Artists and Muses

I'm really proud of today's blog post. I hope you all like it.

Here is one of my current theories about the world. “The mark of an artist is that they are never truly happy unless they are creating.”

Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean that to be exclusive. Quite the opposite, in fact. Anyone who finds pleasure in the act of creation is an artist. Daydreamers, writers, painters, knitters, mechanics, engineers, architects, Game Masters, musicians, grant writers, the list is endless. It doesn’t matter if the end product means anything to anyone else, or if it’s a full time job or merely a hobby. Some creations don’t make it past the planning stages, and some never even cross the barrier between thought and action. It is said that some composers hear music in their heads constantly, from which we can infer that only a fraction of it ever gets written down.

This also doesn’t mean that an artist delights in every aspect of their chosen craft. The seeds of destruction exist in the act of creation, as someone wise once said, and any writer who has to edit their work (cutting out “dead lines”), or any knitter who has to rip out their project, can confirm. If a painter dislikes mixing paint colors, I don’t consider them less of an artist. Isn’t it natural for a musician to prefer to play their instrument, rather than simply tuning it for half an hour?

The point is, you don’t have to be world- renowned to be an artist. You don’t even have to create things other people appreciate. As long as you create, and take joy in creating, you are an artist.

The greatest gift that any artist can be given is not necessarily recognition. Many artists (but not all) crave it, and claim it to be their ultimate goal. Some wish to have the highest level of recognition in their field, while others are content with words of praise from a few close friends and/or colleagues. Still, recognition is not the greatest gift an artist can receive. The absolute greatest gift is an Enthusiastic Listener.

A distinction must be made here, I think. Many artists have people in their lives who love them enough to put up with their talk about their art. They feign interest, but most of the time they don’t understand, or care, about the artist’s creations. These are well-meaning people, but they are in a different category.

An Enthusiastic Listener is someone who not only cares, but is excited to hear about the artist’s ideas and recent creations. They understand, or are willing to learn, enough to be able to give real encouragement and advice. They celebrate successes, and mourn failures, and provide a loving voice of reason when the artist is lost in a passion, either good or bad. The Enthusiastic Listener is not merely a fan, either. They are a source of constant support, but also of criticism, when it is needed. If the artist has too much success and it goes to their head (like wine), they will step up to take them down a peg, even when others are silent. It is often a thankless job, which is why so many “Hollywood stories” about artists feature an Enthusiastic Listener in their life who ends up leaving, in frustration and/or disgust. Being an Enthusiastic Listener springs not only from deep love and appreciation for the artist, but also from a deep-seated belief in the artist’s talent and abilities. I think the idea of a muse must have partly come from Enthusiastic Listeners, as when an artist finds themselves someone who is willing to listen, it often encourages their creative juices to flow more. At least, such is my personal experience.

Many artists go their entire lives without recognition or compensation for their tireless efforts at creation. However, I firmly believe that as long as an artist has an Enthusiastic Listener in their life, their efforts have not been wasted. If even one person recognizes the beauty of what the artist works so hard to create, and encourages them in their efforts, then that is all that truly matters.

This post is dedicated to all the Enthusiastic Listeners in my life; my mother, my best friend Margaret, my friend Casey, and my grandmother Carol. And, of course, to all of you who continue reading my blog! ❤

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