Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

This morning SooZen and I were having some freshly baked banana nut bread and some fresh brewed coffee while watching a Sunday Morning segment on Jonathan and Faye Kellerman. We were chatting about how cool it was that both of them were such successful writers having sold millions of novels worldwide - what an audience! It came up that SooZen's father had told her some time ago he read my Sunday Streams every week but most times had no idea what I was talking about. So much for success. It takes numbers for that.

Continuing on she said: "Your writing is almost archaic... a strange use of the language that sometimes makes it difficult to read. Some Streams that I read are way over my head... I really don't know what you are writing about."

"Hmmm...." I rubbed my chin with my right hand not knowing how to respond to that. She said it very matter of factly. There was no hint of meanness or negativity of any sort... just that.

My various types of creativity went thru mind... early days of writing, painting, photography all the way up to the present. I have lots of writings, from poems to haiku, from passing thoughts to a short story or two... and my image making - I still have my first oil painting, probably my first acrylic and several canvases and works on paper going back many years. There is a collection of photos going way back to my pre-teen years up thru the digital age. I've done a lot that is not on this list. Why would anyone continue doing this creative thing and not get paid for it?

I have sold very few in comparison to the output of any forms of creativity. SooZen is right! There is little audience. Not unusual in the world of the arts. There are many more artists than there are "known artists"... which is no surprise. It happens in any field or profession. Even friends who know me rather well know about my artwork, obviously from doing shows, but have no idea that I write. Sure some do but the feedback is negligible... like SooZen maybe they have no idea what I'm writing about, either.

It takes a determination to do what others ignore or have no interest in doesn't it? If we only listen to other's opinions and not our own inner voices we more than likely wouldn't accomplish those things that are dear to our hearts. And that is what makes or breaks any artist, any dreamer of ideas, anyone that entertains their imagination. On one hand the artist must create and the other is an audience for ones' creations. One feeds off the other.

How long can an artist create without any acknowledgment, any appreciation, any kudos of any sort before they kill their creativity? That would depend upon how important it is for them to continue creating. Some artists live for years creating their works in the shadows of mystery, not having any audience at all until after they die. Although few would choose this path, it goes to show how important the creative fires burn within some people... nothing can put it out but their own death.


cecil
06 april 2008

So....that's why I keep beating myself over the head....

Howdy, artguy! for me it's not so much beating my Self over the head, but beating my ego over the head.

cecil,

an excellent musing. i think this is why i mostly write online, live in the moment. the thrill draws me back regardless of whether the offering is received or not. i can not imagine a day without writing and reading poetry and prose. of receiving the spark through appreciation of other's art. flint upon flint.

thank you so much for the articulation

best,
~westie


ps - i love that "Simon Slapp's" !!

Tell SooZ that if I don't understand it, I just make it up in my own head and pretend I do. heh

But seriously, I understand your writing much more than I understand a lot of other people's writings.

About the art thing... well I've been doing it all my life really, and rarely have gotten paid for it, though I do have a job that is in the graphics field but still, a lot of what I create in my job isn't all that creative, in my opinion, it's more just giving the client or employer what they want. Hard to explain.

It does take a certain amount of drive and passion to make art of any kind (writing, music, poetry, paintings) which goes unread or unseen or unheard and when you get very little feedback from the very small audience, you really DO have to continue to listen to the voice in your head.

The voice in my head says, "This is breathing! Don't stop or you will DIE!" and i take that quite seriously.

That said, I have gotten discouraged a couple times in my life because of criticism which is something I'm fighting for my life against right now.

I think encouragement is very important. I wouldn't lie to a person by encouraging them if they had zero talent but even an iota of talent deserves encouragement. Criticism can be deadly. Critique is good from peers if done kindly and WITH encouragement but there really is no place for criticism in the world of arts .. or anywhere else for that matter.

I'm just rambling about this because it sort of "fits" and because it's bigtime on my mind lately.

Thanks for sharing all of your talents, Cecil. I loved this stream.

Indeed, the creative fires burn. I spent half a lifetime ignoring them. Their output may not in every case be considered epic, or that which sustains physical profit, but they sustain the spirit. That is my (very, very brief) take on it. Thanks for this window into your world, Cecil. I dug it.

thanks for the stream and the beautiful-intriguing painting, Cecil!!!!!!!!!
saludos,

Arcadia

Cec...you make really great banana bread!

...in it for the long haul
and the lifestyle
it's one big party
with pitstops of creation
performances and most
of all jammin' music to
my poetry....i have a
great gallery to show at neptune in
bethesda
and lotsa places in baltimore
minas....sowebo arts....load of fun...
i guess what i'm trying to say is
it's all in the living.....and cecil
i think the world of what u write
and have performed your awesome words with
great reaction....you are the artist completely
with a quality audience, the kind of artist
that's not for mass consumption that's what u b.......

There are times, mt, when your words reach out and grab just right. A voice that speaks to several different ways and eyes and ears.

If you ultimately write for you, the write will touch just right those who, like you, can trail your patterning. In other words, you speak to me more often than not.

So do what you do and those in need of it, in appreciation of it, will sniff out each meaning as needed, as it applies.

I'm grateful for the Sunday Stream, though I often read it Fry day.

Many thanks to Kurt, Karen, Doreen, mnaz, arcadia, Soo, wired and mouseyone. It was great hearing from y'all! yay!

This is one fire that can't be put out!!!!
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HIV / AIDS Forum

DtD, you ol' rascal you... so true! those fires are always aflame, large or small, they continue to nourish life.