I do not let myself get carried away by my ideas. I discard 19 out of 20 of them every day.
(Gustav Mahler)
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Hello Jen
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I am a member of the Artists of Bristol on the Delaware, in Bristol, Pennsylvania. It's a group of mainly painters who are very supportive of each other, if they like you. Some of them don't like me.
Being a group of painters their arms are not open wide to any other form of artist, no matter what they claim, Musicians, writers or any type of performing artist are not recognized with the same sense of validity. Being a retired actor I do not qualify as being a true artist in the minds and looks of many of the members.
As you well know from the magazines and the TV gossip news, we actors are not artists. We are just artificial, self-indulgent, posers who just go around emoting all the time. We are promiscuous, insulting to each other in public and we live in mansions. You may go to see an actor in a play or a film and enjoy it very much, but you would never take an actor to lunch or let your daughter marry one.
It doesn't' matter that being a retired actor I now paint pictures and write stories. I'm still not accepted, I still carry the dreaded devil's cloak of show business around my shoulders.
We meet together once a month to talk about present and future art exhibits. The discussion never veers into any other topic. But also every month someone gives a presentation about some form of artistic expression in which they are involved Many of them are very interesting and informative. I have such a presentation to give to the group. I've been trying to get a night to give it for about 9 months, but I always get elbowed out for one reason or another. Finally, last November, I got a commitment to give it in the March meeting. I've worked hard on getting it ready. Today I found out that, over my head and behind my back, someone else has been moved into that slot. Since the next few moths are scheduled I'm out in the cold again.
My presentation is about drawing and its relationship to painting, music, theatre, writing and poetry, with a bit of history about New York City, The Art Students League and the Bristol Riverside Theatre. I have references from Henri Matisse, Marcel Marceau, Etienne DeCroux, Arnold Schoonberg, Shakespeare and ancient cave paintings.
I guess that wouldn't be of much interest to artists after all, would it? Maybe I'll discard it. Or maybe I'll wait until I'm out of debt, rent a hall, hire a musician and give the lecture someplace else.
Should I also discard the Artists of Bristol on the Delaware and perhaps find a writers group, or form one?
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Dana Bate
Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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3 comments:
I would like to be sailing on that boat in the blue. Nice to see you still here.
Artists, or Sunday painters with delusions of accomplishment? Sound like a cliquish and defensive bunch. Ignore them --ostentatiously, theatrically even. They can't stand that. But, by and by, they'll treat each other as they've treated you. Be kind to the outcasts of that clique and they'll come to you. I may be wrong, but I've seen this happen here.
Dana, I have no doubt that you know more than all of those arrogant losers put together. It sounds like they are consumed with their imaginary importance.
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