The Creative Now: A Chat with Eileen Bramlet, SVP, Communications for the Copyright Alliance
By Cade Martin
As a kid, I spent many a dinner at a table surrounded by friends of my parents, an eclectic cast of characters — sculptors, writers, painters, creatives. That thread of creative community has remained in our offices, our teams, and our collaborations. But that thread feels thinner in this moment.
So I asked, with the purpose of sharing, and of supporting and caring for this creative community in its current, uncertain reality. I asked what people are doing, how they are feeling, how they are sparking creativity. It feels important to share what we do, when we can’t do all our doing.
Reaching out first to some of the talented people I’ve had the good fortune to profile though the Capitol Communicator portrait series. It’s my version of a virtual dinner table of sorts. Grab a chair and listen in to my conversation with Eileen Bramlet, SVP, Communications for the Copyright Alliance.
Eileen, what, if anything, are you doing differently?
These days, due to social distancing, I’ve been working from my home office in Northern Virginia. It’s a different environment for me, as I’m so used to going into my DC office and seeing my colleagues every day. But it’s been going well. I feel fortunate that I can focus and work almost anywhere. So my work and schedule are pretty much the same as they were when I was going to the office, but I don’t have a commute – which is something I won’t complain about. I am also adjusting to participating in a lot more Zoom meetings and conferences, which help you stay connected with colleagues you don’t get to see on a regular basis these days.
Are you staying creatively active?
My job and my interest in the creator community keep me active from a creative perspective. I frequently blog, post on social media both personally and professionally, develop marketing and PR initiatives, draft and edit newsletters that we send to our members on a regular basis, and so much more. I find it really fulfilling to write down my thoughts and ideas, and to see what evolves when I put my words on the page. From a personal perspective, I’m a huge fan of audio books and try to listen to at least two books a month. Books take you on amazing and creative adventures that you would otherwise not experience, no matter how much you’ve traveled in life.
How are you sparking yourself creatively?
When I feel tapped out creatively, I typically walk away from whatever I’m working on and take a short break. I find that exercise helps me refuel – especially riding my bike on local trail – so that I’m ready to tackle creative efforts again. Also, a change of scenery is helpful too – just getting away from your laptop and stepping outside on a sunny day works wonders. And talking with family and friends during a break from work (especially in today’s environment) is an amazing pick-me-up. I’ll usually call or Facetime with my family, friends and my kids, or spend a few minutes chatting with my husband when I can convince him to take a work break – all of which help me to focus and feel reinvigorated. Before the days of social distancing, I loved to travel, something that always inspires me and helps me to be creative. Last summer, we took a trip to Russia, Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Denmark – which was pretty incredible. So now when I need some additional inspiration, I’ll take a look at all of the fun photos we took during our great adventure last year.
