The potential of every seed remains dormant until planted. When an artist deploys their creative seed in the form of creative projects and initiatives, some seeds have moderate growth, while others never take root. Others when planted in the right environments and circumstances are able to demonstrate recurring creative, cultural and financial returns. Although it is preferable to have every creative seed flourish, it proves just as desirable and advantageous when seeds fail, as it provides an opportunity to not only sharpen an artist’s creative and business insight, but also their sowing technique. Seed failure for an artist offers intel towards what creative content is effective and why—and also, in the case of business relationships and the marketplace, a sharpened insight towards who to trust and when to trust during the creative process.
The Parable of the Sower within scripture further illustrates the act of sowing and is a case study of the creative process and landscape. It tells the story of a man who goes out to the field to sow grain. As he scatters the seed in the field, some of it lands on a path and the birds eat it. Another portion of the seed lands on rocky ground where it is left exposed and is eventually burned by the sun. Some of the seed that is spread falls among thorn bushes, which choke the plants that grow, before they can reach their potential. Others fall in fertile soil and are able to produce, bringing plentiful return.
During the process of planting creative, as an artist, all of these scenarios are inevitable. Some projects and opportunities may be devoured by takers posing as confidants or colleagues. Others may fall into shallow platforms or rocky marketplaces that are not suitable for growth and projects may die under the harsh glare of neglect. The potential of others may be choked out by premature abandonment by investors or by the self-sabotage of worry and anxiety. And then there are others that flourish when planted under optimal conditions with professional support.
In every scenario, particularly with seed failure, there is introspective towards the conditions, mindset and vehicles that work best in deploying creative projects. Thought leader and business expert, Jim Rohn, regularly used The Parable of the Sower to provide business perspective for entrepreneurs on the dynamic of sales and business statistics and the educational incentives of failure. In the face of seed failure, sensitivity to the creative process and marketplace is sharpened, and perspective is gained on when, where and how to plant your seed effectively to achieve its highest yield.
Artist, entrepreneur and creative visionary, Nipsey Hussle, embodied this level of study of the creative process. In numerous interviews, he spoke about his path as an artist and the failures and business gaffes that he experienced while realizing his artistic ambitions. Along the way he grew to understand and effectively articulate his value and his brand and was able to compound his talents beyond music and sow additional seed into local businesses and social entrepreneurship initiatives such as Vector 90 and Too Big To Fail that he co-created with his business partner, real estate developer, Dave Gross. The seeds that Nipsey planted as an artist and entrepreneur in his hometown will continue to grow in his absence and multiply, as intended, towards the social and economic health and wealth of the residents of the Crenshaw District—in adjacence to the current Destination Crenshaw initiative and movement, for which he was an advocate. Nipsey’s understanding of and obedience to his creative calling and purpose has now provided a national, if not global template, of creative and social entrepreneurship, as well as the marriage of artistic authenticity with creative vision.
The gains and losses of the creative process both provide an experiential wisdom that acts as an inner mentor in the development of an artist’s creative career. Through the study of creative sowing and the research of the supply and demand of the marketplace, intuition and understanding are gained towards the realization of artistic impact, creative income and the purpose and potential of creativity.