Inspiration much?

January 16, 2008   |   2 Comments

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Was e-mailing with a friend yesterday about the kookiness of trying to make a living as a writer when he said this:

Being an artist is a risk. Risking non acceptance. Art has an interior dimension. One is groping for what has profound MEANING. Then to present that sense with integrity is vital. But it is a risk because it may not resonate in current time and space with the public/audience. That can hurt.

Fear of that pain can derail art. One begins to game the audience. The vision in the mind’s eye of the artist becomes poisoned and refracted by these tensions.

Look at this passage from a 1966 Playboy interview with Dylan:

PLAYBOY: Let’s take one last dip back into the material world. What about an artist’s relationship to money?

DYLAN: The myth of the starving artist is a myth. The big bankers and prominent young ladies who buy art started it. They just want to keep the artist under their thumb. Who says an artist can’t have any money? Look at Picasso. The starving artist is usually starving for those around him to starve. You don’t have to starve to be a good artist. You just have to have love, insight and a strong point of view. (My highlight) And you have to fight off depravity. Uncompromising, that’s what makes a good artist. It doesn’t matter if he has money or not. Look at Matisse; he was a banker. Anyway, there are other things that constitute wealth and poverty besides money.

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2 Comments

  • Posted by:  Sarah

    Oh man, these two past postings on your site, (the Dylan interview and Rinpoche interview) have come at just the right time for me. Seriously diving into my own writing for the first time and any inspiration along the way is GREATLY appreciated:-) In fact, I’ll be a part of your NYC writers meditation weekend. Can’t wait!

  • Posted by:  susan

    So happy these postings are timely. Personally, I should re-read Dylan and Trungpa Rinpoche words every day.

    Looking forward to meeting in NYC!

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