Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Musick
Hi Bethany, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve loved to create ever since I was young. Typical for most creatives, but enjoyable nonetheless. Music, writing, working with my hands, & being outside are my joys. I got to where I am today through a series of seemingly disconnected opportunities. Growing up in a creative home. Being the oldest of five girls. Holding leadership positions in clubs and activities. Helping my friends and little sisters with their schoolwork, sparked my interest in teaching. Working in a warehouse learning how to build relationships. Growing up on a farm, building my desire for fulfilling, kinesthetic work. Being trusted in a management position right out of college, helping build new locations from scratch, and training up a committed team. What ties these experiences together is my development. The carving out of a hard-working girl with big dreams to make something fun out of life. Fun for me means creating spaces where people feel like they are worthy and proud of what they bring to the table. I love to solve problems, to see the unseen in a situation, and bring my world along with me for the ride. My world is my people. And to see your smile… to look into your eyes and see you let go of your fears… this is what makes me wake up each morning. Now, I get to do that by curating creative spaces for others. This is something to feel joy about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a creative person is never a smooth road. I’d suppose that most creative people feel quite strange. Like there’s an itch in your life, an annoying fly in your face, that just won’t go away. And your only relief comes from stepping outside the box. The thing about having a creative mind is that you don’t often find the typical ways of existence very satisfying. It’s for exactly this reason that you must create. You must make something out of the ordinary, something peculiar, in order to feel like you’ve made quite anything at all. I believe that “unsettled” must be the right way to describe the majority of my existence. When you’re young, this might be fitting in at school. This was typically the case for me growing up in a place where friendships were limited and I settled for being the nice girl everyone liked, but no one knew. Or into my adulthood, when you get sucked into surviving — paying your bills, making sure to eat well, and laughing with true friends as you are able. Creating seems to be left to those small moments when you are at your wit’s end and have a short time of coming back to yourself. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity I have now to properly dedicate parts of my day to creating new things. My hope is to continue extending this opportunity beyond just me & see my community flourishing.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Art Forge is an artist cooperative in Franklin, TN, providing local artists with work/classroom space & the community with quality classes, workshops, and events. The idea for this cooperative, creative space started with my dad, Samm, a few years ago. Beginning with a music production studio, the space slowly evolved into film, photography, graphic and visual arts, and more. Samm invited me to join him in this endeavor this past August and I was excited to say yes. If you’re looking for a community of creatives, look no further! One of the things I’m most excited to announce is our brand new memberships. I think this is going to be so important for the creatives of Franklin and surrounding areas. Think of the gym… you go to be dedicated, consistent, and healthy. I have weights in my living room I’ve never used, but getting out of the house and going to the gym is much more motivating! This is what my hope is for our members. With a monthly membership subscription, you have daily access to our art studio (Studio 6), music studio (Studio 7), and photography/videography space (Studio 8). It is so motivating to get out of the house and explore your creativity in a dedicated space. It really does something for the creative mindset. This is just a sliver of what we do! We are always looking for instructors who are interested in teaching classes in our spaces, hosting craft nights, painting workshops, and so many other fun events. We also rent our spaces by the hour or day. Our dream is to create opportunities to support our local artists and help people thrive in their creative community. The Art Forge is one of the only places in the area you will find such a diverse amount of opportunity in one place, with a team who genuinely wants to see you soar.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I can’t express enough how important creating is for a creator. It seems like a silly thing to say, but it is incredibly, and scarily easy for people (myself included!) to lose touch with their creative side when life gets in the way. The truth is that, well, life ALWAYS gets in the way… and it always will! The only way to get it back is to push the busyness away and be intentional with your time. Your time is precious. Slow down. Believe me, there is always time to hustle. But for the creative, you absolutely must have time to rest. Refresh. Make. Reach out for support as you need it. Start small. But start somewhere. You don’t know how far your small steps may get you.
Pricing:
- Basic Membership Plan $49/mo
- Bronze Membership Plan $99/mo
- Silver Membership Plan $199/mo
- Gold Membership Plan $299/mo
- Platinum Membership Plan $399/mo
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.musickproductions.com/theartforge
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art.forge.franklin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565302665426
- Other: https://linktr.ee/theartforge
