What I Need to Hear
Real Artists Have Day Jobs by Sara Benincasa
Only 10 pages in and I am already quoting this in my blog. I already have a feeling this will be a great book to get started (again, every day). From the first sentence of the first chapter:
"Have you ever dreamed of being a real artist?"
Obviously.
"...You are not going to become a real artist one day. You are a real artist right now.
Do you make art?
Do you make art because it brings you joy, and also pain, but the good kind of pain,
kind you need in order to remember that you are a real person with worth and value
and power and all of the feelings?
Do you make art because it's fun?
Would you make art regardless of whether anybody paid you to make art?
Do you make art because...
Then congratzel tov, my friend. You are a real artist."
"...Art does not require an MFA, a BA, a high school diploma. Art does not require
any formal education at all. Art does not need your full-time attention.
... Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not a success. Don't ever let them tell you
you're not good enough. Don't ever let them tell you you're not the real deal.
More important: don't ever tell yourself any of these things. Believe me when I tell
you that no matter how much time you spend at the office, it's just a side gig.
You are an artist, full-time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now go make your art."
Boom. Just like that. Straight up and to the point.
Only lately have a thought of myself of a "real" artist. But sometimes I still don't think of myself as a "real" adult either. It seems like both of these just happened without me really knowing. Besides, why would I not be a "real" artist or adult? There isn't just one adjective that describes or even categorizes these labels. So why do I not feel like I fit these labels? Why do I feel that I have to fit into these labels? These are the questions, and Sara has already given me an answer.
Only 10 pages in and I am already quoting this in my blog. I already have a feeling this will be a great book to get started (again, every day). From the first sentence of the first chapter:
"Have you ever dreamed of being a real artist?"
Obviously.
"...You are not going to become a real artist one day. You are a real artist right now.
Do you make art?
Do you make art because it brings you joy, and also pain, but the good kind of pain,
kind you need in order to remember that you are a real person with worth and value
and power and all of the feelings?
Do you make art because it's fun?
Would you make art regardless of whether anybody paid you to make art?
Do you make art because...
Then congratzel tov, my friend. You are a real artist."
"...Art does not require an MFA, a BA, a high school diploma. Art does not require
any formal education at all. Art does not need your full-time attention.
... Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not a success. Don't ever let them tell you
you're not good enough. Don't ever let them tell you you're not the real deal.
More important: don't ever tell yourself any of these things. Believe me when I tell
you that no matter how much time you spend at the office, it's just a side gig.
You are an artist, full-time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now go make your art."
Boom. Just like that. Straight up and to the point.
Only lately have a thought of myself of a "real" artist. But sometimes I still don't think of myself as a "real" adult either. It seems like both of these just happened without me really knowing. Besides, why would I not be a "real" artist or adult? There isn't just one adjective that describes or even categorizes these labels. So why do I not feel like I fit these labels? Why do I feel that I have to fit into these labels? These are the questions, and Sara has already given me an answer.
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