...could you talk about your relationship issues without the guitar?' (see the Bizarro comic here)
The cartoonist begs the question: how does self-expression migrate from self-indulgence to something we might call art?
My guess is that some combination of awareness, perseverance and genius is involved - but I'm not sure about the genius. Maybe just the first two, plus luck, will shine the light on the next Bruce Springsteen or Edna St. Vincent Millay. With genius, you get what you get - but awareness and perseverance take work.
Lack of awareness lets the singer-songwriter foist her relationship issues on the hapless listener. And don't be too quick to let the activist folksinger off the self-indulgence hook. Songs about union rights and West Bengali tea workers do not ipso facto extract the ego from the brew.
Egoless, tireless pursuit of art sounds a bit utopian, I know. But how will you let your apportionment of genius out if you 1. plaster it with ego, or 2. turn your back and walk away?
OK. Post over. Let's get to work.
Public domain photo of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Arnold Genthe
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To Be an Artist
Without a doubt there has to be perserverance. If you want to be good at any of the arts, you can't just do your thing on the weekends when you feel like it. You have to do it everyday! If you continue to work at it faithfully, then you cannot help but get better.
Awareness is also very important. If you are not aware of all that is around you, or aware of steps to take to improve your art, then it's going to be hard to improve. Also to be aware of others that are good at the art you wish to do. Listen, observe, ask questions.
How lovely that your login
How lovely that your login has proceeded without a hitch this time, Peter, so that we may have the pleasure of your thoughts!
The Blog & Peter
Hello Susan,
Yes things are working out for me this time. Thank you pretty lady for helping me.
Just Me
Peter