On Being Artist- A Constant Work in Progress

'Anything you say or do will be used against you in a future work of art'

I have recently emerged, or rather, came out, of the artist closet.
I realize now that the material of an artist can often be the reworking of life. That is the difference between someone who is and who is not an artist. (The real difference, because anyone can be an 'artist'--is someone who undertakes the act of creating, of reforming life to express their thoughts of life and share them with others). The artist makes the things of life the material in which s/he molds the medium and expresses him/herself. All aspects of life can be and is part of the material. The process, then, can become the product (or, at least, influences the product). It does not always have to be so, but EVEN the problems of the work can become part of the work. In essence, the act of creating a solution out of the problems, whether in that artist's life or with the art itself (is there a difference?) can become the actual work of the artist. That is the greatest creativity.

Creative work, is NEW, it has never been done before, it is NEW, that is why it is called creating--You are making something new come to the world to influence, inspire and portray the opening of the possibilities that one person has undertaken. Of course, with this can come great anxiety--of the unknown, of failure, etc... but the artist understands this and even with these obstacles of self or other's doubts, perseveres, uncovering the material within which to make creative work. The work is the work, the work of the work becomes the work [of art].

Inspiration can come from not being inspired. It can come from anything. Using whatever is in the life to share and tell the story of your life is the material. You are the only one that this particular thing is happening to the way it is, based on the fact that everyone experiences situations differently. No one really knows exactly how someone else is truly experiencing something, so the job of the artist is to express this and share it with the world in a way that will communicate it. (It also has to do with permission, giving permission to others, spreading goodness). Art is about the curiosity, values and the search-[and research]- about what interests the artist. I say that choreography is like cutting my head open and dumping out the contents and arranging them in a way so others can experience, and possibly understand, what is inside of it. It is a moving, living journal entry(ies) on stage (or whatever/wherever the venue is).

An artist can rework a problem into a solution. S/he sees an opportunity to rework a problem into a solution, sees or engages with the possibilities presented by a problem. There is always an opportunity to make a different choice, see beyond the 'thing of it', see beyond the linearity of the situation, beyond the thing of it.

What I am trying to say is . . . that the artist can work with the bullshit and make it into a thing of expression.

Empowerment

People only have as much power over us as we allow.

Empowerment, especially in the educational/learning/teaching sense (when relating/communicating with others), is giving people opportunities to learn to make good & strong decisions for themselves. It is not controlling or pushing, but about nurturing an understanding of the power of choice and making good choices. Empowering people to ask questions. Empowering to take care of themselves. A good teacher teaches students to teach themselves, a good therapist allows the person to empower herself.

If someone does something and it makes you mad, then you are responsible for that reaction. Instead, you have an opportunity to sort things out and make it a learning moment by saying what you need, by addressing the concerns, by teaching people how to treat you and what you need for that moment.

This is the review commissioned by Molly Mae on March 9th, 2013.

the website is:
http://neofuturists.org/

First Review: 

a review and re-view a room with a view for you

neo-futurists: holy fucking shit, wow. yes.

now for the long version . . .

this is a re-view. a new view on a review, a new way to review. I get it, a review is to view the piece again, as poo: chewed up digested and pooped up all analyzed and beautiful. Holy shit is what it is. and holy shit is what it was.

 an artist date with myself. a perfect place, its all perfect when you have learned how to be with yourself, but this was a perfect date to take your artist on, not that i believe in perfect, so it was pirphekt, if you will, and i did. an artist date has become a study on silence versus sound, alone versus company and crowd. the sacred silence.

that was the primer.

i must take you there when you come here! it is brilliant. they get dirty and grimy. it is theater of the self. 

30 plays in 60  minutes, gives it impulse, and urgency! 

its beautiful, and i stand by my first review, which was only a one liner because of all the feelings i felt and the beauty that it was, it is now hard to write about it. it must be because it is hard to funnel it all into words, perhaps the review has to be viewed in 3D, perhaps the medium is not the typing-email kind, but a dance or something, or a slap in the face, something visceral of that sort. to review it in this way, as i am feeling in real time writing, feels like a bottle neck effect between feelings thoughts and words, feelings of the take in and the words of the take out.

i give my fullest fillest recommendation. i am so happy i finally went to see it, i loved the circumstances. out on a concept, concepts set you free and give you safety. the concept of the artist date. it was a date  9 years in the making, maybe 29, or maybe 9 billion.

thank you for giving me the task of reviewing it. this was a lovely sense, good to let out the wild emotions experienced in the process, a way to funnel it out, even if slightly impossible.

Permission

Everyone is just waiting for permission.

Just say YES

"I imagine that yes is the only living thing."

e. e. cummings

love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skillfully curled)
all worlds
-e. e. cummings

some words, and dancing words

I understand, that I am not being understanding.
I understand, but I am not being understanding.

 “I really think music and movement — dance, you know — and literature inform my visuals. I think film is also based in dance. The relationship between me, the camera and the actor is always a dance.” These words come from this article, which has many interesting and informative words from Doyle on his craft and way of working/thinking.” – Christopher Doyle

Feb 24, 2013-Reflection, Forecast and a Quotation

This week has been a meditation on Murphy's Law.

Today commences 'The Artist's Way'--I have some thoughts. . . perhaps, I can use this as a space for the thoughts that come up during this exploration.

I was excited about this book because I discovered my own "artist's way" with remembering the power of Curiosity last week. Because that was my way in and I was curious about how others found a way in, but when I think of it, to follow someone else's 'way' is daunting. It's important to find your way. But I've committed... Julia Cameron, in this book, said that there is an initial irreverence and resistance to the process. And in a way, I feel like she is setting up an inarguable argument: "all the non-believers they get to eat dirt," it's ok if you do not believe,  just try and go through the process  . . Of course there will be resistance, she says. But is that how she gets me? You are gotten if you want to be gotten . . .at least I think so. So here we go, let's get a little messy. Give yourself the permission to . . .

Everyone is waiting for permission.

'Inside you there's an artist you don't know about . . . Say yes quickly, if you know, if you've known it from before the beginning of the universe'- Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī