11-05-2015, 07:17 PM
Here's a big newsflash/rant, which I hope is actually not a newsflash for anybody, sorry if is a bit off-topic, but my brain just went there.
Art is NOT your entire life.
Art is just one thing a person can choose to do.
Almost everyone who aims to be pro at some point seems to make it this massive huge big deal, more than it needs to be.
We stress over it, spend ridiculous amounts of time trying to level up, angst about how good we might be or how popular our work is.
We eat horribly, sleep too little, become lonely and feel shit about ourselves. We get so hopelessly and overly identified with the artist identity that we all at some point get overly critical / passionate about and join in on crusades about shit that nobody cares about, shouldn't care about, isn't your problem and DOESN'T matter at all.
We obsess over what other artists are doing more than enjoying what we are doing.
We make gods out of people who have simply just doodled for a bit longer than we have. They aren't any more special than you are. Or put another way you are just as special as they are.
We think that artist problems are the worst thing in the world and get so caught up in our angst. There are much much worse things out there, just open your eyes! Live in gratitude for what you do have.
We moan incessently about how undervalued and underappreciated we are (even top paid pros do this!) rather than look at how to truly be of service to others or find a way to make ourselves more valued rather than expecting everything to be the way we want it to be.
We whine and whinge....A LOT. I've never heard so much self pity, self loathing, and whiney shit come out of a group of people than I have from artists (and writers too). Must be some aspect of the insecurity in self expressive creativity that makes us whiny bitches. Creativity and self-expression is meant to be empowering no matter what your skill, or you are just doing it wrong.
I have done all of the above, and seen it in others.
We need to get over ourselves. I know, that might sound a bit harsh but these are just some of the things I have realised myself.
Be passionate, be dedicated, be humble, work damn hard or just kinda hard, but don't forget there is more to life and conscious experience than smooshing marks about for others to look at.
THIS last point is more important than anything else: Time is the most precious resource you have been gifted and will ever receive in your entire life so be truthful with it. Don't simply follow along with what other people spew out as gospel without putting your own critical mind to test their assumptions no matter who they are, because they don't know shit about your life nor how you should live it.
So ummm yeah, totally you should work smart, get sleep, eat well, or do whatever the hell you want. If you want to be the crazed idiot painting 20 hours in the day, I say go for it! I've done that in the past too, and while it isn't sustainable nor that desireable it definitely had its place in my journey. No damn regrets!
Art is NOT your entire life.
Art is just one thing a person can choose to do.
Almost everyone who aims to be pro at some point seems to make it this massive huge big deal, more than it needs to be.
We stress over it, spend ridiculous amounts of time trying to level up, angst about how good we might be or how popular our work is.
We eat horribly, sleep too little, become lonely and feel shit about ourselves. We get so hopelessly and overly identified with the artist identity that we all at some point get overly critical / passionate about and join in on crusades about shit that nobody cares about, shouldn't care about, isn't your problem and DOESN'T matter at all.
We obsess over what other artists are doing more than enjoying what we are doing.
We make gods out of people who have simply just doodled for a bit longer than we have. They aren't any more special than you are. Or put another way you are just as special as they are.
We think that artist problems are the worst thing in the world and get so caught up in our angst. There are much much worse things out there, just open your eyes! Live in gratitude for what you do have.
We moan incessently about how undervalued and underappreciated we are (even top paid pros do this!) rather than look at how to truly be of service to others or find a way to make ourselves more valued rather than expecting everything to be the way we want it to be.
We whine and whinge....A LOT. I've never heard so much self pity, self loathing, and whiney shit come out of a group of people than I have from artists (and writers too). Must be some aspect of the insecurity in self expressive creativity that makes us whiny bitches. Creativity and self-expression is meant to be empowering no matter what your skill, or you are just doing it wrong.
I have done all of the above, and seen it in others.
We need to get over ourselves. I know, that might sound a bit harsh but these are just some of the things I have realised myself.
Be passionate, be dedicated, be humble, work damn hard or just kinda hard, but don't forget there is more to life and conscious experience than smooshing marks about for others to look at.
THIS last point is more important than anything else: Time is the most precious resource you have been gifted and will ever receive in your entire life so be truthful with it. Don't simply follow along with what other people spew out as gospel without putting your own critical mind to test their assumptions no matter who they are, because they don't know shit about your life nor how you should live it.
So ummm yeah, totally you should work smart, get sleep, eat well, or do whatever the hell you want. If you want to be the crazed idiot painting 20 hours in the day, I say go for it! I've done that in the past too, and while it isn't sustainable nor that desireable it definitely had its place in my journey. No damn regrets!