ART. MIMESIS. LOVE. FREEDOM.
I think... that word arts and music hold intricate and deep contradictions - pain & joy, struggle & triumph, soul-challenging work & quiet reflection - each necessary to the artistic process and outcome.
...that the nomadic impulse within many artists stems from underlying insecurities, from having one eye on the (intellectualized or status-seeking) prize and the other in search of a tangible arrival - over there. (If we keep moving, we trick ourselves into believing we're getting somewhere). And so the beatnik wandering era, the hippie or gypsy lifestyle, as well as post-punk political posturing (with anger that rouses the like-minded, yet scatters & distances all others) now seem pretentious and self-serving in a world where air, land, oceans, people, and animals struggle, in desperate need of collective good will, help & healing. Furthermore, each generation requires a new type of artist, despite our infatuation with those who inspired and came before us (a sort of mimesis). Even the academic-driven poetry that dominates the scene today is generally grounded in place, story, or moment, not nostalgia. And, in these times of social media connection, yet prevalent disconnection, more than ever, artists need to support each other to create new paths forward. Why is it so hard to even say 'hello' to each other? If you, as an artist, are not engaging with others then you cannot complain about the lack of support for arts in contemporary society. You are part of the erosion of the arts community.
...that introversion holds artists back. Yes, at times, we may feel claustrophic in crowds, or alone in the company of others. We may need quiet time to work and reflect. However, consistently acting on introverted tendencies, and unquestionably accepting this as a stereotypic artist tendency, creates lost opportunities to engage with others, to learn from others, and to share our gifts with the world. As stated above, chronic identification with 'nerdism' is something to overcome because, when self-focused, we risk missing the point of art - reaching out & inspiring others; in essence, we are sending the message to others that it's all about (our) self not art created and set free.
...that if we reach up or downward for love we will miss the true love across from us. This is the core motivation for many artists: “Love stole my prayer beads and gave me poetry and song”— Rumi
...that silence is contingent on different types of fear: afraid to call because of the potential for rejection; or afraid to reach out to the best love ever, knowing the heart will never again be calm & controlled. And sometimes we're simply awestruck by his/or her beauty. This requires the greatest pause - to ensure we can maintain composure & control before moving closer. How dare their beauty command our hearts!
...that some of the most (first-world, privileged) satisfying ways to experience freedom are: playing an electric guitar through a powerful amplifier, each chord echoing into decay; taking in the view from the top floor of a hotel room, knowing years of study and education led to this moment, to being in this space; waking up at dawn after sleeping under the stars on a summer night; riding a motorcycle into the golden-orange sunset; driving a Fiat convertible down the highway, air-in-hair, fighting distractions of breath-taking and rolling views; getting in the car and driving away, knowing that too many chances have already been given and this was the last; holding a weathered photograph of my Métis grandmother, hoping that somewhere in the universe she knows her struggle has made it better for others; giving this feeling to someone else, in a way that's most meaningful to them.
