Monday, March 3, 2014

art in the real world

They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
- Leonard Cohen, First we take Manhattan
I suspect we all share similar life experiences -
at least in our day to day grind...
I wake up (already luckier than some!)
i go to work
(at a job that does little to inspire me)
run errands,
rush home,
prepare meals, 
do housework,
and carve little bits of time where i can
for some sanity
which for me - includes
music, painting or writing.
The 9 to 5 stuff is just filler.
Stuff that pays the bills
and does very little for my heart.
Sometimes, i feel like the "filler"
is taking up far too much of my time
and there is little time (or energy) left
for the good for my heart stuff.

but then, i read a passage in a book
that lights a fire up my ass

and I am reminded that many of us
are in the same boat...
many artists are doing something other than art
to make a living
and it's all ok
as long as you're finding time somewhere
to make art anyway!
Once in a while, i need to remind myself
of the importance of art in the world.
In my world.
Once in a while, i need to remind myself
that what i love most about making art
besides the process of creating itself -
is the sharing with the world.
With all of you...
But it took me long to get here.
It took me a while to get this comfortable
with sharing my art (and my world) with strangers.
(Of course, many of you are no longer strangers, 
and many still have become friends. xx)
So i fully understand the fear 
of putting yourself out there,
but it is oh so worth it.
The passage i read was this one:
(from the book THE VIEW from the Studio Door, by Ted Orland)

It may not matter in absolute terms
whether you play to an audience of one,
or an audience of everyone,
but until your art reaches out
and touches someone,
it's like the proverbial tree 
falling in an empty forest...
Simply put, the things that matter to you -
the stories you have to tell -
exist to be shared.
So the questions arise:
Who is the real audience for your art?
Where would you hope to find your art ten years from now?
In art galleries?
On magazine covers?
In your family scrapbook?
Engraved in the memories of people you've never met?
If you hope to make art that matters,
the first question to ask is:
Matters to whom?
To God?
To the world?
To the Art world?
To your friends?
To yourself alone?
 Ponder on that one for a bit...
Aren't these words wonderful food for thought?
This passage just makes me happy
because it brings me that much closer
to understanding why i do what i do.
I want my art to be engraved in the memories
of people i've never met.
That's why i make art.
A few years ago, I sold a painting on ETSY
called Soul Sisters...
(you can see the print here)
The woman who bought it sent me an email
to tell me she was buying it for her sister,
who had cancer, 
and who was undergoing chemo treatment at the time.
She had the print framed,
and a few months later sent me a photo
of herself and her sister,
with my framed Soul Sisters print.
My heart melted.
And that's when i fully understood
my reasons for making art.
It's all about connection.
It's all about making a difference, somehow
even if only for ONE person.
And on that note,
if this one person wouldn't have bought me
this beautiful little journal book -
I may have never been inspired
to fill its pages and share them with you!
(thank you to my good friend, Lucille)...
And now, I begin a new one! Yay!
(is there anything more exciting than a new journal?!?)

Thank you all for being here with me.
Wishing you a wonderful week.
xx


13 comments:

  1. I will be rereading this one, pauline. You, your art, your sharing...touch my world like no one else can or ever will. I like the way you think. But, you also are able to put your thoughts and heartfelt feelings into words that inspire. I am thankful for you! K

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  2. Pauline, your reflective writing has reached my artist's soul! How touching that the lady took a picture of her and her friend with your art and sent it to you! You must feel very honoured! Your art is truly from your heart! Thank you for asking the powerful questions!

    Renee

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  3. What a great post! And one that I needed to hear/read! Thank you! :)

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  4. Pauline, you are very talented. Thank you for sharing photos of your sketch book. No, there is nothing better than a shiny new journal!

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  5. Hi, Pauline, I think that we(creative people, I do not like the word artist) we are like receptors of all that happens around us, and then, we express it with brushes, some with musical notes, others with their body. But we do not, express it to someone to see or hear or touch or whatever. We express it because we need to remove it from within, because otherwise, we would die, suffocated by life and everything around us, and that we incorporated into our bodies, our minds and our hearts.
    When appears somebody, one, two or hundreds of people that vibrate in tune with your work (your artwork) a connection is established, but we should not do our work waiting for that connection, we must do it for the simple reason that we are the people that fate chose to express life and all there is in the Universe. Do not ask why, you have been touched by the magic wand. you only do it.
    Have a nice day Pauline!!! :)

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  6. You always put exactly in words what I'm feeling or thinking, even if I don't know yet that I'm feeling or thinking it. I recognize so much in what you write, and I have no doubt that you touch a lot of people with your words and art. Please keep doing it ♥

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  7. Thank you all... xx
    YES! Robert - and it feels MAGICAL when we create from the heart - with no other purpose or goal in mind except to CREATE - and somehow - in our painting or words or our song - something touches someone else's heart, a perfect stranger's heart, all the way across the globe! Now THAT is a magic wand.
    You sound to me like the wise man on the mountain. xx :-)

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  8. Isn't it amazing how we can touch lives of others across the world by opening our souls to this art community we have joined? Something not possible just a few years ago.

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  9. This truly is a phenomenal post! Beautiful art, great questions...and I do agree making a difference through art really is the best reward. I also agree with Robertos sage comment... I do think artists often see the world in a different light too....what is produced reflects that!! Loved this art and post!! I hope you get many more hours to produce because you always have powerful things to share!

    Hugs Giggles

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  10. Thank you for so eloquently putting into words so many of the feelings in my heart! Day to day living can be such a grind at times - art is the thing that helps ground me and keep things sane. I keep coming back to "Pauline World" for your incredible art and your magic way of expressing yourself!!

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  11. Pauline, I always like coming over and read your post. There always something that touches me and feelings and words that I can relate. Thank you for sharing.
    It must be such a sweet feeling to receive the photo from the sisters. Beautiful!

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  12. What a beautiful story about Soul Sisters. I took a look at the print and I can see why they chose it.

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