I've been thinking about what it means to be an artist.
The closest definition I can think of is this: it's the day you realize that you can see if a piece is honest and decide does it work. Gone is some idea that there is good art and bad art - just can you see if the presenter is coming from an honest place.
Some time I ago I was trying to look at the same question and I suppose I wonder about it often. Then I decided that 'you know you are an artist when you can have an opinion on what you see'. I came to that conclusion after years of listening to jazz. When I first started I was mystified and confused - but I read some books, listened to some jazz compilations, began finding artists that I enjoyed. Finally, after several (or many) years - I have an opinion when I hear something and oddly it keep rolling until I have a take on almost all music that I hear.
This is what stymies me: if I consider myself an artist, then I would tend to want to listen to the most honest work out there - but, in fact, I get pleasure from a lot of music that is simply pleasurable - y'know, pop, country, love ballads. Hits designed to be hits, motown comes to mind as does almost anything by madonna and michael jackson.
So, I guess I should drop some expected image that a working artist lives his art - because it isn't true. Drinking beer and watching monday night football is pretty damn satisfying.
Achieving the 'art head zone' does change your life. I catch my applying the 'honesty rule' to most of what I see here at Suicide Girls. The John Waters interview today was an incredible inspiration - here is a man who is considered way out in left field but you can see in the interview that he's the most grounded and honest director. I guess being in the 'art head zone' also skews your acceptance level too - I went to a methodist church a few months ago, I sat in the congregation and looked at the people and thought 'there is absolutely nothing I have in common with any of these people' I felt like I didn't even understand what their words meant.
A journey entry! How fun!
The closest definition I can think of is this: it's the day you realize that you can see if a piece is honest and decide does it work. Gone is some idea that there is good art and bad art - just can you see if the presenter is coming from an honest place.
Some time I ago I was trying to look at the same question and I suppose I wonder about it often. Then I decided that 'you know you are an artist when you can have an opinion on what you see'. I came to that conclusion after years of listening to jazz. When I first started I was mystified and confused - but I read some books, listened to some jazz compilations, began finding artists that I enjoyed. Finally, after several (or many) years - I have an opinion when I hear something and oddly it keep rolling until I have a take on almost all music that I hear.
This is what stymies me: if I consider myself an artist, then I would tend to want to listen to the most honest work out there - but, in fact, I get pleasure from a lot of music that is simply pleasurable - y'know, pop, country, love ballads. Hits designed to be hits, motown comes to mind as does almost anything by madonna and michael jackson.
So, I guess I should drop some expected image that a working artist lives his art - because it isn't true. Drinking beer and watching monday night football is pretty damn satisfying.
Achieving the 'art head zone' does change your life. I catch my applying the 'honesty rule' to most of what I see here at Suicide Girls. The John Waters interview today was an incredible inspiration - here is a man who is considered way out in left field but you can see in the interview that he's the most grounded and honest director. I guess being in the 'art head zone' also skews your acceptance level too - I went to a methodist church a few months ago, I sat in the congregation and looked at the people and thought 'there is absolutely nothing I have in common with any of these people' I felt like I didn't even understand what their words meant.
A journey entry! How fun!
flannery:
welcome to SG
cutepillowdancer:
well honey i don't know how often you actually check this considering the date on your last entry ... but i miss you !!! god damn it... and now that i've graduated... how about that photo shoot ... no seriously i wanna do it! and ps - thank you always for the support and love you've always shown me and my relationship towards the artpie... 