Today we’d like to introduce you to Sally Eidman.
Hi Sally, 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?
Yeah, I’d love to. You know, creativity has always been at the center of who I am and it’s always found its way out through various forms of expression. I remember my first taste of creative fulfillment was in elementary school writing a story called “The Man Who Could Take Off His Toe.” It ended up winning a contest and got put on by a traveling theatre troupe for the entire school. Sitting in that audience, I knew something special was happening. And then I also grew up singing with my dad, who’s very musical, and singing in a gospel choir. And many of my journal entries and cards saved from my childhood are written in rhyme. So there’s this creative force that’s just always coursed through me. It’s led me to degrees in opera and theatre, songwriting and recording of my original music, work as an actress on stage and on tv, and more recently, work as a visual artist. I’ve never really had just one singular focus and I find that depending on the season, different creative inspirations and opportunities will come to the forefront and sort of define that moment in time. For the past six months, I’ve been largely focused on writing new music for my second album – I’m eager to see where that takes me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think the obvious answer is, no, it hasn’t been smooth on the whole. There’s been a tremendous amount of disappointment over the years – opportunities lost, or opportunities that I didn’t have access to for one reason or another. It takes a lot of tenacity and a strong inner compass to stick with anything creative in the long term because at the end of the day, it’s all up to you and your work feels very intertwined with who you are. But, I also want to say the less obvious thing which is that it can be incredibly smooth, too. I mean, it can feel effortless to create when you’re in a flow state. Like, sitting at the piano writing a song is sort of the easiest thing for me to be doing these days because it’s such a necessary authentic expression for me right now. And when I was drawing portraits during the pandemic, it started as a very silly thing, but it was easy to give myself over to the joy of that process and complete almost 60 of them in just a couple of weeks. And I’ve also been surprised by how easily certain opportunities come along. Some of my most incredible moments as a creative and performer have seemingly come out of nowhere – like singing at Madison Square Garden or a recent artistic collaboration with a brand I’ve been a fan of for years. Those weren’t things I could’ve muscled or ever seen coming. So, I think it’s both – smooth and bumpy, easy and hard. If you stick around long enough with anything worthwhile I think you find that to be true.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My sense of play as an artist is what makes my work what it is – it leads me to really interesting places. That’s true of me as an actor, as a singer, as a writer, and as an artist. I’ve gotten pretty good at trusting that playful spirit and making new things without judgement, so I’m constantly surprising myself. I let myself create whatever is feeling inspired – writing a TV pilot, or a personal essay on pregnancy during the pandemic, painting a massive family portrait, writing a song in a style I’ve never attempted – I’m always working on something and I’m not afraid to step over the lines of my creative identity to see what else is there. It’s taken time, but I now understand that it doesn’t have to make sense to other people as long as it makes sense to me. Right now, I’m mainly focused on TV opportunities as an actor and songwriting for my next album. With TV, you don’t have as much control over the timeline or types of opportunies themselves, so I really enjoy pairing that pursuit with something more self fulfilling. When songwriting shows up for me, it’s important that I go with the inspiration immediately. It’s a snapshot of a moment in time – almost like a time capsule – and I need to catch the expression while it still rings true. There’s a lot that’s coming up for me right now in my life that may not be true in a couple of years, so I need to be sure I capture it now. That urgency can be very motivating!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Absolutely. There are lots of places I look for inspiration. If you’re a professional actor, the Audrey Helps Actors podcast is an invaluable resource. I’m a sponge for anything Laura Marling writes – she’s an astounding musician and such a force as a songwriter. I’m always watching a ton of things and most recently have loved Pachinko, Tar, and Triangle of Sadness. In terms of books – any collection of poems by Mary Oliver, though most of what I read is fiction and I use it to turn my brain off if anything!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sallyeidman.com
- Instagram: @sallyeidman
- SoundCloud: Music is available to stream on all major platforms.
- Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/
ThirdRoute
