Creative Mentoring in San Francisco | Resources for Anxiety Interview Series with Lindsay Stripling
Lindsay Stripling is a San Francisco–based artist and illustrator. She studied black-and-white photography at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and obtained a post-baccalaureate in painting at the San Francisco Art Institute. Currently, she works as an adjunct professor of illustration at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Having shown her work nationally and internationally, Stripling often works traditionally with paint on paper, but she also plays with incorporating traditional media into digital work, always coming from a place of layering, texture and experimentation. She likes to keep things playful and explores themes of nature, time, memory, community and psychology. Stripling’s clients include Adobe, Illustoria magazine, Kiva Confections, Nike and Target.
Select Clients:
Adobe, Nike, Kiva, Lululemon, Intercom, Target, CW Hemp, Mind Body Green, Catapult Magazine, Illustoria Magazine, Bust Magazine, Spirituality and Health Magazine, St. Regis Hotel, Green Apple Books on the Park, Point Reyes Books and Marin Parks.
What led you to become an artist, teacher, and creative mentor in San Francisco?
Oh good question! There are a couple reasons- I grew up in the East Bay, was born in Berkeley and always knew I wanted to live in the city. I think also as I got older and was studying photo and painting I realized I wanted to be a creative specifically in San Francisco. So many of my favorite people were living and making really cool work here and I wanted to be a part of that. While it hasn’t been a linear path, it has always been about fostering my own creativity and fostering creativity for others within the city that I love. I want artists to continue to thrive here and elsewhere and so participating in nurturing art practices here and virtually has become a large part of how I participate in community in San Francisco and beyond.
What kind of workshops and mentoring do you provide?
I teach a few different kinds of workshops- I like to think of them as different levels, in price but also intention. The more affordable classes I run through Creative Bug or even on my own site- you can purchase recordings or attend live- in person or virtual workshops I host through zoom. These are often skills based workshops- they are around 2-3 hours depending on the class and the purpose is to teach techniques in a way that I found helpful as a student. We talk a lot about language- about correctness and perfection vs exploration and curiosity! My longer form classes- are pricier and also go for several weeks, some extend for 10 weeks, these focus on developing and fostering an art practice and everything that that entails. I wanted to create these to push people beyond the frenetic energy of buying new supplies and trying them a few times- into showing up regularly to make work that is uniquely theirs. All of my students in every type of class have all sorts of different levels of experience with art- some are already working artists who want community and a refresh, some have never studied art and work full time in another field, others are full time parents, retired, studied art but haven’t painted in years- so the full spectrum. There is no right way to be to come to these classes. Alongside that I host one on one mentoring sessions- this kind of takes those longform classes and pushes it a little further for students, it’s more intimate and helpful for specific goals.
What typically happens during a workshop and a creative mentoring session?
In my long form workshops I try to foster a space where people can share, depending on the class, we have worksheets and readings, I might read to them and then we open it up for discussion which I facilitate. People share the things that come up for them, what they struggled with that week, questions they are grappling with- we look at the work people are making, help them problem solve- it feels scary at first because this all requires being vulnerable! After the first week or so people really settle into the space, they realize that whatever questions they have, others have too or have dealt with. It becomes a safe space to work through creative work!
My mentoring sessions are like that but more intimate! I recommend that people who sign up for a package sign up for the sessions one month apart- more time between sessions really just slows down their progress and takes up time in our sessions where we have to catch up rather than working on their goals and talking things out. We hammer out goals and intentions in the first session, I get to know them and what questions they are asking and working through. After that, I like for the sessions to be directed by the student- so I recommend they arrive with a few things they think they want to talk about- and often it opens up a can of worms and I have questions for them, help them tease out what is underlying a certain issue etc. We have goals we check in on and we develop a task list together. Everyone’s goals are different, I have had students who are just wanting accountability on their personal practice, students who are working on developing an illustrated book, others who are working on a gallery show, or have a freelance illustration career- so many people from different perspectives and backgrounds and what is the most common between them is that they always feel like they don’t have anything to talk about and we end up taking up the full hour and then some because they really did!
Do you think making art can help people struggling with anxiety? If so, how?
I think doing anything that is for ourselves, spending time with ourselves intentionally- helps with anxiety for sure. Learning something new- even if it is just to mix some cool colors and decompress at the end of the week, is so valuable! It is really hard to push past our anxiety to actually make space to show up- and that is a whole topic that we cover in my longer form classes. Getting out of our own way, letting ourselves be quiet and make things- showing up when nobody is there to see it! These are hard things, but they are so important to work towards, the more we do it, the more we will do it- it’s a practice!
What do you love about your work?
I love getting to work with people who desire to bring more art and creativity into their lives- it is so fulfilling. I am blown away by my students, every time I teach, watching them make breakthroughs in their work. I love watching them realize they have the ability to do the thing they love, to solve the problem that arose for them in their painting- it’s all about developing trust with themselves, trust that they'll show up even when they don’t like what they are making, show up even when they don't think they have the time. It's so reaffirming for my own practice because I struggle with those things too! Also my students often end up being friends with one another and friends with me- I still talk to so many of my students, they send me updates, I occasionally meet up with them for coffee or visit when I am in their town. It’s a really cool way to develop community with other creatives.
What helps you tap into creativity?
One of the best ways for me to tap into my creativity is through using ritual and routine- this helps me calm my mind and settle into creative work. Recently that has been waking up and doing 45 minutes of physical activity- swimming, strength training or running, this helps me feel accomplished and also relaxed enough to create. I also take 15 minutes to tidy up my studio, I turn off my phone, turn off any podcast or whatever I am listening to so I can hear the white noise of the world around me while I make a list of the things I would like to do. Sometimes I light a candle as a physical cue, sometimes I put on an album once that list is made- it just depends on the season. But it always starts with being quiet, getting worries, thoughts and todos out on paper so that they can safely live there instead of bouncing around in my brain and I can free up my creative mind for the next few hours.
Is there any driving philosophy that you have that gets you through the day or during challenging times?
I just remind myself to take one step at a time. I often break down overwhelming tasks into small bite sized things- so I can knock them off bit by bit. When I look at the totality of the thing I need to do it can feel impossible- so that list helps a lot. I also love a reward bundle- and I remind myself and students that rewards don’t have to cost anything- rewards can be free. So a common reward for me is a walk- just a little break, I leash up my old doggos and go for a stroll. It’s a nice thing to look forward to, I say, ok let’s do these 3 tasks and then we can listen to that podcast and get outside. Other rewards for me are: a bath, sitting in the backyard and reading for 20 minutes, drawing in my sketchbook, baking a cake (I am really into baking cakes for people these days), painting my nails and theres a billion more. I sometimes will make lists of free rewards so that I can use them when I feel frustrated or annoyed or like I don’t want to get something done.
What do you wish people knew about the positive effects of creative expression, making art, and curiosity on mental health?
It’s all connected! Showing up for ourselves, whether it’s for a run, for a sketchbook practice, for a painting- it isn’t always easy. I think especially when we are bombarded with Instagram reels of people just swiftly making a giant painting we can think- wow I can’t do that and I will never be able to do that! But what that reel doesn’t show you is that artist showing up even when they didn’t want to, making ugly things, remaking a painting in a new way and all the hard parts of showing up- and how they showed up anyway. Showing up isn’t easy, for anyone, even the most practiced and professional person- what sets them apart is that they show up even when it’s hard. That practice- that trust that is built within yourself that you will be there for your creativity or for whatever you want to foster and dedicate yourself to- that changes the chemistry of how we think about ourselves, how we show up for ourselves and for others and our ability to navigate hard things. The more you show up for your creative practice- the more you start to see the world with curiosity- you start to notice how color looks in the shadow of a tree, how the composition of that movie affects the mood of the narrative, how the light on the side of the building changes what you know the shape of it to be. Art and creative work can really help us to be more present with ourselves, with the world around us and find ways to bring more of what we love into it.
How can people learn more and contact you about starting workshops or creative mentoring?
You can learn more about my classes HERE on my website, and mentoring sessions HERE and if you have questions, email me! lindsay@lindsaystripling.com I love talking to people, figuring out what class or approach might best suit their goals- I am a pretty easy going and approachable person- and I promise if you send me an email, I will gladly respond.
Share one fun fact about you that people might not know.
Hmmm- I am an open water swimmer! I swim in the San Francisco Bay regularly! I swam and played water polo through college and am an avid sports lover- go Dubs and Giants! And when I was younger I thought I had to choose- I had a weird breakfast club idea that I couldn’t be an athlete and an artist- but what I have realized is that creative athletes and sports fans are a different breed and it’s my favorite niche group!
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If you’re curious to learn more about therapy in San Francisco for anxiety, you can call Whitney Richards, LMFT at (415) 851-5125 or directly schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation. My specialties include anxiety, self-esteem, and building secure and satisfying relationships.