INTIMIDATION OR INSPIRATION

"Artists are intimidated by other artists," she said and a light bulb went off in my head. This is a subject that definitely needs some thought. Would healers be any different? Well, healing is an art and I know in our discussions, this topic has come up.

In my writing this morning, I thought about how I would feel if someone else came into the area doing charcoal landscapes. On one hand, I would feel upset that my territory has been invaded and that person would definitely be better than I, but on the other hand, the artist needs encouragement. As human beings, it is important to be creative and I know this deep in my soul. What happens when someone's art work is criticized? What happens to a child who is told that her drawing isn't very good? How can we do that to one another?

Could it be that one of our jobs as artists is to hold that inner child and tell her that her work is worth it? Should we be supporting any type of art in spite of personal opinions? And what about our own work? We want our work to be in the fore front. We want everyone to love our pieces and buy them... and if they are purchasing someone else's work, they are not looking at ours.

I am easily intimidated by other artists, by other healers. Can my work ever hold up to theirs? In the back of my mind is always the thought, "they are better than I." Is that a fair assumption? Absolutely not! So why do we suffer these feelings?

I don't think art is supported very well. Yes, there are the wonderful artisans shows, but art around here doesn't have the... respect... that it does in New York or Paris. Our society (schooling) doesn't support artists. Art is often the first programs taken out of schools when there are cutbacks. Oh, I am not saying this well today. It's that we are not taught art appreciation. We, as a society, are not shown the difference between buying a pretty picture at Walmart and owning a piece of fine art. Or we are told that fine art is unaffordable.

The art of creativity is fluid; it changes and moves. Styles are different. Mediums mix. An artist puts a piece of her soul into every creation. Healing techniques are like that, too. Even when there has been formal training, individuality comes forth.

Criticism is the knife that cuts to the heart. A cruel word can crush souls. When someone has put themselves into their work then any form of negativity can be damaging to the psyche. Is harsh criticism really necessary?

Oh, don't tell me things like, "It will make you stronger," or the criticism "will make you a better artist." I don't believe it. Maybe because I am refusing to run my life on negativity. If I feel really good about a piece, what right should anyone have to step on that bit of joy?

I heard someone say once that "bad art shouldn't be allowed out there." How much of this really matters? Who determines what is bad and what is good? IS it all just personal opinion or who has been formally trained? Perhaps it's the difference between looking at a piece and not understanding the artist and having an explanation into the process of making the particular creation.

I apologize, my friends, for this rough draft today. I'm off to Tai Chi.