Authentically Teresa Funke – Never AI
How to Be a Multicultural Artist/Writer
January 27 is Multicultural Children’s Book Day, and it brings me around to an interesting conversation that’s underway in the publishing community–whether anyone has the right to tell stories outside of their race or culture. I have friends whose story ideas have lately been turned down because they wanted to write about a race different...
The Pendulum Theory of Art and Politics
When I was pursuing my history degree in college, I learned about the Pendulum Theory, or so my professor called it. According to the theory, history (and especially politics) swings to one direction until it reaches a tipping point (usually driven by popular mood) and then it swings back. This makes living in a two-party...
Don’t Let Them Tell You It’s Too Easy
Last week I talked about how my professors’ high expectations motivated me. This week, I want to put a slightly different spin on that. See, I was a history major, which meant writing tons of 10 and 20-page papers. One year, I was taking a Native American Studies class. My professor was passionate about her...
Are You Living Up To Their Expectations?
On the last day of classes during my senior year of college, I dropped in to say good-bye to my professors. I was graduating in a few days with a degree in history and had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with my education. When the dean asked me about my plans,...
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all of my blog followers. Thank you so much for reading my humble words each week. I hope they have provided some joy and inspiration. I look forward to connecting in 2017. Please recommit to your own art and creativity. Recommit to learning and growing and experiencing. We are going to...
The Real Gifts Santa Brings
When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was my favorite day of the year. We had our large extended family gathering at my grandmother’s Victorian-style home in Boise. Good food, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and that night, Santa would come. I sometimes think he’s part of the reason I have the values I...
What is Your Standing Rock – Your Passion?
I write a lot in this blog about passion, but it’s an overused word in our society. People will say, “I’m passionate about pizza” or “My passion is shopping.” But the definition of passion is “a strong and barely controlled emotion.” I seriously doubt that pizza makes you feel like you are coming out of...
Holiday Inspiration for Your Creative Self
Are you feeling the holi-daze? Finding it hard to keep up during this busy season, and feeling frustrated because your artistic work may be taking a back seat? Me too. So I’m posting this video I created to help writers stay in touch with their creative sides during this stressful (but joyful) time of year....