Artists And Writers Have A Lot In Common
Often at the end of my workday as a visual artist, I like to relax by reading a good novel. The book I am currently reading is a sensitively written book about a former Portsmouth, New Hampshire Poet Laureate, “The Penny Poet of Portsmouth” written by Katherine Towler. It’s more of a memoir than a novel between what Towler calls an “unlikely friendship” she and the poet Robert Dunn developed throughout the years. It’s a story that spans the many different emotions that true friends experience; a good read.
The chapter called “A Crafted Life”, grabbed me with the similarities between us, as visual artists and writers. I have always felt simpatico with writers but Towler put it well with words. I’m paraphrasing here…
“Writers have something to say and want to be heard, but many of us are not good at going out in public. Writing is a private act, a way of being public without actually facing people. I could make my mark while remaining quiet, shy and solitary. I didn’t need to be good at anything besides imagining fully realized characters and shaping stories and sentences.”
How familiar does that sound to us as visual artists? We too, have something to say, fully develop our art by composition, mark making, lines, shapes, values; our concepts coming alive on canvas or paper, adding ink, paint, charcoal, collage materials, fabrics,etc., until our vision comes alive or “takes on a life of its own”, as we visuals relate to saying. All this problem-solving in our own solitary spaces until fruition and we feel “it is done”…. even possibly ready to share with the world!
That was the fun part of our job. The next phase can be painfully awkward for so many who are not naturally outgoing, do not like crowds, recognition, and openings.
All the extra work that goes into marketing, creating websites, blogs, preparation for teaching classes, approaching shopkeepers and galleries and submissions to upcoming shows add up to another full-time job for both visual artists and writers on top of our already all-consuming job of creating our art or craft!
Towler reminds us once the writing and creating is done for writers, their next phase is traveling to give book readings and signing to promote their creation. Pretty similar to our work of getting ready to show our work to the public…the need to be “on” in a public way talking about our art or craft. All this when so many of us are introverts…we just want to create and need solitude for our art to really take shape. Suddenly we need to learn about the way extroverts navigate their ease of communicating. With some experience, I can tell you personally, talking about our art can become a bit easier. If we want exposure, these are the standards for our businesses as writers and visual artists which is why I feel artists and writers have a lot in common. Our craft is a passion and a necessary outlet as well as a gift we have been given, have to pass it on to others, especially those who come out to support us and our creativity! It’s our “Blessing” and our “Curse”; one we must look square in the eyes and say to ourselves, “carry on”!
All the best to you for some “Lion Courage!”
Darlene
darlenefurbushouellett.com
