I’m so excited to invite you to join me on this creative journey. It’s been almost a decade since I cofounded Struktur, which began as an in-person creative conference for the design community. After many successful events, the foundation of a podcast, and the launching of an online speaker series during the pandemic, I am finally taking the conversation to a weekly newsletter.
I have been asked several times over the years to develop some sort of platform for regular conversation centered around the creative process, with the intention of providing our creative community with a sense of connection and a well of inspiration. Since the onset of COVID, this “good idea” has become a real necessity to rebuild connections lost during isolation, and the tools to build such a platform have become much more sophisticated and easy to use.
My intention for the Struktur Substack is to share the thoughts, ideas, questions and insights I have gained and developed over 3 decades of creative collaboration, business experience and leadership across art, design, and music….with a healthy dose of the learnings I’ve obtained through thirty-plus years of training in the martial arts. These are the behind-the-scenes insights and curiosities that ultimately lead to all Struktur content, in person and virtual.
I have been fortunate in my life so far to have had many amazing teachers and mentors (both good and bad) whose advice and guidance have helped to steer me down better paths. This, mixed with plenty of challenges and rough times, has served me well in my creative and business endeavors but also in my desire to help others, to be there for others, and to offer a hand up. I firmly believe that we are only as strong as our weakest link. When we work on our own personal weakest link we raise the bar, and when we lift up the lowest in our society, we lift everyone up to a higher level. I also believe that artists and creatives are the visionaries of the future. We are the misfits, the outcasts, the compassionate ones who see what others do not…and that comes with the great responsibility to create a better world.
This Substack is me stepping up to my responsibility as a creative leader. I can write it alone, but without the voice of my creative community it goes nowhere. Please subscribe and join me in the conversation, add your voice in the comments, share with others and help our creative community grow. Let’s make a difference!
On a technical note, please consider downloading the Substack app. With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to. New posts will never get lost in your email filters, or stuck in spam. Longer posts will never cut-off by your email app. Comments and rich media will all work seamlessly. Overall, it’s a big upgrade to the reading experience.
The Substack app is currently available for iOS. If you don’t have an Apple device, you can join the Android waitlist here.
This is Struktur, writings for the creator community in art, design and music. Thanks for being here. See you soon!
In High Light,
Michelle
Post photo: marian van leeuwen