The drive to create is very human, baked into us since the beginning or The Beginning, depending on your perspective and beliefs. Archaeologists have found intricate and intriguing artefacts worldwide dating back tens of thousands of years showing incredible craftsmanship. In the twenty first century we like to think we’re the pinnacle of evolution but we’re simply on the long tail.
Since the dawn of time we wanted to have nice things. We wanted even humble pottery jars built in their thousands to hold oil or honey to be decorated and beautifully made.
Unfortunately, at some point relatively recently in history, the results of this innate desire to create, like our origins, acquired a Capital Letter and became Art.
I’m going to be dramatic here; Creativity is our birthright. It shouldn’t be seen as something we can only do if we’re making money from it.
Just because museums worldwide are full of what we think of as the best of the art that’s been made over the last 8000 centuries or more, are is whatever you want it to be. I’m an art nerd, and I have come to the realisation that few people are served when we make the art world the playground of the rich, the marketers and the unethical.
Want to be an artist? Make some art! Then make some more. Show some people. Then make some more.
I have read this book about six times now and it’s the gift (I gave myself) that just keeps giving.) You could also read this excellent article from the Arts Student’s League of New York.
The inner critic is a noisy bitch.
I am freaking out a bit today. I have been writing my butt off but it never feels like enough. Will it be enough when this book is out in the world? Will it be enough when I publish another fiction novel? Win another competition? Finally make some cash from my books? That is just so hard to do, so why is it the focus of almost every creative I know?
I have my goals and my dreams and I’m working towards them, so why am I so anxious?
I could be a little nervous about the event I’m hosting tonight, interviewing author Michelle Upton for the Gold Coast Libraries. These author events are very dear to my heart. I love organising and hosting reader events and have become the go-to person for (free) hosts and interviewers in my area. I have hosted a number of events myself and arranged for other writers to act as interviewers for touring authors. As the current (reigning?) speaker coordinator for the Gold Coast Writers’ Association, I spend a lot of time organising and attending events and workshops for writers but we writers really need is to engage more with readers if we want to find our audience.
It’s Wednesday and I have a massive word count goal for myself but I had to post a blog. I would also like to humbly ask you to fill in my Survey for Creatives on the joys of feedback. Thanks!
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Very nice.
Thank you.
Thank you ☺️