Today I am sharing an interview I did with sci-fi author Mary Fan. This is an interview series I call Artist in Residence.
I heard this great quote recently: “On the bright side, I am no longer calling this shelter-in-place. I am now an artist-in-residence.” It got me thinking about how times of adversity and challenge are often what inspire action and creation for us artists.
I decided to seek out some peers whom I admire and ask them how they are using this time to be working artists. What has changed for them? Where are they finding room to create at home if they previously worked in an offsite studio, out-of-doors, or are now sharing a home studio with other working-from-home family members? What are they creating now – is it influenced by the current situation or on a similar path as before? Are they feeling called to action or struggling to create?
Everyone is responding differently to this crisis. Let’s learn how others are coping with their new status as Artists in Residence.
A little bit about this video:
This interview is with sci-fi author Mary Fan. Mary describes her genre and style of writing, how she got into writing science fiction for a young adult audience, and the hallmark themes that many of her books touch upon. She talks about the appeal of writing characters that are just coming of age, the book that inspired her to pursue writing in the first place, and how she fit this creative craft into a busy life that also included a 9-5 day job and numerous other hobbies. Mary also describes how her schedule has changed since the pandemic, the challenges of maintaining creative energy, and the effect that these difficult times may be having on what and how she is writing.
You can learn more about Mary on her website: https://www.maryfan.com
And be sure to follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astralcolt/
