Client Spotlight

Tessa Anais Crespo

is an artist.

Interview Date: 03/31/2022

What are the mediums you create in?

Weaving, leatherworking, woodworking, welding, graphic design, illustration, 3D rendering, writing.

What do you say when people ask you what you do?

That I’m an artist! (Thanks to Melissa, I would have never been able to say that before!)

What are some words that come to mind when you think about your creative style?

Absurdist, surreal, ornamental, whimsical

What are you currently working on?

So many things! But I am most excited about a series of funky leather bags I am refining and a collaboration with a glass blowing artist to make sculptural ceramic lamp bases.

What is a piece of advice around creative work that you call to mind often? (Again, thanks to Melissa) Do the hard things first. I will also say that because I work in so many different mediums, it is helpful to have multiple ongoing projects so that if I reach an impasse due to a creative block or a learning curve with new tools I can jump into another medium. This also allows me to solve design challenges with a curious mind instead of brute force.

I think it is also important that we take the pressure off ourselves to (insert practice) every day. As long as we are thinking and learning and curious every day, that is contributing to our creative practice.

How long have you been working with Melissa?

Two months.

What did you come to coaching for?

I needed help transitioning careers from architecture to something more creative, fulfilling, and aligned with my values. I also wanted to work on my time management skills, attainable goal setting, and communication habits. What are some ways that coaching has impacted you? Melissa has held me accountable to my own goals and passions in an incredibly compassionate manner. My mindset around what I conceive as possible in my career transition, and more broadly in my practice as an artist, has expanded through Melissa’s approach to coaching.

What are some ‘wins’ that you would attribute to being supported by Melissa? I find that I am struggling less internally from shame or self-judgment because of Melissa’s inquisitive and caring approach to coaching. Her ability to evaluate a situation and provide multiple different perspectives on how or why I may have approached it that way has shifted my thinking. Her curiosity has allayed my self-judgment and allowed me to approach challenges within the context of big picture goals for both my personal and professional life.

What are you currently learning about yourself?

I am learning when to push myself and when to change course, which is making a huge difference in what I accomplish on any given day.

What advice would you give to others who are considering working with a creative coach?

If you have a greater vision for your life and the lives of others but don’t know where to start, a coach like Melissa provides the perfect space to hash out the questions that connect what you do to a bigger purpose.

Where can we find you online?:

Tessacrespo.com