Sage Bray Varon

I have a quick question…

Have you missed me?

Okay, that’s not my real question. I apologize for being absent for so long. I do have good reasons for that though and, in the end, good things have come from my absence. At least I hope you will think so.

But let me pose the question I would really like to ask first — Do you still find blogs a useful and convenient source of inspiration and information?

This is a question I had been asking myself earlier in the year as the growth of this blog stagnated. I was also faced with the issue of my work/life balance, as many of us are.

Back in June, I started to rethink my priorities, which is why I decided not to keep a strict schedule on this blog as a way to help prioritize other projects. Only the universe, as usual, had other plans.

 

Where I’ve Been

A couple weeks after that last blog post, my mother had a turn for the worse and by July she had left us. In the following months, several other family issues came up, and I found myself driving an average of 2000 miles a month all over the western United States helping to put things right.

Needless to say, I couldn’t find time, much less energy, to write anything. But there were two things I did manage to do during all that time on the road and they unexpectedly led me in a completely new direction with my planned projects.

For one, I got addicted to podcasts. They really filled my time on all those long drives. I ended up with a mind that was just bursting with ideas from the art discussions, storytelling, reports on current issues, and TED Talks and that created the other thing I did—recording my thoughts, book and article outlines, and short stories during my drives on my phone’s audio recorder.

Then, somewhere in the middle of New Mexico, it hit me. Maybe I should start recording audio podcasts.

At first, I thought the idea of doing a podcast was just a silly fantasy. I am a writer first and foremost right now, and I should be focusing on writing related projects. But then I started thinking — even as a writer, I rarely “read” anything unless it’s in an audio format. Maybe two or three times a week I spent 20 minutes reading an actual paper book while I eat lunch, but it’s really hard to make time for anything more. And I know I’m not alone in this.

And maybe that’s why people haven’t been reading blogs — they don’t have the time and they have alternatives. I think podcasts are the new blog alternative since we can play them while driving, working out, or cleaning the house. Or while working at a studio table.

 

What I’ve Been Up To

So, over the last few months, I put together the plans for a podcast, got some used equipment, learned how to use the used equipment, learned the software, and managed to rough record 7 episodes. Somewhere around the fourth rough recording, I realized, hey, I could really do this. Not only was I getting excited about all the possibilities of what I could do for my fellow artists but this recording and editing stuff was fun!

So, a few weeks ago, I lined up all the necessary services, built a website, and quietly published a four-minute trailer which created a listing on the podcast directories. Suddenly, it was official. I had a podcast! This past week, I published my first two episodes. And I haven’t told anyone but my husband that it’s up. Until now.

The podcast is called The Sage Arts. I’m the primary voice offering artists inspiration and thought-provoking diversions through a mix of artist interviews, historical and listener stories, productivity advice, design guidance, and motivational ponderings. My goal is to give you time each week to supercharge your creativity, motivation, and artistic voice through novelty, story, conversation, and community.

These initial episodes are very much like the blog posts on This Creative Habit, so if you enjoyed those, I think you’ll really enjoy the podcast.

I was surprised to hear that a lot of my artist friends haven’t gotten into podcast yet. Which is crazy because they are such a great form of entertainment and diversion in the studio. Some said that they don’t know where to go for them and others were concerned with the technical aspects.

Well, I made it super easy for you to check out my podcast—you don’t even need to get into a podcast player. Listen to them in your browser on this link: https://rss.com/podcasts/thesagearts/

If you do listen to podcasts, simply search for “The Sage Arts” in your favorite player or go to the above link and click the “Listen on” button to open it directly in your preferred player.

If you like what you hear, don’t forget to click the FOLLOW button so you get new episode notifications in your player. It also helps me move up in the search listings and is just plain encouraging for me.

New to podcasts and want to know how to they work? I put together an introduction and explanation of how to listen to them here: https://thesagearts.com/2022/12/07/the-wonderful-world-of-podcast-listening/

If you find you are interested in being a guest co-host, want to suggest a guest co-host, would like to request particular subjects, or simply want to give feedback, you can do so here: https://thesagearts.com/contact/

Have a listen and let me know what you think–good, bad or otherwise! I want to make this want you need, not just what I think you want.

 

What Next?

I’ll be posting new episodes 1-2 times a week through January. I’m not sure I can keep it going twice a week without assistance, so getting help and raising the funds to do so are next on the list. But I can guarantee there will be a posting every week. I am aiming for Fridays and Mondays but things are subject to change as I figure this out.

I know this seems like a lot to be sending out right before the height of the holidays, but I did that on purpose. I figure that would give this a slow start so I can work out all the bugs and not feel overly pressured to get everything perfect right out the gate. The website still needs some work and I’m still hammering out my process to get publications up by my self-imposed deadlines. But all in all, it’s coming together pretty well.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful, safe, and joyful holiday season. I look forward to sharing more with you in 2023!