“Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” — T.S. Eliot
All of us have seen friends who are artists put aside their art and not return.
An old jazzer I knew, who scored big bands in the ’50s, heard from a friend who’d stopped playing as a musician, and asked him “What went wrong?” Then immediately, laughingly — “What went right?!?”
There are always good reasons. Family responsibilities. Job responsibilities. Responsibilities.
Not always, but frequently, I hear notes of sadness in the voice and expressions of a person describing why they left their art practice behind. Sometimes the notes are faint, sometimes distant, like ideas that have lain fallow so long they are grown over with ivy, but too often the feeling of sorrow, of something precious lost, is there.
I don’t care how many of the people around you might think pursuing art of any form — music? acting? performance? sketching? — is a waste of time. OR foolish. OR “unrealistic.” Or any of the other thousand words we use to imprison ourselves in limitations we don’t really, deep down, believe in.
This isn’t about what other people believe.
There’s a kind of ruthlessness which the artist must possess — and in fact must nurture. You have to be able to withstand the passing storms of outside opinion. What does someone else’s opinion have to do with following your desire to create??? Yes, of course, it requires a kind of bravery to pick up the brush again, pick up the guitar, pick up the script. Would it be as hard, would you be so unwilling, if you thought of it as a matter of life or death for a unique and precious part of your being?
Isn’t it?
“To create one’s own world, in any of the arts, takes courage.” — Georgia O’Keeffe
Find that courage. And hold on to it. As if it were a matter of life and death.
18 comments
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May 2, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Steven L.
I’ve had this experience with a good friend. 😦 I think all we can do is set an example. She’s talked about starting up again lately. 🙂
May 2, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Deborah T. Colter
Excellent post, the family/job/financial responsibilities are powerful reasons artists often do not return to their work. It takes persistence, commitment and belief in ones self to continue as an artist, especially when the chips are down. I agree, it is not and should not be about what other people believe. I would like to see more of those “people around you” begin to believe in the value and benefits that living with can art provide. Stop believing that art is a fringe benefit and support the artists that create it!! Then perhaps, more artists will stop walking away and “Find that courage. And hold on to it. As if it were a matter of life and death.” Art is important!
Deborah T. Colter
BTW – not too long ago I wrote a blog post titled art requires courage here:
http://deborahcolter.com/in-the-studio/index.php/2009/04/art-requires-courage/
May 2, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Pat
Love this.
May 2, 2009 at 4:16 pm
abrooklynartist
Thanks everyone!
Steven, I’m so glad she’s thinking of starting again! I think your approach is so right.
Deborah, I liked your post on your site so much I put a link to it on my blogroll. Thank you for your thoughts.
Cheer all.
May 2, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Deborah T. Colter
Thanks for the link – I just added new blog post inspired by your post – linked you there too – care to add your name? Let me know…
Deborah
http://deborahcolter.com/in-the-studio/
May 2, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Is art a fringe benefit?
[…] just read an interesting blog post titled “Remaining An Artist” on a blog titled An Artist In Brooklyn. I would like to identify the artist who wrote it […]
May 2, 2009 at 6:16 pm
abrooklynartist
Hello! So sorry, I don’t mean to be mysterious or anything, but I want to keep this blog separate from my actual career (such as it is), so I’m just identifying myself as “An Artist in Brooklyn” or “A Brooklyn Artist.” I talked about this in my first post (down at the bottom). It’s not that I’m well known or anything, I just want to be be free to say what I want here in the blog, without worrying about my “public” work. I’m triple delighted that you are even interested enough to ask!
I’m thrilled by the interest in the ideas, though. They’ve been really important to me and I’m glad to know they resonate with other artists as well. I hope they’re helpful.
May 2, 2009 at 6:37 pm
abrooklynartist
Hey, just read “fringe benefit” and liked it a lot — and I really like your art work too! Nice! So cool to have met you.
May 2, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Deborah T. Colter
Likewise… thanks feel free to post comments if you like…anytime. Or email direct. One tiny request – I do like my name to be listed [odd I know] …can you add the middle initial “T” to your link??
Paint on!!
Deborah T. Colter
May 2, 2009 at 7:34 pm
abrooklynartist
Done! 🙂
May 3, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Jynja
Ya know one of my family members used to sabotage me by saying “Your hair looks like hell.” I finally turned to her one day and said “Really? Have you been there? How do you know what hell looks like? And finally, are you an authority on Hell and how it should look?” In this way, I let go of the norm that could potentially caused me to fail later in life. Yes, my longest career of choice was “hairdresser.” And quite successfully, I made as much as my family member did in one week as she did in a month’s time. What drives me most is that challenge. When someone says I cannot, or it is impossible. It causes me to focus further and persevere. As an unsuccessful artist (in that I don’t sell much) most of my art is made for me. They are my treasure. And it is my purpose in life to create something that will be here many years after I have passed. I won’t quit. I must not quit.
May 3, 2009 at 8:17 pm
abrooklynartist
“In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing.” — Vincent van Gogh, letters.
You’re in good company. 🙂
Be well.
May 4, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Joan
thank you for your encouraging words…
June 3, 2009 at 7:53 pm
abrooklynartist
You’re most certainly welcome. Thanks for reading! Cheers.
June 3, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Gabriela Anastasio
it was so nice to read your words today. thank you for putting such encouraging thoughts out there. I put them up on my blog. i hope you don’t mind. but if you do, i’ll take it down right away. thanks again and keep up the fantastic blog. http://www.gabrielaanastasio.com/page7971.htm
June 3, 2009 at 7:52 pm
abrooklynartist
Hi Gabriela (lovely name!). I don’t mind at all as long as you provide attribution, which you certainly did — and I think the title is great, not to mention hilarious. Your blog is quite a delight — some absolutely beautiful work you’ve chosen to display there. I’ll put a link to you in my own blog-call if you’re amenable.
Thanks for the kind words! Hope everything’s going great for you.
Cheers!
June 4, 2010 at 3:02 pm
gabriela
hi! i just saw this response today!! almost an exact year later. crazy! i would love to be on your blog roll. an honor. hope you’ve been living by the same mantra… ciao
gabriela anastasio
June 4, 2010 at 7:46 pm
abrooklynartist
Done! Hope you’re doing great. 🙂