Photo: © D. Paul Graham, “Foggy Jet Way Message”, Schiphol Amsterdam, 2023

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. “The Artist in You” …..

I had the opportunity to see Jerry Saltz give a lecture at Armstrong College in Savannah a few weeks ago. It was a wonderfully enlightening evening shared with friends and fellow artists. Saltz won a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism and is the senior art critic and columnist for New York Magazine. If you don’t know of Saltz, check him out. For two hours Saltz eloquently, earnestly, and at most times, irreverently, opined on what it means to be an artist. Especially poignant was his commentary on the inner voices that artists, actually that we all, battle in our heads. I’m fortunate that my career has encompassed two great passions of mine – mergers and acquisitions and photography. Both have pushed, stretched, broadened, and deepened my artistic predilections, from structuring and negotiating deals, to creating photographs that move people. I truly believe that we are all artists, no matter our calling, our profession, or our relationships.  We can choose each day where and with whom we spend our time, what we will focus on, and, ultimately, what we will create. The choice to be an artist is ours and ours alone. Over these past six decades of my time here on terra-firma, I have come to steadfastly believe that living a grounded fulfilled life requires that we create. To do so, to truly bring out the artist in each of us, we must observe, listen, and love with faith, diligence, focus, compassion, passion, and humility. With every fiber of our heart, mind, body, and soul. Each and every day. This morning’s M5T shares thoughts sparked by the commentary and quotes made by Saltz.

1. Art is …..

There is a mystery and a magic to art. It is never the same. It is not about understanding or mastery. Art does something to you. There is a mistake in treating art like a noun, a thing. Art is subjective. It is a verb. Saltz said, “art is the greatest operating system to examine our psyche. It is a system of perspective. Creativity is a self-replicating force. Get out of its way.”

2. Voices.

When it comes to our dreams, what we want to accomplish, and how we want to live our lives, we are bombarded by negativity from outer critics. Some of the strongest criticism and negativity often comes from those closest to us. Family and friends. Insert large sigh here. Saltz profoundly said of those outer critics, “Nothing you can say to me is worse than what I say to myself every day.” The fiercest voices of negativity come from our own inner critic. I personally struggle with those voices every day. Those inner voices stem from fear, insecurities, self-perceived shortcomings, personal demons, and outright lies that we’ve internalized. And yet often, the voice of internal criticism has a kernel of truth to them. The challenge we face, what we must learn to do, is to push down those fears and lies and acknowledge what you know to be true. Then go on to create again by finding your own true voice.

3. Weaknesses.

We all tend to try to cover up or avoid our weaknesses. Whether it’s being impatient, lazy, avoiding conflict, avoiding people, selfishness, refusing to be accountable, being too blunt, failing to communicate well, procrastination, failing to follow up, being a perfectionist, close-mindedness…. Shall I go on? Minimize your weaknesses and focus on your strengths. Reshape what you do, when you do it, moderate and refocus your behavior, resist constraint, and engage in those things that energize, inspire, and allow you to create. “Your weaknesses get you through. Matisse rarely painted feet. When he did, they’re ugly flippers or paws.  He mostly hid or extended them beyond the frame. He was exaggerating a weakness. Be Matisse. If you paint awkwardly, make it work for you.”

4. Community.

Community matters. Don’t hate your peers. “Make an enemy of envy, not completely but enough.” You were not meant for self-exile as an artist. Network. Help others. Be vulnerable but with the right people. Saltz wrote in his book ‘How to be an Artist’, “Do everything you can to bond with other artists. In their company, you’ll form networks of love and forgiveness that will stop you from being brought to your knees by insecurity, isolation, empty grandiosity, and arrogance. These are the people you will stay up late with, learn from, comfort, fight with, and love; they’re the people who’ll give you the strength to keep working through the pain. This is how you will change the world – and your art.”

5. Show Up.

You’re not a painter or a sculptor, or (fill in you here). You are an artist. Transmute everything into art. “Good things happen to those that show up”. But you’ve got to want it. “Persistence, determination, and obstinacy give you energy. They’ll get you through hell, taking you from wanting to do it, to living it. You’ll know it when you do it. Quality is sorted over time. Success is defined by having the time to do what you want.” Stop making excuses. And perhaps one of his most important comments of the night was “Finish the damn thing”.

Here’s to a week of finding the courage to allow your artist within to create, without inhibitions, fears, or excuses. And to whatever you are working on, whatever is pending, just keep creating and finish the damn thing.

© 2023 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com