Artist as self

Over the past week I have been thinking about art and artists. Several things have sparked this train of thought. Firstly, having the pleasure of listening to Emma Perkins talk and read from her work at conference last week (fantastic) and secondly, coming across my old photography teacher's website and blog (thistonybridge).

This is a photo off Tony's website and is has a copyright and so all credits to him. Don't want to breach anything here so being very careful...

The key to being an artist as I see it and I am sure this is not a new thought by any stretch of the imagination, is the liberal helpings of 'self' that make up the work. Well of course I hear you say, who else? Listening to and reading the words of these two artists is becoming part of an undressing of the heart and soul and knowing more than you might know about yourself or people you love. So this got me thinking about what it takes to be an artist and whether these random traits I have come up with are the pre-requisite or the product of being an artist mmmm...

So to be an artist you need to be...

• talented


• self absorbed/aware (in a good way)


• in touch with yourself and your demons


• a show off (in a good way)


• really clever


• brave - prepared to let the world into your inner self


• growing and evolving


• hard working

Thank goodness for artists and writers...

Relating those thoughts to the world of blogging which for some people is an opportunity to write and express themselves and for others it is a diary/journal exercise and for others it is the long afternoon talking about shit while drinking red wine....a bit like this post. I wonder how much people really reveal in their writing in the blog format. As a blogger I leave lots of stuff out and just do some surfing on the surface of my life, others I read reveal almost everything including intimate thoughts and feelings. (No matter how much you leave out I am sure that in itself is revealing.) Others, as I am sure you are aware, use the Internet to reveal every bloody thing they have - if you know what I mean? I guess I am wondering if the Internet has turned a whole of people into show offs and the rest of us into voyeurs? Just a thought.