The seeds have been planted.
Let’s assume for a moment, that you are an artist. After all, you’re either an artist, or you’re not. Artistic ability isn’t necessarily something that you are born with, but genetics can play a role, even though being an artist is something that you can learn to be. Being an artist is a state of mind, more than it is a degree of talent. It affects the way you look at the world, and it creates a desire inside of you to share that viewpoint with other people. If you are driven to create, and have a desire to express yourself through your creations, you are an artist. Never let anyone tell you differently.
Art can be a touchy subject. Every person has their opinion on what art is and what it isn’t. Is the painter who throws erratic splashes of paint randomly onto a canvas really an artist? And what about the hip hop artist who yells repeated phrases onto an instrumental that someone else produced? And let’s not forget the guy with the video camera recording people having sex. Some people might even consider THAT to be art. If there’s one thing about art that is completely consistent, it is that people are going to disagree and debate over what it truly is.
As we age, our minds become less and less open. When we are born, they are like lumps of clay, which have their basic attributes. For like that lump of clay, which never ceases to be a lump of clay no matter what shape it takes on, your mind will always be your mind, no matter what shape it becomes. And like that lump of clay, your mind will continue to harden, and become more resistant to change as you age.
The human race is very diverse, and while most people become more and more set in their own ways and mindsets, some people have resisted the urge to become complacent in their own mindset. They have decided to remain open minded about life and existence. They have decided to not let their minds harden and take a final shape.
This works for any issue or group of issues. On one side of the spectrum you have those who seek answers to life’s questions in order to find comfort. These people are not likely to question the status quo, as long as they are able to tolerate whatever the issue is in question. These are the people who often have trouble understanding the things that other people do, and in more extreme examples, these people will end up hating the people who do things differently. And when these people become comfortable in their outlook, there is very little you can do to sway them. These people are very common in divisive areas such as politics and religion.
On the other side of the spectrum, you have those who seek answers to life’s questions in order to find truth and deep meaning. These people may change their outlook on life, their priorities, or even their religious beliefs on a regular basis, depending on what they learn. These types of people often go into artistic fields, or become philosophers. They may be considered unstable, or flaky by their peers, but well meaning. These people are common in areas such as science and philosophy.
Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing wrong with being in either of these two groups. And even if there was, you need to understand how the yin and yang of these two groups works. One could not exist without the other. There would be little need to be open minded about anything without people who are stubborn, and vice versa.
What you will need to do as an artist is to identify which audience you seek. This will influence everything that you do. Will you aim to please the small, but loyal group of open minded people, or set your sights on the complacent group of people, who may give you temporary success,?
In today’s overly crowded world of entertainment, there is no time to dilly dally. You must identify your target audience, and grab their attention as soon as possible, because there are more and more sources of entertainment than ever, and they are all vying for attention. If you have a story to tell, or a message to spread, then by all means, do so. Just don’t waste your audience’s time.
It all starts in the mind. So open your mind, and let’s get started!
The problem with being an artist is that many of them require some form of acknowledgment on order to continue what they do. Too much negativity may cause then to seek another career, I know it did when I was studying art at school. It takes real conviction and a modicum of talent to persevere until you finally become noticed in a good way.
Take my video, that you so kindly commented on, it was meant as a form of light entertainment, and in my younger day I may have never attempted it because of fear of falling on my flat on my face, but at the ripe old age of 50 I finally decided what the heck. In a way for me it got to such a stage where my mind told me that hit or miss. it didn’t really matter, it was the fact that I actually went through with it. Another hurdle out of the way.
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@ Sire
I did indeed find your video to be entertaining, and if my comment came across otherwise, I apologize. One of my faults is that I’m a tad gullible. I thought it was a real pickup line.
And I agree, it is absolutely tragic when people try to develop their inner artist and then it is trampled by other people who just want to destroy instead of create.
If you want to make videos, then you should keep doing them. I think that you have a certain charisma going for you.
Thanks for your comment!
No worries Trey, it didn’t come across that way at all. I figured you missed the point, and it’s not a problem at all as it’s a well known fact we Aussies have a unique sense of humor that other nationalities can’t come to grips with.
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