I was at the grocery store a week ago and my wife wanted me to look for a specific TIME magazine for her. Of course I had to browse around for my own interests as well, especially since I haven’t bought myself a magazine in years, not counting my lifetime subscription to The Rodder's Journal of course. I ended up buying MHQ (The Quarterly Journal Of Military History), which I love, but I also stumbled across a publication called BOURBON+ and I bought it because of the quality of the magazine itself. Similar to The Rodder’s Journal and MHQ, it’s a high-end quarterly magazine, so I thought I would give it a shot, and I’m super happy I did.
It’s always great when you find something new that excites you, and that’s exactly what this was for me. I read the whole magazine from cover to cover and I was blown away by how intriguing the whole thing was. This magazine is full of great stories on whiskey knowledge, mixology, bars, business, and cigar pairings, just to name a few. I’m incredibly selective with any type of subscription, but this one is a must for me. Since my wife proofreads all of my work, she’ll now know what she can buy me for my birthday. I also have to say, this story is super funny because they didn’t end up having my wife’s TIME magazine, but at least I was able to discover this because of her. Thanks and sorry, babe!
I can’t believe I haven’t talked about my “go-to” whiskey yet. My very first post in this section was on Eagle Rare, which is a cousin to one of my all time favorite spirits, Buffalo Trace. I’ve been drinking this stuff for almost ten years now. I took a tour of the Buffalo Trace distillery many years ago, before drinking whiskey was a trendy thing to do. This is America’s oldest, continuously running distillery and it makes some of the finest and most sought out bourbon in the world. I told you that Eagle Rare was a cousin because Buffalo Trace distills it. They also distill Blanton’s and Pappy Van Winkle. If you know anything about bourbon, you know that Van Winkle is the the #1 rated bourbon in the entire world. If I had a mic in my hand, right about now would be the time to drop it. With that said, I don’t think I need to hype up this distillery any further.
I also had the pleasure of meeting the grandson of the artist who created the artwork for the Buffalo Trace label. Back when I lived in Windsor, Colorado, I used to frequent a restaurant called Hearth. My wife and I would walk there once a week or so. On one of my visits, I walked up to the bar to get a drink while waiting for a seat. I ordered my wife a glass of wine and I asked for a triple Buffalo Trace, neat. There was a man sitting with his wife at the bar who started talking to me after he heard my rather ridiculous order of this sweet and succulent spirit. He was an artist himself and he went on to explain how his grandfather created the artwork for the bottle. I was definitely skeptical, but he showed me some pretty convincing photos as proof. I was blown away!
A bottle of Buffalo Trace won’t break the bank at all. I can usually find it for around $26 at my local grocer or liquor store. Every once and a while Costco will sell the “big daddy” bottle as well and that really makes me happy! Aside from the affordability, this tried and true bottle will not disappoint you. It’s absolutely my favorite bottle of bourbon under $100 because it has a lot of character. It’s one of those drinks that has a long finish, and I really love that because I’m not into finding the smoothest and easiest (to drink) bourbon, the way I used to be when I first started sipping the stuff. If you’re into bourbon and you haven't tried Buffalo Trace, find yourself a bottle. It might just become a staple in your bar as well.
My recent project on SRV made me take a deep dive into the emotional and vastly creative world of blues music. I was going to write about my favorite SRV song on this post, but who in the hell hasn’t heard “Lenny?” Well if you haven’t, please go and take a listen to it because your ass is missing out. As far as the rest of you go, and especially those of you who love the blues, I wanted to share a name that isn’t as common, or should I say “as well known,” in the world of the blues. Everyone knows about BB King, Stevie Ray, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, and Eric Clapton, but do you know about a blues man that goes by the name of Magic Slim? My goodness! He plays one of the best songs that I could ever label as purely blues, and I mean down to the bone. The name of the song is called “Crazy Woman.”
This song is so damn bluesy that you’re going to need to pair it with some Buffalo Trace, and maybe even a fine cigar, if you're into that sort of thing. I know I am, at least when it comes to this song. The way Slim plays his guitar on this song will make you wonder if you’ve ever actually heard the blues before listening to this song. Okay, that may be too strong of a statement, but I’m sticking to it. Apart from the guitar, the thing that really makes this song great is the lyrics. They’re simple, to the point, and have a really nostalgic vibe. All of these things added together personify the very meaning of blues music. I have a hard time keeping my eyes open and keeping my head from following the beat of this song when it's flowing through my speakers. Please do yourself a favor and check this one out!
The past couple of weeks have been dedicated to editing tutorials, posting them to YouTube, writing, and reading. I’ve chosen to pause the carving due to a minor tendon injury, and that’s why I haven’t posted much on social media. I took a walk with my wife and I was talking to her about my struggle with not being able to create something physical. I’ve been getting a lot of work done since I decided to take time off of carving, but I have real issues if I can’t actually create something. It’s not good for my mental health because I get the most fulfilment when I make something with my hands. It’s a problem.
Well, I think I’m onto something! My beautiful wife reminded me that I can still draw, and it was something I said I would practice during this downtime. Damn, I love that woman. She got me excited about creating my next project. It’s going to be something totally different than anything you’ve ever seen before, at least I hope it is. The best part about it is I’ll be able to continue my music theme with this new project. It’s too hard to explain in detail, but it will combine my love for illustration and fine woodworking in a way that the world has never seen before. Oh, and I should probably mention the blues man that this piece is based on - the legendary Muddy Waters! You’re going to want to see this one come to life so look out for it on Facebook and Instagram!
On Content
In today's high paced, 24-hour news cycle and continuous social connectivity, individuals and businesses are doing everything they can to remain, or even become relevant in an endless jungle of thoughts, products, and causes. As you can imagine, for those of us making a living off of our creativity, it seems to be a never-ending struggle to navigate through the murky, yet occasionally vivid landscape of our individual pursuits. This dense and saturated jungle has the power to make or break businesses. Individuals and entities alike, use different strategies and tactics to spread the word around about their products and ideas. Oftentimes, especially with publications, deceptive tactics are practiced by way of using “clickbait” headlines and teasers to help nudge consumers into reading their articles. Even though this type of dishonest approach gets the initial job done of getting the product in front of the consumer, it’ll always be evaluated by the true and transparent standard which all judgments should be based upon - CONTENT.
In case you didn’t know, all search engines, social media platforms, and even the real world revolve around content. This is why it’s so important to realize this as an artist. Search engines rank sites based on a ton of different factors, but at the end of the day, the content within websites is ultimately what drives traffic and rankings. All social media is set up to run in a similar way. This is the reason why certain posts go viral. People start liking, commenting, and sharing posts, then algorithms start catching onto these trends and help disseminate them to an even broader audience. The real world also works in similar ways, if you think about it. The content of someone's character is the dominant factor in choosing who you surround yourself with. The content of a film is what drives us to the theater. Content exists in individuals, groups, businesses, pets, and everything else you can think of. Why do you think that you drive to the doctor when you’re sick? The content within the doctors office, from the people, equipment, and medications, mesh together to provide solutions for you as the customer.
The content that you create is the most important factor when it comes to creating a following online and on social media, but it obviously can’t appeal to everyone. It’ll only appeal to people who are in need, or who are into the type of product that you’re creating. You could be making leather wallets and purses, and those things will only resonate with a certain percentage of the population, so it’s up to you to either find your customers, or better yet, make it easier for them to find you. The thing to remember is that it’s imperative for you to create the best content you possibly can, and if you can somehow be unique in your field, it will accelerate your chances of success. There is one thing though that will compound those chances even more - if you already have a skillset and you’re looking to reach a wider audience, you need to push your content even further by giving it the justice it deserves. Start paying closer attention to the way you’re presenting your product, and not just your finished product either.
If you search for popular websites and social media accounts, you’ll find that content varies widely depending on the person or business. The spectrum of art in social media is incredibly vast in it’s medium, style, creation, and presentation. If you’re an active creator and you regularly use social media, the content of your post is what will ultimately make or break you. You could be a great artist who doesn't take enough time to present his/her creation with care, leaving your viewer with a sorry interpretation of your work. Conversely, you can be a less skilled artist who knows how to invest additional time and/or money into creating a great photographic setting for your piece, resulting in a better appreciation from the viewer, and even better sales. Why do you think a company who is known for their textiles presents them in a nice setting with beautiful rooms, furniture, and people who look like they’re having a great time? It’s because they want you to see how you and you’re home could look if you had their product. All of these companies, big or small, know that even though they may have a solid product, it’s much better represented if the setting it’s photographed in is carefully planned out.
Many creative pieces start with some sort of preliminary idea or sketch. You can even create good content based on these initial steps. Even if it’s as simple as having a sketch on a napkin, you can still set up a great picture and start getting people excited about your new creation. Get creative and leverage the interactions from a well thought out video as well. You should get in the habit of carefully documenting your process because people want to see what goes into it. It’s definitely extra work, but it’ll pay in the end when you’ve shown the world what it takes to make something from nothing. The entire time you’re creating your product, look for opportunities to pause and take a great photo. Learn how to edit photos and videos. Strive to broaden your skill set in the way you document things, and also keep your friends in mind that may be able to help you. I have great friends that have lent a hand in these different areas of expertise, because they’re way better at it than I am. Most of the photos of myself on my website were taken by Dan Rioz, and it's because he’s a professional photographer and a good friend. Remember that all of these things add up to better and more meaningful content.
If you’re serious about becoming a creative who makes a living off of your passions, it’s essential to wrap your head around the importance of the content that you’re sharing. You also can’t forget all of the details that go into the framework of each and every social media post or segment of your website, podcast, YouTube video, etc . . . All the way down to the words that you are writing about on your specified platform. The goal should be to create the best experience for all of your viewers and potential customers. Also, If you can’t create meaningful content on a certain day, then it might be best not to force it. Although it's important to stay active on social media, you probably shouldn’t be posting more than twice a day. There’s also a line you shouldn’t cross in the opposite direction. If you post too little, then it’ll be hard to retain and build an audience, so make sure you’re posting at least four times per week. My personal goal is to post at least once a day during the week, and it's pretty easy to do while I’m working on a project.
Now it’s time for a word of caution. I would highly recommend avoiding anything that isn’t going to organically grow your online and social media presence, especially if they seem too good to be true. Just like I was talking about “clickbait” earlier, using disingenuous methods to create a following could be detrimental to your business. I have friends who have tried some of these things and a few of them have even had their accounts deleted from Instagram and Facebook for it. If you sit and think about this, you’ll come to the realization that even if your following does go up with these schemes, all it’s going to do is please your own ego. These (most likely fake) followers won’t amount to sales, likes, comments or business opportunities. There’s a foolish trap that our ego can create in our mind that compares our self-worth with the amount of subscribers or followers we have. Don’t fall into that trap because it’s never a good idea to compare yourself with anyone, especially if you don’t personally know them. You don’t know how many years they’ve been working to spread their name around, the validity of their followers, whether or not they’re making more money than you, or anything else from viewing their accounts. This is the social media version of “keeping up with the Joneses.” A trap that a lot of people fall into until they gain experience or some might say, wisdom. At the end of the day you should worry about yourself creating a true and organic following of your own.
If you’re new to a certain social media platform or your website is new to the internet, don’t forget that it’s going to take time to grow. It could take years to gain traction, but you shouldn’t let that get you down. If you’re committed to your craft, the time will fly by as you navigate your business. Put in the time and effort to get your name out there however you can. Oh, and if you’re one of those people who are hoping to go viral with your next video or post, don’t hold your breath. The chances of that happening are incredibly slim, but at least if you take my advice from this post, you’ll have better chances of that happening. Never forget the main rule for rankings on the internet and growing on social media - create unique and meaningful content.
Well, you made it through another one! Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope that the content within it is meaningful and helpful for all who read it. If you know an artist or creative who could benefit from this blog, please share it with them. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Much Love To All,
Alex Carmona