Lost for words?
How artist Maxime Ansiau found the right words to communicate his work through coaching
How finding the right words can transform your audience reach and reinvigorate your approach and purpose to your work.
One of the challenges of being a creative practitioner, or in fact working for yourself, is that often you are so immersed in your world and process that it’s hard to know how to communicate what you do and its value to the outside world.
I’ve been working with Maxime Ansiau, a French artist living in the Netherlands. He has been a professional artist for the past 25 years and is very focused and purpose-led, with a clear reason for why he does what he does. His whole approach is dedicated to up-cycling, repurposing and creating imagery that uses discarded items to both express a sense of comfort in their nostalgic representation of an era of material simplicity or to question our materialistic actions and remind us of the cost of global excess and waste.
Max came to me for coaching as he felt stuck and frustrated by his sales process. He has no problem talking about his work. He is extremely passionate about the pieces and the cause for which he wishes to highlight, yet I noticed there was nothing on his website that expressed in writing the narrative or value of each piece.
When I asked him to tell me who he is and what he does in one sentence, he stumbled at the challenge to simplify the complexity of his work into a bite-sized chunk. And so that is where we began, in conversation, as I asked one question after the next to tease out and understand the inner workings of his approach to creating cohesive copy, putting his words into a format that he could use to express himself with ease and know how to talk about the value of what he did.
Whilst Max’s approach to his work is completely unique, his unease with how to express himself is very common for a creator or entrepreneur who is immersed in the process, and so close to what they do they cannot see how to communicate to their audience.
From stuck to unstuck and beyond in two conversations to find renewed confidence and clarity to express with ease who you are and what you do…
Within a week of our first conversation, he began to feel less stuck with an enthusiasm that gave him the clarity to take steps to secure a gallery space for a solo show in Paris this June. The copy I created for his website and exhibition also gave him a clear concise way to talk about what he did with renewed confidence.
The next stage of our work could then be mapped out, putting his interns to work as we brainstormed a marketing approach that was fresh, interesting and based on making new relationships with people who would appreciate the ethical stance and value of his pieces which range from 200,00 to 20,000 Euros.
Two conversations were the beginning of a new outlook. One that felt tangible, exciting and inspiring. Working alone can feel overwhelming at times, managing the nuts and bolts rather than making time to renew your vision and set a goal for how to get there. Coaching is a great way to keep energy and momentum going, whilst having someone to help you stay on track.
ARE YOU LOST FOR WORDS?
I work with creative entrepreneurs; artists, designers, writers, therapists, healers, freelancers, marketers and business owners, that make a living from their creative endeavours and seek to find their authentic voice and apply a holistic mindset to move their approach to work and business forward.
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Explore Your Extra-Ordinary Retreat
A 5-day retreat to get clear on your vision and create the next steps
Yoga & Coaching June 09 - 14
‘THIRD TONES’ will exhibit in Paris from June 15 - 19th.
52 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
A series of floral collages, that apply photographic concepts in their recreation to either create altered scenes such as in ‘Optical Wonders’ or in the development of seeing another layer in the ‘Third Tone’ series of flowers that were ten years in the making and created from stationary stickers and pins to represent an advancement in the photographic development process.
You are warmly invited to Max’s Private View June 15th from 7pm
I will be there in support and would love to see you.
Art Work by Maxime Ansiau
All images by Julie Ansiau
Until next time,
Much love
Tamsin x
I look forward to seeing Maxime’s work in person!