One reason for not speaking my mind was fear. Yes I admit it, I was AFRAID!
Afraid of what you ask; when all your life the kind of responses you got from people have been extremely critical, irrational, and unhealthy, even when your now healthy self gets in a situation where someone aggressively hurts you, naturally there is an 'ouch', 'CAUTION' reaction. This is exactly what I experienced, then I questioned myself, unsure, and hesitant. If this happened to someone who was more vulnerable to relapse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or otherwise it could have been dangerous, even lethal.
I have created a thorough video about this as I believe it is important and more and more people are lacking in this healthy communication style.
Putting up this video made me rethink what art is and means to me. This is one of those questions that keeps evolving, but right now, for me it is much about self expression, having a voice, a means to communicate my thoughts more clear, sharing experiences, a creative outlet; hey no surprise, but, I've been thinking about this further.
To me art is ingrained in all areas of my life, and it goes beyond what ends up on a canvas, to sell, for my 'career'. Maybe I was a bit narrow minded in thinking that my art/creativity is that which only I paint, draw, cut out, or what society considers as 'visual fine arts', or 'contemporary art'. From a commodity/market perspective it maybe easier to classify, or calculate; but people, our lives, are never easily classified or calculable! Is my thinking a bit too abstract? Maybe, who knows. But my art 'work' exists as paintings, drawings, words, videos, the way I put make up on or style fashions, movements made, what I say, and how I think. So, yes maybe I've got five different pieces in my studio right now, all unfinished and not yet on my website, but to me art roots run deep and through all aspects in my life. To me creating videos, and the way I write blogs are considered works of art too.
Now going back to the whole business market, commodity subject. The world is growing and changing at a rapid pace, all can agree, so too is/are the business(es). Speaking to people, discussing, reading and hearing, also from my own personal experience, the age old mantra of the 9-5, 5 days a week, with a company, until you are retired is just not so anymore. Some sectors maybe, but there are major changes occurring, and having to adapt and be flexible to these new business strategies are CRUCIAL in success, and/or survival.
In my next blog I am going to be speaking about this subject with an example from the graphic designer of E-Read My Tweets (a new software for being able to get your tweets on your kindle). http://www.ereadmytweets.com/ This day in age, it's probably obsolete by now, and no one even knows about it; unless of course you've got some heavy weight investors backing you. So then, how are the 'little people' ever going to be heard, get a chance at affecting the world, and making a difference? Is it even possible? And how? What are the hurdles? Reality? Hmm, much to think about. Thank you so much for reading, I truly appreciate it!!!
-M
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Marie, I wouldn't call it "narrow mindness". We all, as humans, need to go through the process of growth and I believe that one parameter of judgement to state how intelligent someone is, is the capacity to evolve oneself, changing minds and elaborate thoughts to higer levels. Here you see, there are people simply not able to do so, may be thinking that changing their mind on something is a sign of weakness, whilst it is exactly the opposite. Marie, it is true; your art isn't just what's on canvas; your art is you yourself as a person, the way you move in the world. As a linguist, a better word for this is simply "personality". And yes, everybody has the chance to be heard and make a difference, even "little people", like me. On a universal scale, I could easily call myself "nothing", but I am able to bring changes to the world around me, changes to the lives of people around me, my family and friends, my students and fellow academics, people I know and talk with, enriching the others whilst enriching myself ... if this isn't making a difference ... if this is what happens, then life is definitely worth living!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your...self, for being MarieT.
Ric :-)
So true. We are all making a difference in our own individual ways:) Sometimes we have to go through the process to get to answers/goals/etc; the process can be fun and challenging at times and others, a pain the arse, it's all a part of the whole. I am finding in this fine arts field that many are only considered as artists if they are producing and selling 'acceptable' visual art work. Maybe it is easier for some to categorize or generalize... I'm not really liking the mindset of these groups. I shall keep making art; in whatever form the outcome is expressed:) Thank you so much for your input, I truly appreciate it and means so much to me.
DeleteMarie, I am sorry you have been threatened for having expressed your feelings. I don't know the thread of the story, but I know that being threatened is never a nice experience. All I can do is offering my deepest sympathy and telling you to never forget about "Being Marie" ... you will never regret it!
ReplyDeleteTake good care of yourself, Ric :-)