Quote of the week…#19

“A fashion is nothing but an induced epidemic.”  ~George Bernard Shaw

Be Beautiful….huh?

Be Beautiful.  Hmmm. I DO say that alot don’t I? So..what does that mean? Do I mean that you can just decide to be beautiful and so therefore will be??  Yep. Somethin’ like that.

While of course my “theory” is based on the assumption that we are all inherently beautiful because we are human beings, and of course that is true.  Admit it to yourself…it IS true!  If we ALL carried the exact same ideal of beauty, we would all be stalking the same two people on earth….which would be a bit mad don’t you think?  We each find different aspects, quirks, and features to be attractive.  We each have our own idea of what is beautiful in others.  Why can’t we accept all of the things that we are ourselves as beautiful? 

Now…why is it true? Ok.  Consider this: our society has a certain “image” that we consider to be beautiful.  Other societies have very different standards of beauty.  Ours is based on unrealistic, materialistic, commercial, and otherwise rediculous standards of what is beautiful.  The basic and simplified reason for this is: If companies use an unrealistic image of beauty to promote their product and thus create the belief in you that if you use that product you will be closer to attaining that station of “beautiful”, then they have created, just for YOU, a neverending cycle of purchasing power.  Meaning that YOU will continue to purchase their product in the hopes that you will reach the similarity to that image.  But of course you will NEVER reach it as it is completely UN-realistic remember?  And so, these incredibly outrageous standards of beauty MUST be maintained in order for the continuity of capitalism in Western society.  We are, I think, just at the cusp of beginning to change all of this, but there is such a long way to go still. 

So…if we remove our societal standards of beauty, what is left?  Well..you are not a goldfish, you are not a bumblebee, you are not a house plant (I hope), you are not a chicken…… you are a human being.  You are unique.  You are beautiful.  It is your flaws and quirks that make you YOU and as such are what make you beautiful.  The kind of beautiful that transcends societal standards, cultural ideals, and time. 

So…voila!… all you need to do is recognize that you are inherently beautiful and you will be deciding to be beautiful and therefore will be!

Quote of the week…#18

“The first question I ask myself when something doesn’t seem to be beautiful is why do I think it’s not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.”
John Cage

Let’s discuss the last quote of the week….

“I don’t believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing nothing at all. If there’s one thing that’s dangerous for an artist, it’s precisely this question of total freedom, waiting for inspiration and all the rest of it.”          ~Federico Fellini

Hmmm…ya know I think I completely agree with this idea. 

While artists , myself included, should have total “artistic” freedom, we should not necessarily be given “total” freedom.  It does tend to be true that if left, literally, to our devices, artists will become so flaky and internalized with our “creative muse” that we will eventually end up creating nothing.  Oh…we may start a million new pieces….but the muse will leave as quickly as she comes and that will be the end of that.  Oh and when she returns it will be with a brand new idea that needs our immediate attention….and so the previous unfinished piece shall have to wait until our muse is in the mood to finish it, which of course will be never.  Muses NEVER give us inspiration for the same piece more than once…it’s not their job.   They come. They inspire. They leave. 

Those of us who are able to reign in our creative ADHD riddled muses and conform to a schedule and deadlines of some sort or other are the lucky ones.  The rest, and sometimes the most creative, may find themselves in desperate need of some time management skills and an intense study on discipline. 

Sometimes I think that the most ingenious artists are the ones who can force themselves, if necessary, to finish a piece to the end without “Charlie Brown”-ing around.  Of course there are always going to be those “epic” works that may take us sometimes years to complete, but that is not what I mean.  The art that comes in steady streams and will make up the majority of a collection.  That’s the work I’m talking about.  The work that can mean the difference between paying the rent or dodging the landlord for another month.  The stuff that really matters.  And because it matters financially, it can be sometimes be some of our best work as well. 

You can save your fits of “Sybil” for those once in a lifetime pieces.  The ones that keep you up at night and alone in your own world during the day.  Those are the ones that are great. 

But we cannot create those everyday…so get back to work and stop procrastinating ….till next week when you yet again will have an excuse to be here rather than creating something beautiful.

Lori B.

Quote of the week…#17

“I don’t believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing nothing at all. If there’s one thing that’s dangerous for an artist, it’s precisely this question of total freedom, waiting for inspiration and all the rest of it.”
Federico Fellini

Quote of the week…#16

“Works of art, in my opinion, are the only objects in the material universe to possess internal order, and that is why, though I don’t believe that only art matters, I do believe in Art for Art’s sake.”
E. M. Forster

Moods + Appearance + Style + Music=Art? How I get out of a block…

Have you ever noticed how your mood, how you feel about yourself, your appearance, your own daily “style” affects your art?  For me it all plays a huge role in what comes out creatively. 

I find that when I fall into a “rut” (more like a deep canal really…lol) that I can climb out rather quickly simply by changing the way I look and the way I feel.  Ok, so it’s that’s simple, but I never said it was easy! lol

When I start feeling like a big lump of “mush” (and not a “good lump of mush” either) and that I just cannot accomplish anything….(we’ve all been there haven’t we?)….I start by messing up my hair (which is usually an improvement measure) and then blast some music with a good beat…either something punk or metal to help regain my “attitude”  (if others around me have “issues” with the music I either tell them to “deal” or just use my mp3 player with the headphones….depends on how badly I need to “readjust” my creative side…lol)  Now if I get just the right music on, I find it impossible to not move and if you’re moving to metal or punk…it IS with attitude!  I have a playlist that I use for working out at the gym to help keep my “attitude” there too and it is ideal for this purpose!  When I feel strong, I can allow my creativity to come forth and conquer all! 

Once I’ve got the attitude starting to show itself, I usually find that the ideas are flowing fierce and furiously…. it really is all about regaining my “creative attitude”!  

Of course once in the throws of  a “creative tsunami”, I may need to “tone it down” so as to not hurt myself..lol… and so the Blues will likely take over for the Metal and Punk while I’m working at the torch….it seems to help the glass flow better and I can “listen” to what it tells me it wants to do. 

Today, I am getting my hair cut, and I’ve got the Metallica blaring as I type this (“Give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire”…)…….hmmmm…. think I will light the torch this afternoon!

Until next time….
Lori B.