“These things - the degree of vulnerability, the degree of skill, the degree of the longing to give - are influx all the time, And to lump all that under the word "creativity" assumes something much more static than it is. That's why an artist may be marvelous in her 20s, and be creating automatic crap in her 40s. A writer may be trivial in his 20s, and be writing incredibly in his 50s, because those things are always in flux.” GivingWritingMayArtistCreativitySkillsDegreesCreatingLongingAssumingVulnerabilityCrapMarvelousStaticLumpsFlux Author:Michael Ventura
“The element of obsession is terribly important for an artist.” ImportantArtistElementsObsession Author:Michael Ventura
“Courage can't make you an artist, but without that courage, you won't remain one for long. First is the courage to be alone in the room where you create, and the courage to face that indefinitely, with no one to say if you are any good or not. Then, there is the courage to follow your work wherever it's going to take you. And the courage to fight for your work.” IfsFirstsLongFacesArtistFightingRooms Author:Michael Ventura
“I always thought Cyrano De Bergerac was a coward. He could fight a hundred swordsmen, but he was afraid of his nose, and he was afraid of Roxanne. Jam as cowardly as anybody about facing my fears. So, you spend your you years as an artist fighting those hundred people that you happen not to fear. Then you wake up one morning and realize all this time you're afraid of your nose. That's what you're going to have to face for the rest of your life. And you don't feel very courageous. But, if you don't face it, you dry up as an artist.” PeopleIfsFeelsYearsHappensFacesArtistFightingRealizingMorningHundredWake UpNosesDryCourageousCowardRest Of Your LifeJamCowardlyDry UpSwordsman Author:Michael Ventura
“An artist doesn't depend upon inspiration or have to have it. An artist doesn't depend on mood, certainly not if you're earning your living with it. One of the definitions of a professional is you can do some writing if you have to, even in the most extreme situations.” IfsWritingInspirationArtistCan DoSituationDependsDefinitionsExtremesMoodEarning Author:Michael Ventura
“I try to write into the heart of experience. Then, through the experience of the writing, that heart reveals itself to me. To write it down for others, as a door to go through it they choose, is the price of the experience, the price of the ticket. This is the demand that God, if you like, puts on you for being an artist.” IfsWritingTryingHeartArtistDoorsDemandTicketsBeing An Artist Author:Michael Ventura
