Dearest,
This letter took many edits. Holding on to clarity was like trying to hold still a jumping fish with lubricated gloves. I almost titled this “THE HARDEST THING”, about the challenges of holding onto intent, but the more I chewed on the idea the more it became about the best thing [about art]: when life and work intertwine to support each other.
These days I’ve been reflecting on my process (i.e. how I live) and how to live better. I question how to enjoy the days more, and how to be a better person. I try to get a bigger picture understanding of what I’m working on. Something good seems to be naturally occurring, but I don’t have a clear grasp on what it is. And perhaps the more I understand this “good”, the more in flow my life can be.
Last week I came upon this interview in
‘s edition about artist Martin Creed and his response to the question ‘what do you do?’ :“I try to live my life in the world that I find myself in. And I spend most of my time trying to help myself to feel better because most of the time I don’t feel so good.”
What he does every day, he says, is ‘to try and find excitement and beautiful things and people’ as a coping mechanism for the way he feels — and it’s an endless quest.
Beautiful and relatable. Sounds like his art work is his way of living, and he’s trying to live well. Similarly, I find my interests go beyond the work itself. It’s about the conversations I have, the relationships I navigate, the art I consume, the questions I chew on, and how I conduct myself through all of that. They all affect each other and me. A better process would mean a better attitude and taking better care of my mind.
In the chaos of one’s mind and life, I must maintain the self, heal the self, grow the self. There’s good, bad, and striving. But I get to live it all with this touchstone, Art.
Art comforts the past, present and future.
Art informs me through beautiful writing, movies, paintings, music.
Art makes me work out my issues within the process.
Art lets me exercise myself and grow and develop.
Art needs me to do the work even when I’m upset and don’t feel like doing anything, because I’ll usually feel better afterward.
Art asks me to unclench, trust myself and see what comes out from that.
Art needs me to face my shortcomings and become a better person in order to transcend challenges.
Art is asking, and living and being affected and transformed- then taking what you’ve been given and delivering it from where you stand.
As I get older I realize that many questions get answered over time, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. I can ask and just live and I feel somehow that’s part of the work. Answers and cause and effects come from somewhere, anywhere. A random article I come across suddenly pulls at the thread that’s ready to be plucked. A new friend displays faces I want to snap a photo of, and I realize what subject matter I’m interested in. An illness changes the way my voice sounds, forever. Experience makes me understand a song I never understood before.
It all affects the work- what it is, what it feels like, and the “style”. It can be tempting to want to control the process and force outcomes. And though effort is needed, there’s a certain ‘letting things happen to you’ that really does the trick. And being flexible enough to allow it. When I’m in the right headspace, I’m at my best.
One of my favorite ideas, and one that I think about often:
Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.
-Stephen King
THINGS PEOPLE SAY
One of my favorite things about New York, is that interesting conversations are everywhere. Everyone has their own concept of what’s what.
I’ve been quite worried about doing things “the right way” until I realized there really is no right way. I’d argue one of the hardest things about art is forming The Path and having to make up your own. That’s f’n hard because you have to figure out what you want and have conviction and yet you can’t really force it. You are who you are. And that’s interesting.
Watching Richard Taittinger clean windows at his gallery, discussing what makes an artist? If a chef can be an artist, if a plumber can be an artist:
You’re an artist as soon as you start making your mark.
Talking to a vocalist I admire discussing different approaches to work, and really, life. There are a lot of singers out there but everyone has their own “thing” to bring to the table. When I asked her about her thing, I was struck by the answer.
I want to continue to be a better human every day.
Maybe she was tired and answered in a weird way, but I took that to mean her concept had a lot to do with how she conducted herself and how she viewed the world around her. And I found that to be pretty inspiring.
Till the next.
Sorry you have to hear me play piano. This is “Everything Happens to Me”.
Always Yours,
Connie
Wow, Connie! Beautiful singing, thank you for sharing, and for all of these thoughts. Love your writing and your ideas. And thank you for mentioning my Substack!
All the edits were worth it, Connie — this is a beautiful set of reflections, with entrancing photography and a beautiful rendition of Everything. Art is such a hall of mirrors, one I'm hoping to continue exploring for eternity. 💙