Art & Creativity
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Morning people
“The muses love the morning.” ~Benjamin Franklin I’ve always been a morning person. Since I’m the granddaughter of Scottish farmers, I wonder if I’m genetically programmed to be an early riser. Whatever the reason, I think it’s a privilege to watch the sun rise over the treetops while I sip my morning coffee and write. My mind is fresher early in the day, and since fewer people are awake yet, there are no phone calls or conversations to interrupt my early morning peace. The only drawback to early rising is that I’m inclined to tire out earlier in the evening when my night-owl friends are just getting started. How about…
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Kindred spirits
“If it is true for you, it is true for someone else, and you are no longer alone.” ~Colson Whitehead If you’re a sports fan, one of the thrills of rooting for a team is the sense of unity you experience with your fellow fans. For me, reading books, magazines, and newspaper articles is another way to feel connected to humanity. Whenever I read a piece of writing that lifts my heart or gets me thinking, I believe the author and I are kindred spirits. This happened last week when I read a fabulous New York Times column by David Brooks, who beautifully explained why studying art and the humanities…
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Just do it
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~Andy Warhol Artists are courageous people. When it comes to expressing creativity, fear is usually what stops other people in their tracks — not lack of talent. Fear of failure … Fear of being imperfect … Fear of appearing foolish … Fear of being misjudged. As you start a brand-new year, you might be toying with the idea of starting a new creative project or trying a new hobby. If you can ignore the inner critics that…
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No comparison
“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”~Lao Tzu Ours is a culture of competition. We have televised sports 24/7 — not to mention those countless game shows, dancing and singing competitions, and cooking contests. No matter what the endeavor, there’s a contest for it. There’s always another trophy to win; another team to conquer; another score to beat. The not-so-subtle message: To be your best, you gotta top somebody else. It’s all fun and games, for the most part — unless we take it too seriously. Comparing and competing can be dangerous to our wellbeing if we’re not careful. If…
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The right note
“If you hit a wrong note, it’s the next note that you play that determines if it’s good or bad.” ~Miles Davis The arts have so many lessons to teach us, which is why I’ve always been grateful for my liberal arts education. Whether you study literature, philosophy, or art history, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of human nature that will serve you in countless ways throughout your life. Along these lines, if you’ve ever taken art or music lessons, you know that practicing the craft is the only way to master it. As Miles Davis reminds us in today’s quote, a wrong note — or a misstep — is…
