We spent a whole month in Macon, Georgia. We decided that staying somewhere for a longer period of time would allow us to settle in and live more like locals than tourists.
My husband met Aaron, who works at Visit Macon, through a Minnesota connection. Because of Aaron, we met Paul, who manages Airbnb properties. Paul got us situated in our airbnb when we arrived and made sure we had everything we needed. He brought us some extra household items that one-night guests don’t usually need such as a card table, larger pots and pans, and a crockpot. We settled in and made it “home”. Our favorite TV shows to watch in the evenings were Wheel of Fortune and America’s Got Talent. Living in a small space made for a lot of family bonding time. Since we weren’t busy with homework and regular activities in the evenings, we were able to play scrabble, do puzzles, watch movies, and just talk about life.
Macon is a home to Mercer University. I came to realize while staying here that I love a college town. I saw students everywhere we went. The first weekend we were here was homecoming, and the campus was buzzing with excitement. The pep band played as the football team paraded through the crowds of fans, tailgating before the football game.
There is also a strong arts and music presence in Macon, which you pick up on right away when walking through the downtown. Famous artists who came from Macon include Little Richard, Otis Redding, and the Allman Brothers. You can tour the house where the Allman Brothers lived and the studio where their records were made. Mark dived deep into music history while we were here, taking several tours, and doing a lot of reading.
Here are a few of the places I remember visiting this month in Macon.
The Tubman African American Museum
Amerson Park
Ocmulgee Indian Mounds
Wear Thrift Store
Seussical the Musical performed by Miller Fine Arts Middle School
Reboot Retrocade
Macon Bagels
H&H Cafe (trying grits for the first time)
Fall Line Brewery – great outdoor seating with fire pits
Each weekday started out at the Washington Library where the kids and I spent a couple hours doing our homeschool work. We felt so welcomed by the staff in the children’s department of the library. There were days when the girls were not happy to be on the trip and feeling homesick for their teachers and classmates. I think the routine of going to the library everyday, sitting in the same spot, and seeing the same librarians working was therapeutic (at least for me!)
A few surprises in Macon were finding out Malia could play in a tennis tournament, getting complimentary tickets to a Mercer College girls basketball game, and attending a free Middle Georgia University choir concert. Another great surprise was being invited over to the home of a local family, Joey and Sherry, after visiting New City Church. After our visit, Sherry and her daughter asked me to teach them piano lessons while I was in town.
I didn’t know what to expect of Macon, but I can honestly say that I grew to love it. I know I wasn’t here long enough to learn its downsides (every town has downsides), but I don’t have a lot bad to say (other than the stop lights take a REALLY long time to turn from red to green. Also, I can’t get used to being called “Ma’am” and seeing everyone where jeans and sweaters when it is 80 degrees outside. They all say it’s “because it’s fall!”
Enjoy a few more photos of our time in Macon below.
Let’s play a game, shall we? Look around at your friends on social media as well as the people you rub shoulders with in your daily life. Do you immediately think of individuals you would describe as extremely creative?
What exactly is a Midlife Creative? It’s a person in the middle of their life who is actively pursuing a creative path. They have hobbies they enjoy, they appreciate beautiful things, value nature, and take time to work on their craft – whether that be writing, cooking, art, music, dance, photography, you name it.
These people often help me explore a new angle on an issue or give me permission to go against societal norms. They are not content with a predictable life. They care deeply and are often frustrated when their intentions are misunderstood. These are artists (even though they may not like to use that label on themselves)
We live in a world where comparison keeps us stuck. There is always someone who seems to have a better handle on their creative life than we do or who seems more talented or successful. There’s always someone who has already published a book, has a larger following, or makes enough money to pursue their art as a full-time vocation. Because of this, we see our own art as ordinary, or unworthy of recognition.
Let’s go on a hunt for hiding Midlife Creatives that need a boost of praise. If you notice someone being creative, point it out. Let them know you notice. Tell them specifically what you admire about how they express themselves and what they bring to the world.
If you share on social media, use the hashtag #midlifecreative. Follow the hashtag to read about other midlife creatives like you. Let’s support one another as artists!
Here are a few examples of people in my life who I see as #midlifecreative.
Briana Lavine Leigh @_oh_fer_sure
When I met Briana, I instantly knew we would be friends. Once I asked this question to a room full if people, ”When I say the word creative, does anyone come to mind?” Everyone in the room practically shouted “Briana!”
This girl oozes creativity. You never know what she will come up with next. Whether its a unique social studies lesson, a new recipe, a song, a dance, a water aerobics cheer….this girl does a million things, but a creative thread runs through it all. She doesn’t try to be creative, she just IS.
@volkmanadventures
The Volkmans are adventure bloggers that I enjoy following and have met in real life too. They live to be outside in nature and explore new places in Minnesota. I love how passionate they are about their adventures and sharing them with others. It makes me want to get off the couch and go exploring.
Craig Evans @frailin1 Deanne Lily Parks @artdeanne
These two are one of my favorite #midlifecreative couples. They live in my neighborhood and can be seen playing banjo on their front porch on summer evenings. Deanne is an amazing painter, sculptor, and writer. Craig is a musician, film maker, and life-long learner. He has lots going on (more than I even know) but is extremely humble about it all. These two are great listeners and supporters of other artists. If it wasn’t for Deanne, I may not have read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron which set me on the path I am today.
Now that you’ve read a few examples of Midlife Creatives in my life, tell me about yours. Who inspires you to live a more creative life? I hope you’ll join me in sharing on your own instagram and using the hashtag #midlifecreative
In 2022, I’m going on a hunt for midlife creatives from here, there, and everywhere. I want to pick their brain about their area of expertise, how they got started, and what inspires them.
The first artist I got the chance to talk to was Johanna Franey from Morris, MN. Johanna owns and operates her own baking business called Creative Confections. Her Instagram page @creativeconfectionsmorris is overflowing with photos of unique cakes, cupcakes, and macarons she has made. I wanted to find out how this interest in baking cakes got started and how she finds time to make such masterpieces while juggling all of her other mom responsibilities. Johanna is married to John, a homeschool mom of four kids ages 5, 7, 9, and 11, and also a piano teacher of 25 students a week. As a mom and piano teacher myself, we had a lot of things in common to talk about. My husband and I also went to college in Morris, MN and lived there for 5 years after getting married, so we have that small town connection as well. Here are a few bits and pieces of my conversation with Johanna.
Q. Have you always considered yourself an artist?
A. No, not at all. In fact sometimes I still doubt when people tell me I’m creative. When I was 14, I was on a trip in Washington, DC and my mom gave me a camera and asked me to take some photos. She looked at them and told me “these are pretty good”. From then on, I started taking an interest in photography. I also played the piano and was in plays, but would not have called myself an artist.
Q. When did you start making cakes?
A. There was a group of young adults that were getting together at church and we would have treats afterwards. One of the young college girls would always bring these gorgeous baked goods and I admired them and thought, “I’d better up my game”. My competitive nature is what got me baking. I started baking for fun in 2014 with 3 young kids under my feet. I dabbled in it for about 4 years and then got licensed with the state in 2018. I didn’t have any formal training, I just learned by doing. People would come to me with an idea for a cake and I would figure out how to make it. There was a lot of trial and error at first and a few big flops where I had to start over, but also a lot of successes that made me feel really proud of myself.
Q. What does a typical week look like for you?
A. I homeschool my kids in the morning and then afternoons are spent teaching piano lessons during the school year. I don’t teach piano during the summer, so that is my busier time for baking. I bake for the Morris farmers market and also fill special orders for birthday and wedding cakes. During the school year, I bake on weekends unless I’ve scheduled to take a weekend off.
Q. Do you ever get burnt out?
A. I did have a time when I took on too much and needed to take a month off to rest. After that, I started setting clearer boundaries for myself and saying no if a request didn’t fit with the needs of my family. One thing many people don’t realize is how physically strenuous baking can be. There are some weekends when I can be on my feet for 18 hours. I have learned the importance of stretching, getting massages, and having down time. One of the tensions in owning your own business is learning to set limits and stick with them. Saying no to customers for the good of my family has been a lesson I’ve been learning.
Q. Do you ever doubt yourself?
A. I like to remind myself that when someone is ordering a cake from me, they aren’t just doing it because they want to be nice. They actually like my cakes and many are repeat customers. Whenever I start comparing myself to other bakers who are further along than I am, I stop and remind myself of the progress I have made.
Q. What do you do for self care?
A. I do find the baking itself as self care. It’s a creative outlet and I have something beautiful at the end to show for my time. Learning how to say no to customers has been a valuable skill that I’ve been able to use in other areas of my life as well. I also like to switch things up when I’m tired of baking, and write poems or taking photos of nature.
You can see more of Johanna’s creations on Facebook and Instagram at Creative Confections. The photos shared here on this post are some of her favorites. When asked why, Johanna says:
“I’m proud of the cakes pictured here (other than the wedding cake) because I didn’t copy from a concept photo. I just had an idea in my head and was able to create them. I’m proud of the wedding cake because I had to re-do the middle (marbled) tier three times to get it right, and I was so frustrated and stressed, but pushed through and was finally able to make it work.”
Thanks Johanna, for sharing your art with me. One of the things that stood out to me most from our conversation was how much you have grown as a businesswoman in such a short time. I resonated with how you are learning to define clearer boundaries, understand your limits, and prioritize your marriage and family time so you don’t take on more than you can handle. I was also reminded of the importance of positive and encouraging voices in the lives of young artists. Your mom encouraged you to start taking photographs and even though that didn’t end up being a long term business, it was an important step in your creative journey. I love how you are holding all things loosely and realize that this baking business may not be forever, but it is a good fit for now. I know your cakes have brought a lot of delight to many celebrations. I look forward to seeing more of your work and watching you grow as a wife, mom, friend, and artist. It’s a joy to know you!
When I find myself not writing or reading, I know something is lacking. Like the earth needs water, one of my refreshing wells is words. Words bring meaning to emotions and experiences. However, when words are not enough, simply BEING in a place of beauty and taking it in feels like gulping cold, clean water on a hot day.
These dry times are bound to come. How can I bloom in the desert?
As I wait for some grand inspiration, some mountain top moment, some new work to present itself, I’m reminded that BEING in the PRESENT moment is what life is all about. Life is about seeing every landscape as beautiful and meaningful. The deserts, the mountains, the oceans, the forests, and the plains. Flowers do still bloom in the desert.
Here are some things I am doing to keep my creativity alive and blooming.
Choosing to do the small things. Take photos of things that draw me in Watering some flowers and plants and watching them grow Learning something new – ukelele for me Resting in a hammock near water. Taking my kids to a sculpture park and bead store.
Speak kindly to yourself Avoid “should haves” and telling myself I am “lazy”. Remind myself of how far I’ve come.
Dream on Paper What would I do if there was nothing stopping me? Where would I like to be in 10 years? Write it down.
Do something that scares you For me this means not being afraid to approach new people and speak up in public. It means going down the water slide when I’d rather take a nap on my towel. It means trusting my instincts and pushing ahead instead of doubting myself. It means having hard conversations instead of smiling and saying “I’m fine” when it’s not fine.
Share one of your ideas with someone else Don’t keep all your dreams inside. Speak at least one dream out loud. If the sharing of your idea isn’t received, try again with someone else. Don’t give up so quickly. One “no” is not a closed door forever. Maybe try a window or look for another way through. Don’t give up.
One of my dreams is to find a way to make income without being in one place, so I can spend a year traveling with my family. Another dream is to write a book.
What are you dreaming of? How are you watering your creativity?
Free Yourself….it’s time for a burst of what I call midlife creative.
Freedom to express the creativity inside you is a great gift. We are all born creative. We all have this gift. The reason we hold back from accessing this gift is because we are afraid to break the rules or disappoint the people we care about. Creatives often feel trapped in a world where they are being asked to fit into a box or color in the lines when all they really want is permission to let the explosion of their true selves come out. Buried inside is a massive amount of never before seen beauty. It needs to come out, but the fear that holds them back is that others will not see their expression as beautiful.
Midlife Creative is first of all a realization. My hope is that those feeling stuck as they enter the 2nd half of their lives will ask themselves the hard questions. What am I made to create? Where do I find joy and delight? Who are the people in my life who cheer me on to be my best self? Its time for so many of us to step out of our comfortable, people pleasing existence and into a truer picture of who we want to be. It’s time for some of us to clean out our closets and get rid of what doesn’t fit anymore. Its also time to dust off an old instrument or hobby that we have set aside or explore something that we have always wanted to try. Poets, writers, dancers, actors, musicians, entrepreneurs, dreamers, and artists, I say to you….”Come awake and Come Alive…this is your time to live your best life!!”
