Another inspired and inspiring presentation on TED.com. Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how we somehow came to expect quite a lot from creative genius, often to the detriment of creativity. There was a time when it was assumed that the creative gifts artists received came from “outside” themselves. Gilbert describes some examples of reclaiming that notion so that the pressure of creating a masterpiece can be deflected and the ordinary process of “showing up” to do the work can carry on.
I’m sure you’ve heard many an artist claim something to the effect that they have no idea where an inspiration came from. I’ve certainly experienced that myself. There may be all sorts of study, areas of interest, lines of pursuit that an artist puts in as part of their “showing up” for the job, but often there’s just a gift that lands on the plate unexpected and without return address. In her presentation, Gilbert beautifully describes the balance of consistent hard work and moments of genius.
2 Comments
Hi Bruce, I think your website is fantastic. Tell me, do you think having a website paysoff? I am currently in the process of redoing mine and actually thinking about dropping the whole idea.
What is your advice?
Virginia
Hi Virginia,
Thanks for checking out my website. I have to say that it is a lot of work and there are only a few reasons I still do it. It has not proven to be financially viable at this point. Instead, I think it is the best way for the largest possible audience to see my work. If I happen to be in a gallery in some big city, and want to refer someone to my work, this is the very best way to do that. A comparable printed brochure would be totally prohibitive cost-wise and also out of date as soon as it’s printed. If your new site allowed you to upload images easily, and you want to reach a potential market outside of Ashland, I’d think it a good idea to continue. But, because it is a lot of work, there are other marketing avenues you might travel instead.
Good luck.