Refuge

Bird of Heaven, pastel on paper, 1990

I sometimes wonder that those who choose a creative life in the arts do so because it allows them to escape into their heads. While it is certainly a noble venture to embark on an art career, there is nothing noble about the constant struggle to make a living that often accompanies art making.

The fact that artists continue working against all odds speaks volumes about their integrity and resolve. Or does it? Perhaps the solitary, interior process of creation is partly a retreat from an ugly, demanding world.

I’ve often had the experience of slogging through a difficult day of dealing with people and the unpleasant task of making ends meet. At some stressful moment, stuck in traffic, I found myself thinking; If I can only make it to the art studio, I will be safe.

 

While it is true that making art requires a stepping away from the world, if only to gain better perspective, there comes a time when artists must re-engage with the hurly-burly of daily life. Hard as it is, that is where they must go to find raw material to fuel their creative visions.

Too much time spent in one’s head leads to madness.