Archive for category Creativity
I’m Happy About this Blog.
Posted by Dylan in Creativity, Spirituality on January 15th, 2009
I have been a little more motivated concerning my artistic endeavors lately since I started talking to some people about our flamenco group’s upcoming performances. I think I forgot how much I love performing. We haven’t done it in so long. I started spending a little more time in the studio working on SLL(Sounds Like Life) music as well. Rhiannon and I had a good practice session the other night, and I really like her new song. I think we will put it on our first EP. I am looking forward to many more gigs and performances to come with SLL and Reflejos Flamencos.
Performing might be the one thing I enjoy most. Of course a good performance is much more satisfying than a crappy one, but still, I love it. I love preparing for it, setting up the sound equipment, making music on stage, tearing down afterwards, and then going out to Village Inn for some late night dinner to unwind and talk about the show. On top of that, I usually get paid to do this! How cool is that! It is a lot of time and effort but I love it. I can’t say I have any similar feelings towards going to work everyday. Although I do get paid more to do so, so I do it, but should I?
There is a question that I want an answer to concerning this, but I am still trying to wrap my head around what the question should be. What makes one happy? Can everyone be happy? Is the trick to being happy, being happy with what you have, doing what makes you happy, or something completely different? The answers to these questions are dependent on your worldview, and we all have a different worldview, so I hope to get some diverse opinions on the matter. As for me, I have this hope deep down that we all can be happy, but I also think that happiness is something temporary. We do not have complete control of whether or not we are happy, if you do, then you aren’t living in what we call reality.
A common Christian perspective is that joy is something different from happiness and it is not temporary. I more or less agree, but I don’t think that joy and happiness are different. For example, I have joy in my family and friends. They make me happy, and I like to see them and spend time with them. Unfortunately, none of us are permanent, and that joy could be taken away from me. It’s a terrible thought, but it is true. From my Christian perspective, I beleive that God is immortal, unchanging, and loves us unconditionally, so if I have joy in him, that will only leave of my own doing. So that joy is only permanent because God is permanent. Of course this doesn’t take anything away from the happiness that my friends and family give me, as a matter of fact it seems to strengthen it.
Some believers will say that all we need is God and our joy is in him and we need nothing else. I say we need nothing other than what he gives us, but when God made man he said that it is not good for man to be alone. We need each other, and perhaps more than that at times. You don’t need to read that bit about the garden of eden to realize that people need people. We are social creatures. So there’s my take, what do you have to say about it?
Sold Out
Posted by admin in Creativity on October 6th, 2008
Due to the whopping 2 comments on the selling out aspect of my previous post, I thought I would come at it again. Thanks Schmalls for directing me to Wikipedia where all of the answers are.
Wikipedia says that selling out “refers to the compromising of one’s integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, ‘success’ (however defined) or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society. A person who does this, as opposed to continuing along his or her original path, is labelled a sellout and typically disregarded. Selling out is often seen as fickle; gaining success at the price of lost credibility.”
It has a lengthy section on selling out in regards to music. In that section it talks about compromising your “artistic integrity” in exchange for money or popularity. That starts to clear things up for me because you may be able to draw a line between creating art because you are an artist, and creating a product to meet a customers wants. If we are going to be strict about this, we can say the Sistine Chapel is full of beautiful sellout art work. Michelangelo didn’t even like painting.
I don’t hear a lot of people saying that they are selling out (though some do), but you hear a lot of accusations about other people. So does that mean we can decide what a person’s artistic integrity is and when it has been compromised? People called Bob Dylan a sell out when he played an electric guitar for the first time. Wikipedia also says “most modern critics … view Dylan’s move to electric as part of a creative progression…”. So who is to decide whether or not Bob was actually selling out? Should he be the one, or should his fans? I think you can come up with good arguments on both sides there. So lets hear them!
My First Conversation
Posted by admin in Creativity, Culture on October 3rd, 2008
I decided to start blogging for a few reasons. I need a creative outlet, I want to hear what other people have to say about my ideas and questions, and I have some down time when I’m at work. So lets start this revolution with some questions about which I had a meeting last night.
Why do we make art (music, dance, painting etc.) and at what point are we selling out?
It was my first time at the Tulsa Emergent Cohort meeting, and they invited Lexi and I because we are starting an arts collective and they wanted to discuss the role of art in the community and Christianity. What I learned from this meeting was that I am not an artist. These people were a lot more artsy than I am. I am more of a business guy that has some artistic ability. I make music in my free time, and I love it.
Why do I make music? Because I have to. I might go nuts if all I do is sit at a desk and work on contracts. I love making music and it provides a creative outlet that I enjoy so much.
When does one “sell out”? This is one I never thought about; so maybe I would be a sell out if I was given the chance. I am still not sure what that means. So now I turn the questions to you. Any and all comments are appreciated.