This question just hit the Töad Meädow inbox. I’m posting the reply publicly in case there are other similar questions.

“I want to be a great artist like James Cooper. How do I begin?”

I want to participate in some collective art projects, and to finally create art instead of just consuming it. I haven’t done a lot of that yet but I am imaginative and have some skills.

-A wannabe Töad

Best way to get your feet wet is probably hit up an art build weekend. The next one is in September. Dates are posted on our homepage at the bottom. We eventually get around to making Facebook events for them.

The gist is…someone comes up with an idea and describes it, then other people think about what they could add to make it better. For instance, with the latest effigy, Hell Hole showed up one day with a shitty model made of cardboard and described it. James is good at carpentry, so he designed the frame and sides. Mark is an amateur engineer, and he figured out how to get it to move. I’m a pyromaniac, so I figured how to make it burn like a motherfucker. This process is sort of chronicled on the blog post about it and in the video that accompanies it.

Burning Töads

If you understand that now, the next questions are: what are you good at, and what do you want to do? Even if you lack skills, someone else probably doesn’t and they can help make your vision happen. And even if you don’t have a vision of your own, you can support others’ with theirs.

What is “skill?” Would I be useful?

We can use any sort of skill: writing, videoing, audio work, graphic design, metalworking, carpentry, electronics, programming, acting, makeup, screenwriting, social media management, photography, photo editing, dancing, etc.. Shit, even if you’re willing to pick up beer cans behind us or hold a piece of lumber down while someone else screws it, that counts as a skill. Willingness to participate is a skill. We can’t all be the great artist, James Cooper. But even James Cooper can’t be James Cooper without people like us.

James Cooper, the great artist.

Final thoughts

Foremost at Töad Meädow,  we celebrate the process of creation, rather than the final result. Is there anything else you want to know before moving forward? Did I explain that well enough?

Hugs and kisses, namaste, go build some shit,

-The Töad King