Our Time is Now Macy Stewart – What we Learnt
Macy Stewart is a fashion and portrait photographer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After a year with Mastered (London) for fashion photography in 2018, Macy has built up an impressive client list. She has shot with the likes of Lifestyle sports, Dazed & Confused, Lady Gunn, Lucy’s magazine, Irish Country Magazine as well as many Irish designers. Her work has been described as (able to) “vibrate with a kinetic, emotional energy” by Dazed writer, Anna Cafolla.
Macy was the first creative we interviewed for Our Time Is Now. Macy has always been creative, right through school until she dropped out at the age of 17 when unfortunately her father passed away. Macy found herself consumed by grief. With all her friends still at school, she felt she was falling behind and had no confidence and nothing going for her. However she had a camera her Nanny had bought her for school and she started taking photos for instagram just for fun and to be creative. It was a real passion and a way for her to process her grief. She never thought photography would be a career and become her full-time job, but her passion, commitment and talent paved the way for her success and naturally over time it has evolved to become her career.
Macy’s story is one of resilience, strength, passion and creativity and is so inspirational for other creatives. Here are some of our key takeaways from her interview
Genuine passion is essential
“I started taking photos just for fun and to be creative. It was a real passion. I never thought it would be my job. It just sort of happened naturally.”
Macy started taking photos just for fun and to be creative, which naturally led to her journey to becoming a full time photographer. You can’t manufacture this passion and enthusiasm for what you do. It has to be authentic.
Confidence is key
“Building confidence in yourself is the main thing. It really does have to start with you”
“I needed to work on feeling worthy, believing my photos are worth being seen, they are worth being published”
Macy talks a lot about confidence, she had already identified it as something she wanted to work on before starting work as a photographer. She talks about how important it is to build confidence in yourself, that you have to work on feeling worthy, believing you are good enough and your work is good enough and deserves to be seen and appreciated. That confidence has to start with you and can’t come from external validation. You have to believe in yourself and that building confidence is an ongoing process, something that you have to keep working on throughout your career.
Experience matters
“The main focus wasn’t getting clients it was getting experience, more experience could then in turn lead to more clients”
When Macy was starting out her main focus was on getting experience. She made the decision to prioritise getting experience rather than getting clients. She found that getting more experience naturally led to getting more clients. Having work published builds credibility and your profile and also more importantly builds your self-confidence.
Sexism on set still exists
“Women can’t afford to have an ego on set”
Macy talks about her experiences of sexism on set and how photography is still a male dominated profession, with a lot of ego. She explains how there is sometimes not enough respect for women on set, how she is sometimes not even acknowledged which can be challenging to deal with.
From not enough to too much work and learning to find the balance
“I need to keep going. If I stop I will ruin what I have built”
Macy shares that after 5 years working as a photographer she was finally getting the work that she dreamed of, getting to a place of being established only to constantly find herself feeling burnt out.
When you are building a creative brand, it’s very easy to fall into feeling like you’re constantly behind & the workload can feel endless. What’s beautiful to hear is that Macy pushed through that phase & now is a place of finding that work life balance that we all hope to have!
You can watch Macys videos on our website
Listen to the full interview on Spotify
Or watch it on Youtube
Photos by Creating A Space
Our Time is Now is a video podcast series produced by Creating A Space with graphics by Me, Him and Her
Project supported by Belfast City Council
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Another chance to see some of the pics from our @womenfolk.co JUNIOR.SENIOR event we hosted last month!
Jul 23
Here we meet and get some advice and insights one of our newist creative residents at Blick video editor Ben O’Neil
Jul 22
Due to an insanely busy period of work and travel, this is a very belated post on some of the key lessons from our last Blick Academy Creative Talk on 5th June with Saul Duffin founder of @yeomagazine
We have a full event writeup on our blog with lots more tips and insights from Saul and lessons he has learned throughout his creative journey! (Link to blog in profile) ✨️
Jul 16
Here we meet and get some advice and insights one of our newist creative residents at Blick video editor Ben O’Neil.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative work?
I’m a video editor who predominantly works in non-scripted television. Currently working on a two part documentary series for Amazon Prime
What was the biggest hurdle for you starting out and how did you overcome it?
Getting in the door. I didn’t know anyone in tv so the biggest hurdle was getting my name about and then getting hired to work on something. I made lots of tea for years then convinced someone to let me edit a small thing.
How do you stay inspired and motivated?
Watching good stuff
What do you wish you had known before starting out?
Everyone is faking it a little bit.
What’s your top tip/piece of advice for anyone wanting to follow a creative path?
Be prepared to fail and then get back up and try again. Also practice your craft as much as humanly possible.
Do you have any regrets or anything you wish you had done differently on your creative journey?
Too many to list probably. Still working on that part.
Where can people find you online?
I’m thoroughly offline but my email is mebenoneil@gmail.com
Jul 8
NI CREATIVE HUBS MEETUP #3 BANGOR
This is the third meetup for creative hubs in Northern Ireland to come together, connect, share ideas, and support each other. This time in sunny Bangor, where we will be visiting:
Boom Studios @boom.studios
Seacourt Print Workshop @seacourtprints
The Courthouse @courthousebangor
If you are involved with running or working in a creative hub in Northern Ireland, we would love for you to join us at this our third meetup.
This series of events is a collaborative project between Blick Shared Studios and Boom Studios
�Book your ticket on our website (link in profile) ✨️
Jul 2
Some pics 📸 from our @womenfolk.co JUNIOR.SENIOR event on Saturday 15th June with @wee.nuls and @majukooo sharing their creative stories ✨️
Jul 1
Happy Friday! It`s almost the weekend... some lovely light in our Cotton Court Studios earlier this week! Let`s hope we see more of it over the weekend 🌞 ☀️ 🌤
Jun 28
Last week I was very lucky to get to attend this year’s Hubs Meet Up Bautopia 4 Metamorphosis organised by the European Creative Hubs Network with the support of STPLN , the hosting hub in Malmö, Sweden.
This year’s Hubs Meetup was exclusively for European Creative Hubs Network members and was a three day event focusing on creative hubs and their current topics of interest and challenges. This year, it was all about delving into the transformations of our communities, the built environment around us and the impact of creators on designing how we live where we live. As well as the amazing opportunities for peer learning from and connecting with other creative hubs here are a few of the things I found interesting from the meetup talks:
Collaboration - is key, but people need to learn how to collaborate as it`s not a skill that’s traditionally taught in schools, colleges or universities.
Unlearning - we need to unlearn old ways of working to relearn new ways of working.
Cross-sector collaboration - will have a role to play in green and social transformation and future innovation, bringing together artists, creatives and industry. Creatives have different ways of thinking, methods and processes and are capable of shaping something new in lots of different ways.
CITY ECOLOGY WALK
We also got to take part in a city walk organised by Feral a creative studio and research platform for ecology in urban spaces which was a lovely way to get some fresh air, find out a bit more about the city, it’s heritage and ecology.
Some of the places we visited on the walk:
1. Traditional Herring Shacks
2. Traditional Herring Fishing Boats
3. Turning Torso
4. Redeveloped Industrial Seafront Area
SOCIAL IMPACT WORKSHOP
I also took part in an amazing social impact workshop, which I will share more on in coming days. Giving me lots of new tools and methods for measuring our impact here at Blick. I especially loved the advice that it`s ok to include anecdotal evidence including stories and observations, to build a broader picture of the real human experience and impact of your organisation. I`m looking forward to going through the process properly for Blick in coming months!
Jun 27
Thanks again to everyone who came to our last Blick Academy talk last Wednesday evening. We have our Womenfolk JUNIOR.SENIOR event this Saturday then will be taking a little break from events over the summer while we get ourselves organised for Autumn/ Winter when we are hoping to also introduce some more practical workshops. Let us know if there is anything you would like us to cover!
Jun 14
Some pics from our latest Blick Academy creative talk with Saul Duffin founder of @yeomagazine Thanks so much to Saul for a brilliant talk and to everyone who came along. Full event write up to come shortly!
Jun 10
Just over a week to go until our Womenfolk JUNIOR.SENIOR event on Saturday 15th June with two amazing creative women sharing their stories!
SENIOR SPEAKER: ESTABLISHED CREATIVE - NUALA CONVERY - @wee.nuls
Wee Nuls (Nuala) is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative director based in Belfast. She works in a number of mediums including spray paint, hand drawn and digital illustration, and printmaking. Wee Nuls street art murals can be seen across Belfast and have become a part of the visual identity of the city over the past few years. She is inspired by challenging gender inequalities, beauty ideals, sexism, and raising awareness for feminist issues in a playful way.
JUNIOR SPEAKER: EMERGING CREATIVE - MAJA SZOTKIEWICZ - OWNER OF MAJUKOOO - @majukooo
Maja Szotkiewicz is the founder of Majukooo (selling her illustrated stationery, prints and jewellery online) , and is currently in her final year of her Graphic Design and Illustration undergraduate degree at Ulster University. Maja`s work is inspired by everyday, imperfect moments, as she believes finding beauty in the mundane is the key to true happiness. Maja has been featured in Belfast Telegraph`s 30 under 30 list in 2024, was a finalist at the NI Social Media Awards in the `Entrepreneurial Student of the Year` category in 2023 and has her products stocked in 49 stockists in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada.
EVENT DETAILS
Event Date(s): June 15, 2024
Event Time: 11.30am
Location: Blick Shared Studios, Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LB
Book through website (link in profile) 🌼 🌸 ♥️ ✨️
Jun 7
"I made a magazine directed at my 16-year-old self, who felt like there wasn’t anything cool happening in the city."
"Like most creative people, my work is a reflection of who I am and what my interests are. I love music, comedy, art and design so I have always loved to fuse those things together."
��"I don’t think I’d change much as the failures and mistakes were probably the most valuable part of the experience."
Looking forward to hearing Saul`s story at tonight`s sold out Blick Academy Creative Talk!
If you can`t make tonight`s event and want to find our more about Saul, we did an interview with him that you can read on our website ✨️(link in profile)
Jun 5
A quick summary of the month of May at Blick! you can find details on everything on our website! Link in profile 🌟 🌟 🌟
Jun 4
Happy Monday! Start the week by checking out our latest roundup of funding, support, opportunities, events, exhibitions and festivals for NI creatives.
Read the full listings including links on our blog on our website (link in profile)
Jun 3
Another chance to find out a bit more about Saul Duffin founder of YEO magazine who is speaking at our next Blick Academy event next Wednesday evening at 7pm in our Hill St studios!
You can read the full interview on our blog or get your free tickets on our website!
May 31
Less that a week to go until our next Blick Academy Creative Talk with Saul Duffin, founder of YEO Magazine, sharing his creative story and only a couple of tickets left!
EVENT DETAILS:
Event Date(s): June 5, 2024
Event Time: 7pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free
Book on our website ✨️ (link in profile)
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May 30
Our latest roundup of funding, support, opportunities, events, exhibitions and festivals for NI creatives.
FUNDING AND SUPPORT
- Design Academy Adapt Fashion Industry Program Collaboration Between VORN - The Berlin Fashion Hub and Zalando
- Invest NI Ambition to Grow Programme - Up to £45000 Funding
- Design Competition Ukraine
- Student Invent - £2500 Prize Pot
- Artist Residency Frac Grand Large/ Hauts-de-France Dunkirk
- Northern Ireland Screen New Writer Focus
- Northern Ireland Screen Short Film Call - £6000 - £22000 Funding for Individuals and Companies
- Applications Open: August Craft Month 2024
- Craft NI Gallery Maker Call Out 2024
- Áras Éanna Residency
- 143rd RUA Annual Exhibition
- Sailortown Festival Smartphone Photography Exhibition
- Digital Arts Studios STARTS4WATERII Residencies – Open call for artists
- Belfast Potters market Applications Open
- The National Lottery Support for Individual Artists Programme – Travel Awards
EVENTS
Northern Ireland Screen Writing for Readers - Screenwriting with Steve Brooks via Zoom
Wed 29 May
12 - 2pm
Goal Planning with Groove: Get The Damn Thing Done!
Thu 30 May
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM EDT
Online
Social Media Safety for Creatives and Professionals
Mon 3 Jun
3:30 – 4:30 PM EDT
Online
Blick Academy Creative Talk: Saul Duffin Founder of YEO Magazine
Wed 5 Jun
7pm
Blick Studios, Hill St
Digital Horizon Masterclass: “Integrating Captioning into Creative Work”
6 June 2024
10.30am – 4.30pm
Ledger Studio, University of Atypical
The Circle: Let`s Talk About Imposter Syndrome
Wed 12th June
6 - 8pm
Oh Yeah Centre
The Power of Podcasting
Thu 13 Jun
9:30 - 11:30 am
Innovation Factory
Digital Horizon Masterclass: “Build your own Online Platform”
Thu 13 Jun
10.30am – 4.30pm
Ledger Studio, University of Atypical
Womenfolk JUNIOR.SENIOR
Sat 15 June
11.30am
Blick Studios, 46 Hill Street
An evening with Brendan Mooney MBE
Wed 19 June
Ulster University, York Street
5:30pm - 7:00pm
EXHIBITIONS
Usfolk 6
23rd May to 2nd June
The Naughton Gallery
Belfast School of Art 175 Degree Shows
Dates: 7th June Opening Night
8th - 22nd June
Read the full listings including links on our website ✨️
May 28
Off for the bank holiday and wanting to work on your creative business idea? The next exercise on our resources for creatives section on our website is now available to view and download
Exercise 4 - Understanding Your "Why" or Your purpose
Your “Why” or purpose is the reason you have formed your creative practice boiled down to a single sentence (or two). This exercise will help you to understand your purpose and communicate it to the world.
Downloadable PDF and Word Versions available on our website ✨️ (link in profile)
May 27