Friday 3 July 2009

What an artist is or is not

Today I was "scanning" the bookshelves in my studio when I spotted a book that I'd forgotten I had: "Dance - from Magic to Art" by Lois Ellfeld.

Opening a page at random I came accross a list of characteristics of an artist. It made me laugh, some true and others not so true.. anyway if you are an artist read through and see if you recognize yourself;

Excerpt:

.. resume of fairly well-documented evidence of the behaviour of many creative people.
  1. High perceptive acuity
  2. sustained curiosity
  3. independent and assertive
  4. dedicated and involved
  5. bold and courageous
  6. spontaneous and enthusiastic
  7. adventurous and original
  8. adaptable and resourceful
  9. honest and persistent
  10. egocentric as well as introspective
  11. emotionally responsive and excitable
  12. dominant and domineering
  13. irritable and stubborn
  14. anxious and complex
  15. skeptical, critical, and precise

The creative person is usually highly tolerant of:

  1. ambiguity
  2. disorder (!!! you should see my studio when I am not expecting anyone)
  3. emotional instability
  4. new experiences
  5. puzzles and strange ideas
  6. intellectual pursuits

and he has little regard for:

  1. job security and routine
  2. people and their opinion or trivia
  3. traditional judment
  4. order for the sake of orderliness
  5. logic, as such
  6. conventional morality
  7. clubs, lodges, and social societies
  8. many close friends
  9. time and schedules

Well... reading the above does it make you want to be an artist or happy of being one, or grateful that you do not belong to that categorie? !!

thanks for your comments

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