The very act of creating art is an act of vulnerability. This means an artist has to be careful. It is important for the support group of someone who is a professional artist, particularly, to be ...well. Supportive. And this is more that just words.
An artist doesn't need to hear..."oh you make such wonderful art" as much as an artist needs to have time and quiet. These are the most precious gifts because without them an artist cannot effectively create.
It is easy for an artist's support group to misunderstand what an artist is doing often times. It doesn't always look like we're creating when the fact is the act of creating takes an enormous amount of mental and emotional energy.
When we make whatever this something is that we make - that something comes from deep inside us and is most a manifestation of something resonating within our souls and spirits. It must be so very genuine and authentic so it resonates with the same soul stuff of others.
Making that unique elusive expression of the world through ourselves is incredibly taxing. Space for that must be attainable.
Even more confusing to the people around us is that when we aren't in the process of conceptualizing we may be experimenting or transitioning or researching or educating ourselves and when doing those things - it can look (to someone who is not an artist) an awful lot like goofing around...or wasting time...or lack of focus...or procrastinating.
I particularly love nurturing the people and friends that I care about. I enjoy spending time with them. But I must know, even on a daily basis, when the time with them will begin and when it will end.
I think this is because to do something other than make our art, we must detach from an intrinsic part of ourselves to do it - this is as tangible to us removing an arm or a leg - to be in with you in a particular place ...in a particular period of time.
Or put another way - whereas many must leave home to go to work and then feel typically happy to be returning home. When I put down a part of myself to be with someone or do something else, I have left my house and I want to know when I can go back home. There is only one person that can be there with me and he understands this and knows the best ways to for us to be together and to keep me with me in tact at home. I love him for that and I try to do that for him too.
Until we artists are at a point in our careers when we have staff...most all of us do all the work that goes into each original piece of art. We answer the phone. We file paperwork. We maintain websites. We write all our marketing material. We sell ourselves to galleries. We are in direct contact with our potential critics and clients.
We are baring our souls when we are making our art...a privilege, an adventure...we must do this though and it is hard work. Most everyone has to walk through the world keeping their spirits protected and hidden away. Artists gift light to many souls when they create a work of art that transmits the light of their own.
That's my deep thought for today..the seconds that are left of it.
Hope you had a great day today.
~Alex
Until we artists are at a point in our careers when we have staff...most all of us do all the work that goes into each original piece of art. We answer the phone. We file paperwork. We maintain websites. We write all our marketing material. We sell ourselves to galleries. We are in direct contact with our potential critics and clients.
We are baring our souls when we are making our art...a privilege, an adventure...we must do this though and it is hard work. Most everyone has to walk through the world keeping their spirits protected and hidden away. Artists gift light to many souls when they create a work of art that transmits the light of their own.
That's my deep thought for today..the seconds that are left of it.
Hope you had a great day today.
~Alex
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