In 2009, Danielle Krysa did something a lot of people do when they’re not feeling terribly inspired to create these days, she started a blog.
The idea behind the blog was simple. She posted a piece of art every day that she wished she had been able to create. It was mean to be a way to kickstart her desire to make art again, which it did, but it also did something that she hadn’t really expected: it became very, very popular.
Her blog, www.thejealouscurator.com, not only helped reconnect Krysa with her desire to create, but it opened up doors that even been possible before she started posting.
She was getting calls from Oprah, and other publications and TV shows from around the world, and, best of all, it lead to her writing her first book.
The book, Creative Block, came out in 2014 and was filled with solutions and ideas from artists all around the world about how to beat the dreaded creative block — something that can really cause problems for those in the creative field.
As Krysa promoted her book and continued to blog, she started hearing from those she met about what it meant to be a creative person and she found she was building a stock pile of tips and tricks from other artists along the way about how to get around creative blocks.
She also learned that she wasn’t alone in dealing with the negative thoughts that her inner critic seemed to be full of.
“I didn’t realize anyone else had that voice,” she said and knowing that others out there were dealing with the same thing helped.
It was a realization that eventually turned into her third book — her second, Collage, was released in late 2014.
The book, Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk is a book full of advice for aspiring artists, and established pros, to help them know that they’re not alone in feeling like they’re not good enough or that they’re wasting their time following their creative dreams
“If you want to live a creative life,” she said, “Go and live a creative life.”
The writing of the book was, according to Krysa, “A very Okanagan experience.” Large parts of it were written at her favourite Summerland restaurant, which she mentioned in her book. “It excites me to be doing this in Summerland,” she said. “It’s where my heart is”
Danielle Krsya will be part of a reading taking place at the Summerland Library on Dec. 17. The reading, which also features local authors T & R Critchelow, Brandy Maslowski and Danny Evanishen is an excellent chance to check out just a few of the wonderfully talented people who live and create here in Summerland.
The event takes place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is sure to be a great time. I’ve attended events like these in the past and I’ve always loved the interesting variety of writers and the experiences that those writers bring with them.
I know I’ll be there and, hopefully, so will you.
Douglas Paton is a Summerland writer and musician. If you know of a local arts and culture event, contact him at dgpaton80@gmail.com.
