art making is like, sort of made a religion by some people and as important as it is into my life, you know, there are other things that are more urgent and more important. And you know, sometimes those things intersect. Sometimes they can be put at the service of each other, right? Art can be put at the service of social justice and vice versa? And sometimes they don't have to be, you know? And I would say the same thing with side hustles, you know? It's like, we're so often trying to figure out how to survive as artists. And sometimes we just got to survive so that we can be artists. And then the survival, the way of surviving, isn't necessarily the art. There's no shame in that, you know? Yeah, and I think that we've seen this sort of like, we gotta like let go of the hierarchies of like, you know, like in music people go like, "Oh, you're a musician." Okay, like if you say, if you meet someone. Like, it's your distant relative or like some person who doesn't really know what you do or whatever. And they're like, "Oh, you're a musician." And they go, is that how you make your money? is that how you make your living? And that's this like weird way of trying to legitimize what I do as to like whether or not, as if that matters, if that makes you less of a musician or more of an artist or less of an artist and you know it's okay to like-- Outspoken Bean: And they would never say that to their favorite artists. David: They would never say that to their favorite artists. And you know, you're no less of an artist because you have another job to support that art, you know? It's a hell of a world out there and you know, not everyone is gonna be a millionaire artist. Carla: Yeah. Outspoken Bean: Man we have a minute left. David: All right. Outspoken Bean: I think, ugh we're so sorry we weren't able to get... first off, it took forever for the questions and comments to come in. I just want that to be stated, all right? All right, it took forever for the comments. But, if we didn't get to yours I'm so sorry. Tips, you know, keep creating. Jay-Z said in an interview, not in a song. "The most genius thing we did is we did not stop." Right? That's a very powerful sentiment that I take to heart. My name is Outspoken Bean and if you put in Outspoken Bean on Google, outspokenbean.com will come up, my Instagram, everything Outspoken Bean it's all spelled correctly will pop up, right? Carla, want to say your stuff? Carla: Hiya, yeah I'm Carla Lyles again. I'm also known as Carla Sue. You can follow me at Carla Sue Houston on Instagram and Facebook. And you can go to my website, www.carlasuehouston.com. Just Google Carla Sue and everything will come up. So yeah, this was fun. Sorry I was late, thanks guys. Outspoken Bean: David? David: David Dove, Nameless Sound. If I didn't get to any questions or anyone wants to reach out for networking. Outspoken Bean: Networking. David: David.dove@namelesssound.org and Facebook Nameless Sound or David Dove and happy to connect with anyone out there including you two. Including Bean and Carla. I think we have future conversations. Carla: Yes! Outspoken Bean: Me and David, we do. Carla, we'll start it, and then she'll cancel it. Carla: Man, I'm ready. Give me the ball. I'm ready. Let's jump into something. Outspoken Bean: Let's do it, Let's do it. I'm here for it. Thank y'all so much for having us. Thank you Fresh Arts for being Fresh Arts. Carla: Thank you, phone store. Outspoken Bean: Thank you phone store. Don't say they name. They didn't give us a check. But thank you Fresh Arts for being Fresh Arts and for being a part of this. If you want to contact any one of us, come to our social medias, our websites. You can DM me. I'm really easy to get in contact. So is Carla and David, you want to say your, your Gmail again? I mean, not your Gmail, your email again? David: David.dove@namelessound.org. Outspoken Bean: And there it is. Thank y'all! Carla: Thank you Fresh Arts! I love you guys so much, Reyes and Angela. Thank you so much! David: Thank y'all. Carla: Bye guys. Outspoken Bean: Thank you David and Carla. Carla: Oh Lord, I did it.