Before beginning this, I want to disclose my definition of “artist” whilst referencing it in this piece of work. I am no painter, no musician; no sculptor, nor dancer.
Although each of these titles do reckon an “artist”, anyone who took the time to click on this probably understands that the meaning lies much deeper than this. We all have our outlets of expression, but there is a certain moxie and passion that is brought out in these outlets by an artist that not just anyone has. It is beyond the hobby, but integrated deeply into your way of life and thought processes.
While is a beautiful and exhilarating trait to possess; it also makes some walks of life harder than they have to be. Here are some of the greatest ups and downs of being an artist:
1. Your life is a movie.
I think this is one of the most foretelling sentences an artist will identify with. Every day--from the moment we wake up-- to the thoughts in our head before we go to sleep, is essentially all a part of a grand screenplay. You are the main character and anyone who crosses you is your foil. Any challenge that arises in your day is either a conflict, or if it is terrible enough; the climax. We can literally hear the dramatic music while walking around on a rainy day. If you are also a foodie like me, you probably hear the heavenly symphony at the first peek of dinner. No day is an average schedule of activities but a particular arrangement that will eventually lead to some sort of a resolution.
2. We are undoubtedly dramatic.
It is something I despise to admit but there is no denying it; every artist has a flare for the dramatics. Everything that makes us happy overwhelms us with such joy and everything that makes us upset cuts us oh-so deeply. We most likely wear our hearts on our sleeves and, if otherwise; it is translated impeccably in any outlet we get our hands on. Essentially, this sort of sucks. We wish we could remain calm, cool, and collected at all times. But truthfully, we NEED that passion for our work. We take something that only exists in theory and create a physical product. How could we translate such a thing without understanding our feeling with every bit of our being?
3. It makes all forms of love amazing.
If you are the lover or dear friend of an artist, congratulations! You are actually a living breathing model for our output and you didn’t even know it. You have sparked our interest to the point that we want to continuously be around you. Your features and behaviors inspire us. The freckles on your face are now my next splatter pattern and the sound of your laughter has been integrated into the lyrics of the bridge of my next song. If you've stolen our heart, the infatuation is intense whether we admit it or not. Sex is not just an activity; it is an interpretive dance, an escape, and sometimes a great time to show off our acting skills. The movie that is our life would not be complete without the supporting characters that are our family members.
4. It makes heartbreak hard.
I don’t think I even have to explain this one. Think Picasso’s Blue Period or Kanye’s “808’s and Heartbreak”. We temporarily lose ourselves in a place that is so dark it is very hard to talk about, but in one way or another (eventually)we will be sure to show you where our minds have lingered.
5. Music
You hear music; we FEEL music.
6. We understand things that you probably won’t.
While a lot of people can look at something abstract and see scribbles, we see what the fellow artist was portraying (or attempting to portray). Coloring out of the lines will probably be genius in our eyes. We basically have our own unspoken language that is our interpretations, which is purely awesome in every way I can think of.
7. Repetitive tasks or work is actually painful.
I can’t think of anything more dreadful than sitting in a classroom or cubicle doing trigonometry or algorithms. Personally, I can’t even stick with the same job for too long. Without some sort of creative output in what I am doing I begin to feel very uninspired, bored, or lost. It makes choosing a career a very scary thing. My notes are often filled with nonsensical doodles of the cartoon version of my professor. Bills? Nope, that’s actually the material for my paper mache hat..
8. Our fashion choices are... different.
This is a way of expressing ourselves so of course there is some sort of artistic thought involved. How we see color palettes and the reason behind using them goes beyond “matching”. While we are cognizant that our outfit may not necessarily be the most fashion-forward, look out for the way an artist is dressed; I can guarantee it will almost always be a reflection of how they see themselves as a person or how they are feeling for the day. Much less than often will it be something simulated from the page of your average catalog.
9. ANYTHING can be great.
If you need a more literal example of what I mean by this, check out this slide show “40 Terrific Works of Art Made from Common Trash.”
Yes, it is no secret. Insane, loony, bat-shit crazy; we have figured it out and embraced it all. We definitely won’t make good accountants or doctors but we will spread thought, color, beauty and passion into everything that we do. We will make a bland world into a canvas of color (or lack of color on a bad day). We will push the boundaries of what exists and explore elusive possibilities like a scientist. We will leave evidence to go down in history. One way or another, the world needs us just as badly.
