ARTS AND DOERS THEREOF....
Who, among us, can be truly called an "artist"?
The term is batted around rather loosely these days, in the entertainment field in particular and elsewhere, and now seems to be based on the premise of who can best excite the attention of fame makers in the form of followers, imitators, devotees of various grades, chronic applauders, and dedicated critics and fault-finders who keep the pot boiling with conflict, habitual opposition and senseless bickering over unimportant but newsworthy bits of information either true or false.
It appears today that we use the term without limits but I have an idea that has always been true to some extent. It makes a far better news story if the murderer can be depicted as a frustrated artist having owned a watercoloring set at one time when he tried to paint some watercolors at the beach one summer. Lack of praise and appreciation for his initial efforts led to a career of crime. We are led to believe he had the mind of an artist, deeming perfection his constant aim.
In polite society, I would have to call all that sort of talk: "Balderdash!"
So often, I feel, the true artist is any one who does what he does - paints, sings, draws, acts, writes, plays a musical instrument primarily for the sheer pleasure he gets from doing so, is an artist or becoming one. No man has ever labored at doing a fine thing well. As man truly loves what he does, so he becomes more and more qualified to be really good at doing whatever it may be. I have known cooks who were engaged in the development of works of culinary art, but with a far greater "practical" view as to its purpose and use than other "artists. His gain is in seeing his work used by others as intended, and, thus properly praised.
The feeling of joy in the doing thereof will tell you when our are thinking and acting as an artist should; or it can be seen in others if you are courageous enough and willing, even eager, to guide them on their way when they most need help to face up to those evil qualities of life when say it cannot be. A few minutes of your time spent to acknowledge that which you see in them which is good; perhaps even to share a personal gift - a small portion of your own dreams. Added to that which they already have, it could be your greatest contribution to art for its own sake.
The urge to be an artist flies in the face of financial fact. There is no half-way point at which one can turn aide and say "enough... no more." Art goes all the way; as far as you can take it.
A.L.M January 31, 2005 [c482wds]
