Zen and the Art of Blogging
I have found myself thinking quite a lot about art as of late. This has always been one of my favorite subjects to ponder, but it seems to have been stepped up as of late. I know that this is due to the fact that I'm trying to create a piece of art myself right now and am searching to find meaning in it's creation. What makes good art? What makes bad art? What makes...art, for that matter? I've also been fascinated by the concept of process vs. results. In creating this piece of art I've tried to strike a balance between what I feel expresses what I need to express and expressing it in a way that people would enjoy. Should art be about the journey or the destination? The creating or the creation? I know that once this piece is finished people will enjoy it and be entertained by what they see. However, I will take pleasure and entertainment in knowing the process it took to arrive at the finished product. I'll be aware of the countless hours of thoughtful reflection as well as the years spent developing the necessary skills needed to achieve this expression.
I often think about a conversation I had with a co-worker a number of years ago. He played in a punk band that frequently played at dive bars. We were speaking of art on a short break we had from the menial job we were forced to take when entertainment gigs were scarce. Or so I thought. On this particular occasion we were speaking of making our art our occupation. I've always thought that the ultimate career achievement was to be able to make a living doing what you would normally do for free because you loved it so much. On this particular day a new idea would explode in my brain compliments of my friend Jaime as he cooly smoked his cheap cigarettes. He explained that he wouldn't want his band to be his only means of support because he used his art as therapy. His art was where he escaped to when he had a bad day at work. If he made his living at it it would cease to be art. I've thought about those few sentences more times than he could possibly have imagined. However, I do feel that you must have a balance. I do believe it's possible to make a living from your art. The challenge lies in not letting fiscal motivations dictate the direction of your art. I'm sure I'll have more posts on this and similar subjects, but I'd love to know your thoughts on art. I'll keep the coffee on.
I often think about a conversation I had with a co-worker a number of years ago. He played in a punk band that frequently played at dive bars. We were speaking of art on a short break we had from the menial job we were forced to take when entertainment gigs were scarce. Or so I thought. On this particular occasion we were speaking of making our art our occupation. I've always thought that the ultimate career achievement was to be able to make a living doing what you would normally do for free because you loved it so much. On this particular day a new idea would explode in my brain compliments of my friend Jaime as he cooly smoked his cheap cigarettes. He explained that he wouldn't want his band to be his only means of support because he used his art as therapy. His art was where he escaped to when he had a bad day at work. If he made his living at it it would cease to be art. I've thought about those few sentences more times than he could possibly have imagined. However, I do feel that you must have a balance. I do believe it's possible to make a living from your art. The challenge lies in not letting fiscal motivations dictate the direction of your art. I'm sure I'll have more posts on this and similar subjects, but I'd love to know your thoughts on art. I'll keep the coffee on.
posted by Jason at 5:15 PM
2 Comments:
Hooray! xx I was worried you guys had dissappeared. :-)
I agree with your feelings. Art demands to pay itself. It pays itself with our respect and love. And it takes more from our time that we can ever calculate in advance, we're slaves, make no mistake. But that always happens, on a wonderful journey. So I've found. I've travelled alot.
In a way I think that you an your firnd are both right Art is such a personal thing you know. I know this I'm knind that in between person that wouldn't mind singing or play guitarr for a living but I would also just be hapy playing at my local dive bar. It's important to keep a joulnal of you feelings good bad happy, whatever because when we art at are most extreme moment is when we can reall apreciate the art arond us and the art that we create ourselves. To one of my favorites keep hanging in there I know you can do it :-)
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