Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The State Of The Artist


You, as an artist, have the greatest responsibility of all. 

You are charged with trying to make people feel, in a world that tells them not to. 

You are tasked with speaking soft words, painting, playing, filming, writing moments of such magnitude and beauty that people rediscover their hearts one more (last) time. 

You are here to give meaning to the few decades we spend here. 

That is the reason you were sent to Earth. 

35 comments:

MKMoondust said...

I thought the job of an artist was to create something simple that still held something of meaning. I thought artists were supposed to turn thoughts into true feelings so people could relocate their hearts. I also thought that artists were the eccentrics that find ways to make everything in this crazy world work out in the end.

Anonymous said...

Let's revise an earlier theory: your sense of "forgiveness" with art and "love" both don't begin until the line of absolute nonconformity. Perhaps you're being truer to yourself & your aesthetic all the time. You are on a journey this year, rejecting me as the face and failure of "normalcy" is part of it. The real freedom may come when you can embrace emotional and physical expression with courage, without apology, authentically (legally). It won't be without sacrifice of the attachment of the cover you try so hard to manipulate. But you have so few obligations. If this is what you want, what would make you feel whole and comfortable, then let go of using non-conformity as a reason to be angry; you're just jerking off, figuratively. Why strive to be antisocial, be social in the life you want to live. Think about it. me

Anonymous said...

You have mistaken big words for the right ones.

Anonymous said...

So redefine.

Debie Grace said...

Now I know why I am here. Thank you. :)

januarieYork said...

I will opt for a simple Thank You.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love this. Many artists I know feel worthless, but they don't realize the true value of their work. Thank you for putting how we all feel into words.

Melissa L said...

I love this.

Anonymous said...

I'm the painter and the artist of my life. My own way. Whatever I want to do .... my life.
If you don't like it, any part of it, ignore me. That is all.

My own creation. My main right.

Mia said...

Thank you for this fresh realisation.

Anonymous said...

Wha-te-ver that is .... is my creation.

Eyy!! Imagination, life is your creation.

Anonymous said...

I expressed myself emotionally and physically, body, soul and mind all together, with you. And only you. I learned to let go of my inhibitions (physical mostly) only from you.
There was never anyone else. And there never will be either.
Please understand me. I may be an artist right now. But truly, honestly speaking, I can give up my art and embrace 'normalcy' if you are with me. I cannot do it for anybody else. No. Not for anybody else.
I trust you with my life and I know you'll do your very best.
What if I say that a lot of people read what I write and think it's for them but it's all meant for you and only you? I can close my eyes and know for sure that you can handle me. Just as I know for sure that I can handle you too. It's just that the need can't be fulfilled over a long distance anymore. It's the long distance which is complicating matters. So come. I'm waiting with bated breath.
And I'm not antisocial. Of course not. I'm a friendly person. I make friends everywhere I go. I woke up from my slumber this time, also because of a friend. And right after I woke up, I had this thought- I need you beside me. You don't see something- the other so-called 'loves' I have in my life do not evoke such strong feelings. I am with them but miles away from them at the same time.

I have dreams. I have hopes. I have my body, mind and soul to give. Art is not more important than life. You, you are my lifeblood.

Ok? OKAY? I love you.

Anonymous said...

I want to see you... anonymous. Don't hide, please.
Love,
Me

FeverDream said...

i try so hard to tangle my thoughts and words into something tangible. something that a person can grab hold of and shake or throw or rip and tear. i want something that people can push their emotions into, no matter the cost.

Anonymous said...

This is truly beautiful.
No other words.

Dani said...

I love this. As I described it to a friend of mine when I forwarded it to him, this post is "Like a back massage for your soul when it aches."

Thank you.

I've decided to buy a very large blank canvas, paint it something luminous and then write these words across it in beautiful bold calligraphy. And then I'll hang it in my living room, for everyone who comes to visit.

I'll be sure to put your name and web address on it.

And when I finish it, I'll e-mail you a picture of it. Though that might be a while -- I want to paint it all by hand, not just Photoshop it and print it on a canvas. I don't want to cheat, I want it to be mine; I want to put myself into it to make it something real.

Again, thank you.

Anonymous said...

'Love, me'? That's it? Only 'Love, me?' Grrr!!!! Bloody fool! *kicking you off the edge* Yes kicking and not pushing because you're the moron that you are.
Now flail and flounder and see where all those conditions and theories and fears disappear. You're too busy learning how to fly. :D
And see, now you are flying. Woohoo!

You know only too well who I am. You'll recognize my voice in hell. And you know where to find me. Just come. And hurry. Turn the world upside down if need be. Because I'm sleepless again.

Just don't get worried please. This time there'll be no disaster. I promise.

zonedin said...

I love the artist in every person, I would do most anything to inspire you.

Inspiring you, inspires me.

Prixie said...

Seeing beauty where others have to squint. :)

Anonymous said...

You have me. The distance hurts. It makes it seem impossible to be cuddle-muffins.

Anonymous said...

Feeling is natural...art, in whatever form, merely wipes off the dust so that people can connect with it again - even if just momentarily...

Susan said...

Beautiful post

sssss said...

thank you ~ i love you

Anonymous said...

But if you would like to do it everything new and improved, your own way ..... I will support you. After all ... if I can't ... who can then?
That is what I do, don't I?

It's very possible and necesary really.

Art will be happy with you. And probably me too ;)

Anonymous said...

That you be nervous and a little bit scared is normal ..... I think that is good :)

Anonymous said...

As a self-proclaimed artist, thank you for these words.

And thank you, too, for choosing to be an artist.

Rakhi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Die :)

Anonymous said...

Art is not a bitch. Art is the best gift we have in this world :)

Anonymous said...

beautiful. i hear your words in every friend that reads my words....but i don't believe in me. your words as always, give me strength and faith in me. again.

This person said...

And just when I was about to give up.

It's never that simple, but thank you. :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for telling me what I've been suspecting all along.

Challenge accepted! I'm on it.

Anonymous said...

I hope you will find me, as I have found you.

http://new-world-for-every-one.blogspot.com/

Nemi-Z said...

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

It's a simple truth, as all the best truths are.