Art Is The Loneliest Profession

"What to leave in? What to leave out?"
Bob Seger, "Against the wind"

I've always found the idea of an art school amusing. To me, it's sort of like having a school on how to be a Japanese warlord. It just happens, it can't be taught. Sure, you could break it down with classes like How To Manage Samurai, Battle Tactics Testing and Armory 101, but if you can't teach yourself those things, you ain't gonna win anyway. You'll never be "it", just a facsimile - and posers get smoked out in a world with no rules.

So how do you know when a story is done? Or a song is finished? I remember Paul McCartney calling in a last minute change to the trumpets on "Penny Lane" to get the exact sound he wanted. Altman's initial cut of MASH was lacking an element, exactly what he did not know. Eventually he came upon the idea of a camp loudspeaker to tie it all together. Yes, all that was put in last. And the number of stories of artists fighting for their visions is legion. Later, when the work is confirmed as greatness, we say, "Thank God they didn't screw that up! How could it be anything else?"

I wonder how many great works did get screwed up, or not fully realized or not even tried for a lack of faith? It would take the perspective of God to know such things. No other person can share your vision. If you're lucky, you might be able to express it to someone who understands, who "gets it" and if you trust the person you can get some validation from that. But the final execution rests solely on you, the artist.

They hated this, mockingly labeled as an "impression"

Every time I post I get to find out how honest I am with myself. Did I say everything I wanted to? Did I put in bullshit when I got scared of what I truly wanted to say? Was I lazy or did I hit the mark? There's always a temptation to do "crap you know will be praised" but the applause is hollow. First, as always, the muse must applaud. A good post is like a dream come true.

I say these things because I'm tired and worn out. We artists are not engineers or accountants to whom only finite numbers need be appeased. There's no road map to success that can be calculated and drawn out. So who do I turn to when the decisions are always mine alone? Who can carry my burden when the weight becomes too heavy? Who can know the dreams I wish to share?

I just gotta let it go-a-woe.