Vickie Lewis is a photographer whose decades-long career has spanned an impressive range of projects including portraits for People Magazine, representation by National Geographic Creative, business coaching and workshops, meditative floral photos, and her most recent project covering heroin addicts in “The Masks We Wear”.
During our time in The Creative Roundtable, I’ve come to know Vickie as an incredibly smart, warm, and funny woman. I admire her as much for her work as an artist, as I do for her ability to understand those around her beyond the surface of what they present to the world. She is generous with her experience and knowledge and she is willing to learn from others.
I sat down with Vickie and talked with her about her career, tips for creatives business owners and what brought her into The Creative Roundtable.
“I made a resolution in January that I would start listening to the twentysomethings and the thirtysomethings with total respect and open mindedness. Everything changes, and it changes every day.
“There’s no such thing as a five year business plan, or a two year business plan or maybe even a week business plan anymore. I thought I’d sit on my throne someday, but more and more I’m embracing change and that young and creative energy. I don’t want to be that old person sitting around. I want to stay fresh. At the same time, I know it’s important for me to share my insights and lessons I’ve learned. The challenge is knowing what lessons to hold onto while staying open to the ever-changing opportunities.”
Whether it’s in her photography work, business coaching, workshops, or everyday interactions with others, Vickie relies on three values that inform everything she does: authenticity, telling the truth, and making a difference. From an early age, Vickie recognized photography as the way she’d make a difference, and it became a tool for her to be able to reveal the truth about the world she saw. These values shine through not only in her vast photography projects spanning from portraits for People Magazine, to sensual florals, but also in her personal interactions with her peers and colleagues.
With the emergence of digital photography, and as feelings of burnout crept in, Vickie stepped away from her beloved cameras for a period of time. She used this break to explore other creative outlets, such as playing with painting and using brushes rather than a lens to understand visual storytelling. This is also when she introduced meditation into her life. What resulted was a new perspective – when she returned to photography, she found she’d learned a new way to approach color and texture. A creative cross training, if you will.
“Our art, is a reflection of who we are. If we take time and really invest in ourselves and our own growth, that comes out in our art. The years I took away from photography and focused on developing myself showed up tremendously in the photographs I took [when I returned].”
In addition to her core values, Vickie is also driven by a desire to stay fresh, and this time off provided her with a new way of looking at colors and textures, which then inspired her to start an abstract floral series. This step in a new direction provided Vickie with a new sense of playfulness in her work.
She also began business coaching around this time, where her intuitive observations and personal experiences could be used to help others struggling with their businesses.
Through all of her business endeavors over the years, Vickie has enjoyed the power of ownership, being able to work from the heart, and having the freedom to express what she wished. A deep love for her work has carried her through the numerous changes in the photography industry, and she’s learned to embrace the pace of change. When I asked her what advice she had for others on this journey, she emphasized how important it was to nurture your career, as if it is another relationship in your life. Much like a relationship, sometimes you have to take time off, give it space, and other times you need to pour your passion and love into it. You have to figure out how to stay in love with what you’re doing. She also spoke of the importance of learning to value yourself and your talent.
5 Suggestions for Creative Business Owners from Vickie Lewis
1. Be focused on what you really want, know what you really have to offer.
2. Always have a personal project.
3. Make sure you learn how to stay in love with what you’re doing.
4. Value yourself & your talents
5. If you need to take time off from your work, take time off.
If you are interested, Vickie has a free crash course through her email list. Sign up at her site today by clicking here!
Vickie is a member of our 24 Week Roundtable Program & shared her experience below:
“Jehn and Jena are fabulous! They bring different skills to the table and are a great complement to each other. When I [started the process of applying] I told them I was looking for connection, and they said “We can do that!” That’s been really important for me. I’ve been in business for a long time and I recently moved back to Oregon. I was looking for a tribe and for connection. It has been so wonderful to get to know other people, share their passion, share their journeys, and it’s great to have feedback. I’m writing an ebook about photography and it’s been a gift to have the group share their graphic design knowledge and their viewpoints. It’s so important to have a tribe and to have connection – without that, you can’t be creative. It’s also helped me in that I’ve been able to give back [to the community].”
Applications are now open for our next round of the 24 Week Roundtable Program, Learn more and apply today by clicking here!
Header photo by: Courtney Z Photography
