Finding freedom through structure?

This week I’m thinking about enslaving myself to see if I improve…

It’s worked before, will it work again?

Structure

Five years ago, I ran out of money.

I’d made a commitment to living as an artist and needed to find a way forward.

I didn’t know how the art world worked, and I’d just spent five years avoiding social media.

It was rough.

I decided to take a well-trodden route: making paintings.

I had 10 canvases in the studio. They were strong and high-quality, but I couldn’t make any more.

Rent was due, and I had to figure it out…

I gave myself 100 days to work it out.

A single painting a day.

When I got to painting 11, if I hadn’t sold Painting 1, I’d paint over it…

Painting 12, over 2, 13, over 3 and so on…

While painting, I needed some rules to ensure I grew the project and didn’t go loopy.

I decided I would steadily increase the difficulty and pressure by setting boundaries for my practice.

First, I started by completing a painting in a single day.

Then, painting in one color.

Then, painting in black.

Black shapes.

Black rectangles.

A single black rectangle.

A single black rectangle with a specific brush.

A single black rectangle with a specific brush in a single stroke.

By this point, I was around 70 paintings in.

Nobody had bought one.

But someone was watching me.

They asked me to make something in blue.

My heart was a little bit broken, but once I got past my ego…

I realized I was there.

Rent was paid.

Life continued, and now I’m here.

That project completely shaped how I think about art, life, and how to grow.

Sometimes I’m stuck. I have no idea how to proceed, and no matter how I look at my situation, it seems like there’s no way forward.

I want to be creative, and that pressure can sometimes force something less than impressive.

When we TRY to be creative, we look for quick solutions that appear unusual.

Trying to be unique can force us to conform to the lowest bar for uniqueness.

Mastery of a technique—being forced into boredom, then having to change it up to survive—creates something unique.

Often, a focused activity with fewer freedoms along the way changes how we live and see the universe.

The world becomes smaller, details improve, and you’re left with a perspective nobody else can have.

What you bring back from there can be remarkable to those who have stayed in consensus reality.

For me, I came back with a style of painting that’s kept me alive until now.

I’ll never forget that collector. They’ve continued to support me with the crazy and weird stuff I’ve always loved making for the world. And it only ever takes one person to make all the difference.

This week, I’ve been prepping for a similar 100-day focus, this time on content…

I will be honest, I don’t like content.

But I hope that over the next 100 days, I find a format I can love—something that helps me communicate a bit more authentically with the world.

And maybe after 100 days, is unique…

Hope you enjoy the next 100 days.

I’ll check in here to let you know how it’s going…

Russ

What I’m Learning

I’m still trying to get my head around what’s wrong with the economics of art-making, This week I’ve been using anarcho-capitalism as a guiding theory.

In this view, artists operate in a free market without relying on government support or intervention. By focusing on “unit economics”—what each piece costs to create versus what it can earn—we explore the possibility of creative work thriving under voluntary, private agreements.

Nothing complex, make stuff and sell it for more than it cost - nobody else is involved.

But in a regular economy, brand and media noise accounts for a significant amount of the valuation we place on goods.

Whether you agree or not with art being a product, once it is sold, it is still a good.

A key question arises: Can a system with the implied mechanics be born from a brand that multiple artists contribute to, creating a positive-sum situation for everyone involved? And can creative labor between artists in this kind of system allow us to keep up with the regular economy?

Brands act as powerful signals of quality and identity. If multiple creators align under a shared ethos—say, using a unified style, platform, or code of ethics—then supporters of that brand gain a consistent experience.

Each artist benefits from collective marketing and reputation, potentially securing steady demand without large institutional gatekeepers.

This decentralized approach, reminiscent of anarcho-capitalist principles, can remove layers of bureaucracy, reduce operating costs, and give artists a direct stake in the brand’s success.

In many ways, it mirrors the open, voluntary collaboration championed by Austrian economists like Ludwig von Mises or Murray Rothbard, even the new Argentinian premier Javier Milei.

Because there’s no government licensing or regulatory friction, artists can quickly adapt to market signals, launch new ideas, or pivot their styles.

New technologies—like blockchain-based marketplaces or direct peer-to-peer payment systems—can support this model, providing real-time transparency in pricing, revenue sharing, and brand governance.

That transparency further strengthens trust among contributors and collectors alike.

Ultimately, the goal is to combine creative freedom with sound economics. Unit economics ensures that each piece or project covers its costs and provides a surplus, while the anarcho-capitalist approach champions decentralized decision-making and personal autonomy.

By blending these ideas, artists can define new ways to collaborate, innovate, and compete with traditional players—without compromising their independence or creative vision.

In doing so, they might well prove that art can flourish on its own terms, even keeping pace with, or surpassing, the mainstream economy.

What I’m Building

This week I’m making content, buying furniture, and pouring my heart out on Social Media.

Mom, I’m sorry, but your kids got to eat this winter.

Enjoy

Poets Corner

Prompt: Robots

In Our Own Image

Between the verses of the flesh
and the poetry of robots
lies the perfect imperfection
of a blemish left by God.

If you’d like to take part and submit a poem for Poets Corner, reply to this email with your Poem by Saturday 18th Jan 2100 GMT

The prompt for next week is: Isolation

Final words

Working on something creative? Try changing your metrics to something more manageable. At your next brainstorming session, ask yourselves:

1. How many attempts can we make?

2. How fast can we do them?

3. How do we improve along the way?

Often, becoming the best is less about hitting one home run and more about committing to a process that gets you there. ;)

I love you loads,

R