February 17, 2005

• I am stealing this from CHO (annchov) (who stole it from another) because it really impacted me and has made me think about it all day (which we all know is dangerous).
  I have made some modifications, but these are the characteristics of the artist according to one of Mr. Mayer’s classes:

  pain/anger
  passion
  break down of inhibitions (non-conformist)
  courage
  healthy ego
  life experiences
  child-like nature
  time, patience, and a burst of creativity
  soul; solitude; loneliness

  Pain: yes. yes I have pain. But I think it must be balanced by healing, renewal, and joy.

  Passion: Passion is my second favorite word. My first is Euphoria, and my third is Catharsis. I don’t think I lack passion, and I hope I never do.

  Non-Conformist: You wouldn’t think this described me- I didn’t until I looked a little closer. I realized that I do not stay content with things for long. I continually long for change. You don’t have to have purple hair to have this quality.

  Courage: Perhaps I could work on this one. Perhaps I need courage to make the changes that I crave. And also, perhaps I need the gumption to put myself first.

  Healthy Ego: Um. I have ego.

  Life experiences: Nature, life, people, action, movement, emotion, reactions, psychology, symbolism, and a billion other things must be closely studied and carefully remembered and cataloged in a life’s worth of experience.

  Child-like nature: Naiveté. Honesty. Always having that sense of wonder that comes from always looking at the world like a child seeing it for the first time. Youthfulness must always balance life experiences.

  Time, patience: Even beyond the slow process of making art, I would include here a willingness to throw away. The time comes when you are not content or satisfied with the first attempt or idea and so you go through a process of making new ideas until you come up with the idea.

  Creativity: A burst of spontaneity, yes, but more important is again that constant looking at the world as if with fresh eyes so that everything you do is original.

  Soul: “The soul is the united entity of the spirit with the physical body” (D&C 88:15-16) Most of you have heard me talk about the dual nature of thesensual and the spiritual(link). All artists must find that balance between the beautiful, carnal senses of the flesh and the equally beautiful and higher sensations of the spirit.

  Solitude: There is a direct correlation between loneliness and my art. When I am lonely, I have an urge to do more art. It is as if like Pygmalion I am trying to create companionship through my art. Absolutely crucial to the artist to balance that solitude, however, is a network of friends, artists, and connections.

  • 5:46 pm
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