THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ARTISTIC.
warning: In this post I will most likely end up making one of those soap box statements that Jason always tells me make utterly no rational sense at all. Just so you know.
Lately, I have been having conversations about the importance of art and contemplating how I am going to "use my degree" in the upcoming years of my life.
Statement #1: "use my degree" - boo - like the knowledge and experiences I have gained will some how leek from my head and as if I only learned things at college that pertain to Fibers. It's way more than facts and book smarts.
Back to the conversations.
The other evening I was discussing some fine art and sculptural aspects. Upon looking through various works that are revered as amazing pieces of ART, I decided that I am not a fine artist. Fine art has little draw for me. Alright, I'm glad to have had that confirmed in my existence.
Our discussion led onto that same old speech I often here about how you can't make any money in art...it's not a career. It won't by the house and so on so forth. The prime example of this would be the creator of the work we were looking at. He only ever worked long enough to stash away some cash to go back to creating art. And he lived in his studio very meagerly at that. But he was doing his art. But of course the lifestyle he lived was in question here. That's not living.
And here is where I interject.
Obviously, the creation of art is important to our society. Otherwise it wouldn't be so illusive and sought after. Often people more or less state that it is not a valid importance to the daily needs. I would have to argue. **Advancements in the medical field will be much more beneficial to society. Operating your own business is much more reputable. But art...surely that is just silliness.**
To them the term starving artist means someone who isn't worth enough to put food on the table.
I don't see it that way.
One...maybe that artist chose to create that day over buy bread - maybe to the normal analytical that makes no sense but I think it does. After all, when an artist is at work - food matters very little. I have gone the whole day in the creation process and then realize that I had forgotten to eat.
I am not saying that those jobs aren't important because they are. But I also know that for some people there is nothing they love more than to make all the numbers in the ledger add up at the end of the day. To them that is art. It is their creation and there work. I respect that.
A doctor saves lives. What I am saying is that maybe creating makes some people want to be alive. In that sense it saves lives.
Maybe that is a bold statement to make. Each of us is different. We all have importance. I am just stating my frustrations...these I so often experience especially here.
But that is okay.
I can accept this challenge. In being challenged I am granted the moment to process. This is good.
warning: In this post I will most likely end up making one of those soap box statements that Jason always tells me make utterly no rational sense at all. Just so you know.
Lately, I have been having conversations about the importance of art and contemplating how I am going to "use my degree" in the upcoming years of my life.
Statement #1: "use my degree" - boo - like the knowledge and experiences I have gained will some how leek from my head and as if I only learned things at college that pertain to Fibers. It's way more than facts and book smarts.
Back to the conversations.
The other evening I was discussing some fine art and sculptural aspects. Upon looking through various works that are revered as amazing pieces of ART, I decided that I am not a fine artist. Fine art has little draw for me. Alright, I'm glad to have had that confirmed in my existence.
Our discussion led onto that same old speech I often here about how you can't make any money in art...it's not a career. It won't by the house and so on so forth. The prime example of this would be the creator of the work we were looking at. He only ever worked long enough to stash away some cash to go back to creating art. And he lived in his studio very meagerly at that. But he was doing his art. But of course the lifestyle he lived was in question here. That's not living.
And here is where I interject.
Obviously, the creation of art is important to our society. Otherwise it wouldn't be so illusive and sought after. Often people more or less state that it is not a valid importance to the daily needs. I would have to argue. **Advancements in the medical field will be much more beneficial to society. Operating your own business is much more reputable. But art...surely that is just silliness.**
To them the term starving artist means someone who isn't worth enough to put food on the table.
I don't see it that way.
One...maybe that artist chose to create that day over buy bread - maybe to the normal analytical that makes no sense but I think it does. After all, when an artist is at work - food matters very little. I have gone the whole day in the creation process and then realize that I had forgotten to eat.
I am not saying that those jobs aren't important because they are. But I also know that for some people there is nothing they love more than to make all the numbers in the ledger add up at the end of the day. To them that is art. It is their creation and there work. I respect that.
A doctor saves lives. What I am saying is that maybe creating makes some people want to be alive. In that sense it saves lives.
Maybe that is a bold statement to make. Each of us is different. We all have importance. I am just stating my frustrations...these I so often experience especially here.
But that is okay.
I can accept this challenge. In being challenged I am granted the moment to process. This is good.
Yea, that can be a tough one. For some reason there is often a division between the world of ART and the world of WORK or CAREER. Two different forms of self-expression, performed by the same physical body. How could they be different at all? How could they be the same?
ReplyDeleteDespite what people preach, there is money in ART and it can be a career. It would have disappeared from our existence long ago if you couldn't create a successful life from it.
We all define success differently. Our culture has grown to feel that success is best defined by becoming affluent and monetarily wealthy. We desire to horde money for the sake of personal comfort, peace of mind, and most importantly, creating a self-image of superiority to others. A ranking system for judging importance of life.
No matter it's benefits, that's just not cool. The more you give, the more you will receive. Nothing lives for long if circulation (giving) ceases. This is something I know that you are very good at, so don't worry about anything. Find your route to happiness and follow it.
** sorry, i have been writing a chapter of my thesis about "success" the last couple days. think it rubbed off here a bit. :) **