I feel inspired again. The kind of inspiration that gets you out of bed and rushing off to try something new. It is easy to lose this spark until you notice it missing one day. That is the day you feel that time is leaving you behind. That is the time to take action. There is only now.
When I come out of these moments of sleepwalking and become aware of my day again, I realise that I only have a few moments in a day. Moments when I am free to create something new. To come up with ideas then put them into action. Most of my day is filled with busyness. Chasing chores and administration of some sort or another. Enough of that! Simplify. Turn off the phone. Put aside the social updates for a few hours. Switch off the TV and the absurd reality shows. Talk to someone face-to-face. Use your hands to make something. Breathe deeply. Once the calmness returns I realise how much I have to be grateful for. I look at my walls and see the paintings. I dust off the frames. Take another look across the room and relive that moment. The moment when the idea for the painting emerged and took shape on my easel with so much ease. That is the moment of peace and renewal of energy. I know that living without art is impossible. Once art and the energy it brings is accepted into your life can you part with it? Here is to living with art. May it continue always. I choose to paint beauty. It takes courage to purchase art. No matter the price. It is all relative anyway. To stump up with your money and and say "I want that painting". Then to hand over your card, cash or click through the purchase takes a certain belief in something other than utility. Something bigger than a mere necessity. What is the elusive quality that makes us stop and stare at a work of art. The great pieces compel us to look countless times and still we get something back. A buzz of pleasure, nostalgia perhaps or serenity. There is no begrudging the purchase then. What is obtained is a not merely tangible. It is simply more and in this case more is good. It is said that artists should know what their collectors want. Well lets say that in market-speak one should know what your customer wants or you will not have a clue what to sell. Does this apply to art? Should an artist ponder what collectors are looking for and trim and tuck the work to meet this belief? It is easy to answer in the affirmative, but what then? Creativity must run free. Beauty is one of the rare things that do not lead to doubt of God. I recently watched the movie Amadeus. You may remember this Oscar winning movie from 1984 about Mozart and his nemesis, Salieri. I saw the film back then, but wanted to see it again after all these years. It is still superb. Mozart is of course a genius and an artist in the true sense of the word.
Mozart was consumed by a passion for creating profoundly beatiful music. He was also driven to live life fully. Despite being surrounded by ugliness such as poverty and war he sought out every opportunity to compose music and to live his life with joy. Did his music solve the problems of the day? Did his music boost the economy and lead to peace in Europe? No. What about becoming rich? Money was never Mozart's motivation. Music was his purpose and he shared his gift wholeheartedly. How does this help us understand what collectors want from art? I suspect that it comes down to beauty and escape. The more we are confronted by a world gone mad the more we need to be reminded of it's beauty, creativity and the human potential for good. Art is part of the evidence that humans can do good work. Collectors share this communion with artists. So what is art good for? For reminding us that creating something beautiful is a divine gift that must be shared with the world. It takes courage and understanding to acknowledge this. Only fear and ignorance can stop us. The other day I was caught up in the morning traffic. Since I do not usually have to be out in the "commuting cycle" I am always stressed about driving in the maddening rush. I reached over and put the CD player on and listened to Rodriguez's album, Cold Fact. While looking at the strings of glittering cars heading over the highways, off-ramps and on-ramps like part of an inhuman organism I realised that the song playing was Rich Folk's Hoax. Were we all chasing something that did not exist? Thousands of people charging off to work or to look for work seeking more. When is enough just enough? "The poor create the rich hoax" sang Rodriguez. How true. Rich Folk's Hoax The moon is hanging in the purple sky
The baby's sleeping while its mother sighs Talking 'bout the rich folks Rich folks have the same jokes And they park in basic places The priest is preaching from a shallow grave He counts his money, then he paints you saved Talking to the young folks Young folks share the same jokes But they meet in older places So don't tell me about your success Nor your recipes for my happiness Smoke in bed I never could digest Those illusions you claim to have going The sun is shining, as it's always done Coffin dust is the fate of everyone Talking 'bout the rich folks The poor create the rich hoax And only late breast-fed fools believe it So don't tell me about your success Nor your recipes for my happiness Smoke in bed I never could digest Those illusions you claim to have going *Rich Folks Hoax lyrics by Sixto Rodriguez (from the album Cold Fact) Listen to the original song here. This has to be the message our children carry forward or we will see the same old cycles of destruction and prejudice. Now I realise that the title of this post may suggest some philosophising is in the offing. That would be true. Perhaps it sounds pretentious (it does) however I could not think of something more catchy so indulge me. I have been reading Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes A brilliant novel based on the author's experiences in the Vietnam war. I know that this subject may not appeal to everyone, but it is an exceptional book. In any case the author, through his main character, considers the nature of humanity. This made me think about art.
War is of course terrible and foolish. In extreme conflict humans are capable of evil deeds, which is one reason why wars are so awful. Being human we are blessed with the ability to care - and cursed too. For us to perceive evil we must be able to care and love first of all. What if we were indifferent like other animals? Would there be wars? Apart from a scuffle over food or some other basic need life would go on just fine. Hunting too would be an indifferent activity. Maralantes argues that it is our ability to care that brings us joy and misery. Caring for others makes us human, but more importantly there is love. The Greeks understood that love came in different forms. The most important being Philia - love for your fellow human. Love thy neighbour. The least important to the Greeks was eros - love of the romantic kind that we modern westerners seem so besotted over. What is the abscence of love? Not hate, but indifference. Life can get along just fine in an indifferent world as animals and plants prove. Humans are a recent development in the grand scheme of the world, but love has turned us into something altogether different. How does this relate to art? Well if love is not essential for life on earth then what about art? Why bother with art at all? Many school systems drop art altogether especially in high school since it is viewed as unimportant. At best a luxury. But this does not make sense at all. We create art because we are human. We also love because we are human. To reject art or to be indifferent to art is to reject our humanity. Creating art is an act of love too. Love for the process of creating and love for fellow humanity by sharing that art with others is essential. It could be a painting or a designer chair, whatever. By creating art we are respecting our highest emotional state - love. When art is marginalised I suggest we are doing ourselves and especially the youth a great disservice. It is one of the reasons why media only equates love with sex. It is also a recipe for conflict. Ultimately we are missing the point about what we should be fostering among ourselves. Instead of cheapening love let us look what humans are capable of. Creating art is something we can share with others and thereby demonstrate our love for our fellow humans. This has to be the message our children carry forward or we will see the same old cycles of destruction and prejudice. Art and appreciation for art is critical. It is part of what makes us human. The beginning of the year is an interesting time. Interesting because we are all faced with a challenge. For our children this may be starting a new grade or college. For adults it seems that many are facing a financial challenge after the Christmas indulgence. Perhaps it is facing the same old job. These challenges teach us to persist. Without persistence we cannot get stronger. For artists I hear a lot of anguish over the economy. For some the blame is internalised as they question their talent. Enough with the negative thoughts folks. Here are a five common negatives dismissed: 1) It is tough to survive on making art alone: Yes it can be, but this changes with time. We all know many others who have regular jobs with decent salaries yet are in constant fear of financial meltdown. There is no guarantee that any job or profession will keep the wolf from the door. All that counts is our attitude. Do we push on through or give in to fear? It is a choice. There is no shame in moonlighting to get by. Do what must be done, but never give up on your art! 2) Art is hard work. It would be easier to do something else: If you really believe this then that is your reality. The truth is that any work we do for a living can get boring or difficult at times. Then it is up to us to shake it up a bit. Recently I had some work done on our property. Watching the labourers digging a trench in the summer heat, made me appreciate once again how lucky I was. Would you want to trade places with those workers? 3) My Talent has run out! This is a common mental game we play with ourselves. When this self-pity crops up we can be sure that we are wasting our time at that moment. We need to get to work! We can only do one thing properly at any point in time. Take action and the doubts disappear. I recently watched the movie Rush about the Niki Lauda - James Hunt rivalry. Great movie. I marveled at the tenacity of Niki Lauda. He never doubted his talent, but he was also logical too. When a course of action was needed he pursued it fully. When caution was required he adapted where necessary. It was not about talent - it was all about common sense and total self-belief. Use both all the time. 4) My Paintings are not what people want: Says who? I am always amazed at the variety of art out there. Truly humans are capable of such amazing and transformational art. At the same time it is frustrating that artists disempower themselves by relying on the droves of fickle critics for validation. Sales too are not about whether one's art is good or bad. Sales is about selling. Either you are doing a good job at selling or not. If not then study marketing and sales techniques. 5) If only I …(fill in the blank space): Ever caught yourself saying these words? Maybe it was:" If only I landed a gallery deal then my finances would be secure." Gallery owners would disagree on that right now! Maybe you secretly believe that "If only I could paint like _________ then I would sell many more paintings." Not so fast. Well known artists may sell paintings, but they have worked many years to get to that point. The art market is vast and can accommodate different price points and artists at various skill levels. What counts is persistence and passion to paint regulary and study your art. Also to study the business of art. I believe that the artist who follows this path will produce art worthy of a collector's attention. I hope that these self-defeating beliefs are not going to stalk artists out there. Unfortunately some will always crop up when we let our guard down. Such is life. Try to laugh and carry on doing good work. All will be okay. Painting's always a challenge. Sometimes my brush sings its wonderful song, sometimes I wade through quicksand, but always I persevere in gratitude. It is that time of summer when the humidity and tempers have risen to dangerous levels. The sort of weather that makes people say and do crazy things then regret them later when the consequences come back to haunt them. I once read that the widespread use of air conditioning significantly lowerd the divorce rate in Texas. Presumably this applies to anywhere that suffers from very hot summers. Makes sense really. The heat also affects productivity at work. Even something like painting for a few hours becomes frustrating when you have to stand under a cold shower to keep sane.
My studio does not have air conditioning. Winter is not a problem with a basic heater sorting the chill out. But high humidity cannot be escaped. It saps creativity and the patience to press on when things are not working out. What to do when the heat wave starts to run for days on end? Well there is the wisdom that work should be done early and then late in the day. The unpleasant middle part being sacrificed to a siesta. Empires may not have been built on this idea, but it seems like good sense to me. A few hours of repose during the heat of the day, phone off the hook and away from traffic can only help to keep a person sane. Another plus is that energy can be replenished for a late afternoon flurry at the easel. It is also best to avoid all potentially annoying situations. Driving, waiting, phone calls and paying bills all conspire to kill creativity. Avoid them all until you have cooled down or preferably until autumn arrives. Our family cat has demonstrated it's talent for dealing with the heat. Consider that a cat is covered in fur and should suffer in the heat. Compared to our dog that pants away like a machine while simultaneously drooling like a fool, the cat takes it all very calmly. Just yesterday I observed our cat stretched out on my wingback chair. Its hind legs were touching the floor, its back draped over the seat while one of its front paws was extended to the top of the chair, claws embedded into the upholstery to keep it from slipping down. Amazingly our cat was now almost 1.5 metres long! In this way it was able to keep itself cool and relaxed as only a cat can do. Had he been lying on a coach he would no doubt have reached two metres in length. Our cat's posture reminded me of Dali's famous painting, The Persistence of Memory, where the clocks appear to be melting. Our cat's melting pose would have made Dali reach for his paint brushes in delight. No doubt Salvador Dali, being Spanish, would also have appreciated that a siesta is a sensible way to through the heat of the day. Nature and the seasons cannot be ignored. The lesson was a simple on. Instead of disconnecting we can pay closer attention to the rhythm of nature and adapt to the moment. Instead of fretting about productivity we can create more with better quality of work when we are comfortable and at peace. If in doubt ask your cat. What does an artist expect from life? To make a living, get rich or simply make art and do a day job. It is a personal choice. What about the artist who struggles valiantly, but never seems to break out of obscurity? For this artist each sale is a lifeline and the waters are treacherous indeed. It seems likely that bitterness and regret may dog this artist's path forever. In this case there is perhaps no better example than the musician Rodriguez.
Sixto Rodriguez - the mysterious musician from Detroit. Seventies singing icon in South Africa and a symbol of counter-culture for our white youth for at least three decades. Timeless folk songs that are as poetic and powerful today as they were in the seventies. Rodriguez's story made headlines in 2013 with the Oscar winning documentary feature, Searching for Sugarman. If you have not seen the movie then please do so. No matter what your taste in music the human story is so compelling and moving that it will leave a lasting impression. Here is a highly talented artist. His music in the early seventies is as good as Bob Dylan's, but nobody takes notice. Rodriguez lives in humble circumstances working as a labourer. His dream to become a recognised musician falls flat in the USA. Perhaps the truth is that Rodriguez never dreamed of fame and fortune at all. However in Australia and especially South Africa his music became massively popular in the seventies and continued unabated. However the legend carried on from word to mouth was that Rodriguez was dead. Suicide. That is until he is discovered by a couple of South African fans in the late 90's. Rodriguez is alive and still living in Detroit. Humble home. No car. Basic wage. Despite royalty checks being sent to his record label Rodriguez has not received any money or recognition for his music. He was unaware of his fame in South Africa. This changed when Rodriguez was persuaded to come to South Africa and perform in a series of concerts in 1998. All the concerts were sold out. Yet despite this success Rodriguez was happy to go back to his humble home. Despite netting six figure earnings from the concerts he gave most of it away to friends and those more needy than him. If he was bemused by his success back then he should have been stunned by the worldwide fame to come when Searching for Sugarman won the Oscar for best documentary in 2013. Suddenly Rodriguez was in demand everywhere - even in the USA. Yet Rodriguez did not use the money for personal wealth. He still gave it away. He stays in the same house. Still no car and still lives with the basics. To this artist it is all about performing his art. As Rodriguez says about fame and fortune - all you need is food, clothing and shelter. Everything else is icing. For those artists chasing wealth Rodriguez may seem crazy. Perhaps some are appalled at his lifestyle. But why? Rodriguez seems to appreciate that people do not own things. Things own people. By attaching ourselves to outcomes and material goals we are always going to be uneasy with life. Attachment leads to fear and suffering. Loss of freedom. The only thing Rodriguez has is his life and his ability to create art. He loves to share this art with the world, not for reward, but because it is his calling. Let the rewards come and go. Change is the only constant. The next time you feel like complaining, get frustrated or bemoan your situation think of Rodriguez. Be humble and grateful for life and the opportunity to make art. Love what you do and give freely. That is all that is required of us. What to paint? Can an artist rely on inspiration alone when faced with a blank canvas? Facing creative challenges is part of the deal when choosing art for a career. The secret is not to overthink it. I have been working on a series of paintings inspired by the approaching summer. Although I have always been too impatient to paint similar scenes in a series I find that I am enjoying this recent spate of summer inspired work. Very strange! No really it is for me and that is why I have been sitting at my desk today looking at these six or seven paintings wondering what has happened. Where did this creative burst come from? For one thing I know that I am more conscious of time. Not to bring you down or anything but recently there have been people close to my family that have passed on. I have also lost my faithful ridgeback this week from old age. I miss having the old guy around the studio. Truth is painting is a therapy too so this probably explains the need to paint fast and loose without questioning the subject too much. Looking at these paintings makes me realise another thing too. Although I love painting country scenes, light in trees and our veld - deep down I am a coastal boy at heart. There is something about the sea and sand that is simply within my understanding. I can sense the sand, salt and wind. I know that feeling when I paint these scenes. They are not contrived. It is real. I think there is much more to come on this subject before I turn to other painting topics. Back to the subject of inspiration and time. Inspiration happens when I work. Sure I get ideas, but inspiration is what gets my hands dirty and things happen. That is when the idea taps into the infinite well of inspiration. Too much thought hinders inspiration. Get painting. The first painting may be a warm up. I scrape it down and start again. Never walk away from the failed painting. It is simply part of the warming up process for the main event. Then crack on and paint until exhausted! Time is a damned liar! It fools the young into thinking there is plenty still to come. It taunts us when we get older and dares us to think we can cheat it. No there is only one moment and that is now. If we use this moment then we can call it even. So I cannot overthink my painting and dwell on what should be done. I know what needs to be done. I have to get on with it. We all do. Appreciating art takes time. Time is in short supply in the connected world. Can artist's still win collector's hearts online? Internet marketers talk about engagement. It is the hottest word in the struggle for sales online. The competition to get us engaged is fierce in all areas. Business to social media use many tricks and strategies to make us feel close to the message so that we buy or endorse. Marketers know that they only have seconds to get our attention before we escape into the ether. Have we all become conditioned to instant gratification? Maybe the "New York minute" has become the "internet second". Can art compete? Can artists and collectors engage in a meaningful way online? Why does it even matter? Well the issue is critical for artists and the art world in general. Most artists today need the internet to market their work or simply to publish their ideas. Traditional galleries can only cater for a tiny percentage of artists. The old model is under pressure. There is a huge opportunity for artists and collectors in this brave new world, but there are still two big problems. The first problem, as already mentioned, is whether there can be real engagement between artist and collector. Does the art speak to the collectors heart and soul when it is reduced to pixels over the internet? Given that a painting seen in person is usually more impressive than online how does the artist win over the collector? This remains a challenge. The second part is the time it takes to consider art. Online decisions are made in seconds. Retail products are simple enough to buy. We know the brand, colour and price range so we can click on the buy now button with confidence. But not with art. Art takes time to appreciate. Art is unique. Often collectors will view work they like and consider the art for days or weeks even before deciding to buy. Clearly something very different is going on here. This is not a typical online purchase situation. The collector who buys online is a discerning person. Patient, deliberate and a romantic. There is no escaping it. Art is about romance. A seduction of sorts between the artist's abstract concept and final creation to the collector's emotional response. Here lies the difference between online shopping and art appreciation. The art collector is a romantic seeking something more. An experience shared, a chance meeting and an understanding. It is an experience that holds mystery and some risk too. The internet does give the artist and collector the opportunity to share something beyond the typical banality of commercialism. It is in the romance that our doubts fall away. Is there still time for romance? I believe there is. What do you think?
Waiting may be the real human condition. Consider what people want out of life. I believe that it is usually something in the future. A better job. Real love. More money. A new something or other. A better life. All just out of reach and always tomorrow. When did this attitude to life begin? Thinking about it I suggest that it was probably in our later teens. You know when we started wishing we were older. Remember the Beach Boys song? "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older then we wouldn't have to wait so long..." Why is waiting such a big part of our lives? Maybe the honest truth is that we are afraid. Fear is the number one factor before lack of time, money or motivation. When we try something risky like creating from the heart we are letting our defences down. That goes against human nature. We need to protect ourselves at all costs. But is the cost worth it? Who pays the price in the end? Recently this idea came up around our dinner table. We were discussing Christmas gifts since it is getting to that time of year again. My wife wants our gifts to the extended family to be handmade. This is better than something bought at the mall. A gift from the heart. But what if the recipient did not like the gift? Would it not be safer just to buy something? My wife is very talented at crafts. We looked at each other as if we suddenly woke up and thought: "We are two artists second guessing our ability to make worthwhile gifts for our relatives!" Trivial, but it illustrates a point. If we do not keep an eye on ourselves we will do whatever it takes to preserve ourselves from rejection even it it means compromising on our talents. The idea is to use our talents now. Not wait until sometime in the future. The time is never right. The time is short. Act today no matter if the first steps are hesitant and clumsy. Forget the TV and the mantra of "I am too tired, maybe tomorrow." If art is your thing then grab a pencil and sketch then move on to adding colour or whatever is the next step for you. Want to write? Start with a sentence. I read an article about Prince Charles in the recent Time magazine. The Forgotten Prince is the lead title. It is about Prince Charles getting on with projects and duties as if he is king. He has not waited to be crowned before doing anything worthwhile. Life is short and he clearly is taking opportunities today to make a difference. This blog title is borrowed from the story of Candy Chang. You can read the full story on her website. Her project was to create giant blackboards where people could fill in the blank space. A reminder that the time is now and our time is short. Let us not waste another moment. I love this idea! I relate to it very much. It has been and still is a challenge for me to put my art out there. It may be insignificant, but perhaps it makes someone happy too. Ultimately it is what I do and what I am sharing that matters. There is a long way to go, but I cannot stop now. We all need to do our meaningful work even if it is difficult. The challenge then is to start today. Whether it is art, writing, physics or mending relationships - just begin. What would you write in that blank space? |
AuthorMalcolm Dewey: Artist. Country: South Africa Archives
March 2024
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