Artist Amnesia

And an (re)introduction to Ten Minute Artist

Adam here,

Hi! I’m writing to you to tell you about the time I forgot I was an artist and how I found my way back in my fourties’ and then, went on to become an illustrator and work on 15 book projects with some of the best publishers from around the world.

Then I’ll introduce you to the community, and show you around this Substack, I will also give you your first prompt and my blueprint to becoming an illustrator if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

So grab your favourite beverage, I like coffee… and join me.

True Story: I Forgot I was an artist.

I had moved to the city in 2010 to become an Artist.

I over committed on a 1500sq foot loft studio.

And took a jobs in tech startups to help me pay the rent. It was meant to be a side thing, but it took over.

I got sucked deeper and deeper into this world… forgetting years of art school, the joy of drawing I had when I was three and the, the declaration I made at 11 that I would be an author and illustrator.

Gradually.

Forgotten.

I traded my love for art and hours creating, for fundraising pitch decks and financial spreadsheets.

It would be close to a decade later, at 38 facing burn out, that I realised that I had completely forgotten that I was an artist. It felt like a part of me was dead.

This is the part of the story where you would expect me to say I quit my job and became an artist and lived happily ever after.

But that’s not what happened, the realisation lead to me, unconsciously at first start drawing in the margins of my bullet journal between meetings, or journaling down my dreams during lunch breaks, and on a rare day off spending a morning drawing comics.

These creative acts of defiance, made that dead part of me come alive again. Drawing daily accelerated the process. I started with ten minutes a day but it grew.

I remember this Jim Carrey quote about his dad that goes:

“You can work hard doing something you hate and still fail, so you might as well do what you love.”

And that’s what it’s really about, I will give you a blueprint about how I want from dead inside to doing my dream job at the highest level in a minute…

But it all started by rediscovering my joy in 10 minute increments.

Today I have worked for some of the biggest and best publishers in the world including with Bloomsbury, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, and Walker Books, Penguin Random House, Quatro Publishing and others.

I have book projects lined up and invites to award ceremonies around the world, and even won an award for my first book but that 10 minute practice is still just as important to kickstart the Creative Joy daily.

The joy that fuels everything else.

That's why I created Ten Minute Artist.

This newsletter started out as a chronicle of my journey into publishing at 40. But I’ve honed it over the years to focus specifically on helping people achieve this creative joy.

I do this by writing my meditations and open letters on being an artist and pairing them with daily drawing and journaling prompts.

Each day you get:

• A gentle prompt to spark your creativity

• 10 minutes of pure creative play

• A supportive community of 5,000+ artists

• Permission to create imperfectly for the pure jot of it.

Here's what other artists are saying:

"If you are looking for daily prompts to keep drawing, you couldn't ask for a kinder, funner host!"

—

Wendy MacNaughton

, DrawTogether with WendyMac

"Adam gives thoughtful advice and support for every stage of your illustration journey!"

—

Beth Spencer

, Introvert Drawing Club

"Adam is unrelenting in his quest for creative success! His tips and techniques for consistent growth are top notch."

—

Jacob Souva

, Drawing a Blank

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Membership Tiers:

As a Free Subscriber:

You will receive some of these prompts throughout the week, but you will need to toggle the Daily Creative Prompts here, otherwise you will receive only occasional prompts

Connect with a global creative community, share experiences, seek advice, and grow via the chat app

And this FREE Illustration Career Blueprint, it is both detailed and concise and gives you a clear picture how to go from 10 minutes a day to published illustrator.

It’s my gift you!

Paid Subscribers Unlock:

• Creative Sprint: A Monthly, 5-Day Creative Challenge to tackle some of the core issues creators struggle with. The creative sprints also serve as a great jumping on point to start building some momentum.

As a bonus you also get:

• The Illustrator Career Growth Collection which is the collection of over a dozen of my biggest lessons, the things I had to learn to get my first 5 figure illustration gig.

• 20 + hours of Video Drawing Workshops and Illustrator Roundtable Discussions featuring Adam and Friends.

Become a Creative Industry Insider: Grow in Knowledge, Skill, and Connection through Ten Minute Artist.

1. Change your thinking, turn roadblocks into reframes.

2. Receive prompts to implement these reframes.

3. Connect with the global creative community.

Try it for $20 a month, or Join us for a year for only $100 ($8.30 monthly)

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We’re not done yet, I told you I’ll introduce you to the community and we’ll do this with your first 10 minute artist prompt.

YOUR FIRST TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT

The Joy Collector

Find your favorite mug (we all have one!).

Set your timer for 10 minutes and draw it - wonky lines welcome!

Don’t try to make it perfect; draw as a way to celebrating the everyday joy of your morning ritual. Fill your mug with all the joy you can muster!

Share it in the community as a way of introducing yourself! And give the community a great big CHEERS!

Illustrations by:

Francesca Bossert

,

Patricia

,

Valerie Parizeault

,

Michaela Ahonen

Whether you dream of:

• Publishing your own books (like my work with Bloomsbury and Harper Collins and many others..)

• Building a consistent practice (like thousands in our community)

• Or simply finding joy in creating again

It begins with this simple 10 minute ritual, and permission to be perfectly imperfect.

Make art,