From Starving Artists to Fulfilled Creators: How a Sculptor and an Animator Use Buddhism to Succeed

The gap between our dreams and reality can sometimes feel impossible to close. Especially when our dream means pursuing a field that’s less traditionally “easy” to make a career from like art.

In today’s episode we sit down with two full-time artists to discuss how Buddhism helped them become full-time artists without compromising their vision. Our guests are sculptor Brian Enright, of Oakland, and animator and director Leo Matsuda, of LA. We dig into their journey and the many ways Buddhism informs their work.

Cheat Sheet

02:07 How Brian became a sculptor

06:50 Leo’s path to animation and film making

12:04 Romanticizing the starving artist

23:26 Closing the gap between dreams and reality

27:36 Victory require prayer and action

32:09 How can I positively impact American society?

40:21 Expanding myself and making the most of my time

49:07 Oneness of self and environment

58:42 Advice for struggling artists

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