Thursday, August 26, 2010

got talent?

Talent, if it is anything, is a gift, and nothing of the artist's own making...
Even at best talent remains a constant, and those who rely upon that gift alone, 
                      without developing further, peak quickly and soon fade to obscurity... 
Talent is a snare and a delusion.  
In the end, the practical questions about talent come down to these:  
Who cares?  
Who would know?  
and What difference would it make?  
And the practical answers are:
    Nobody, Nobody and None.
Admittedly, artmaking probably does require something special, 
but just what that something might be has remained remarkedly elusive - 
elusive enough to suggest that it may be something particular to each artist, 
rather than universal to all of them.  
But the important point here is not that you have - or don't have - what other artists have,
 but rather that it doesn't matter.  
Whatever they have is something needed to do their work -
 it wouldn't help you in your work even if you had it.  
Their magic is theirs.  
You don't lack it.  
You don't need it.  
It has nothing to do with you.  
Period.
more gems from Art and Fear...
just love that book.
I've been back to work this week and off to Spokane this weekend to see friends.
House chores go undone, 
art lays in waiting, 
art lessons need to be prepared for kiddos.
C'est la vie!
Have a blessed weekend !

8 comments:

  1. I enjoyed that - who wrote that book? My husband recently read a book about talent being overrated and how the truly amazing actually just put more time into it. (tiger woods, beethoven, and others were analyzed in that book). I believe talent gets you started - then time is required to perfect your specialty. And talend is certainly a gift from God.

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  2. You sparked my interest--great excerpt. How fun it must be to plan for art classes for children!!

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  3. I have enjoyed the excerpts you have been giving us of this book so much I hopped over to Ebay and bought it.

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  4. Inspiring words! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! :)

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  5. Great words Pam, I need to get that book someday soon!
    It took me a while to realize that each of us has our own vision, our own way of seeing things and if we try to create as others create we lose our "sight", and there will be no spark to what we produce.
    Here's to a great weekend full of sparks!
    Tina xo

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  6. Pam I loved the words so much I posted them on my facebook for others to read. I can't wait for my book to come.

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  7. wonderful!...i read this book many moons ago, but what a much needed reminder today...thank you for this great post! :) jan

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  8. Thanks for sharing these words from a very inspiring book! :)

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