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Was thinking today about an old saw "A man may work from sun to sun but...a woman's work is never done. Or as put in one of the first written iterations of this bromide: "Some respite to husbands the weather doth send, but huswiues affaires haue never none ende."[1570 T. Tusser Husbandry (rev. ed.) 26] My take - "Normal people may work from sun to sun but an artist's work is never done." When you are a both a woman and an artist? Whooooeeeee. Multiply the fun. Then add in self-employed. Add to this a world financial situation that is - a major recession? a real depression? How about dire? We have just begun a new phase of massmouth.com - nonprofit incorporation, investment of more $$$, reaching out, building programs, creating and promoting story slams in more venues and always thinking ahead to more good things to do with story and storytelling. Sometimes working as a freelancer is frustrating other times heart breaking disappointing but never boring. Challenging ? Always. Fun? Mostly. Deeply satisfying. Often. Just wish I had another pair of hands or a better brain...so I look to better brains for inspiration and try to remember how lucky I am to have the way and means do creative work. The extra hands will come in the form of more comrades in la lotta, che continua. Leonardo da Vinci wrote:
Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind: Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses - especially learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else. All our knowledge has its origin in our perceptions.Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.
More inspiration follows:
It all begins when the soul would have its way with you. -Emerson Begin at the beginning... and go on till you come to the end: then stop. -Lewis Carroll You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star. - Friedrich Nietzsche ( wow - a very cheery thought from Mr. Grumpypants Nietzche!) The first beginnings of things cannot be distinguished by the eye. - Lucretius Individuality of expression is the beginning and end of all art. - Johannes Wolfgang von Goethe The births of all things are weak and tender and therefore we should have our eyes intent on beginnings. - Michel E. Montaigne "The goal of life is rapture. Art is the way we experience it. Art is the transforming experience." — Joseph Campbell Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.- Berthold Brecht The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.- James Baldwin. Ending with dear Antoine de St. Exupery: "A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral." and "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
And, one last thought as I try to justify all this rambling introspection on following - or attempting to follow DiVinci's sage advice. I am trying to be more aware and always take notice of what I see and feel. I try to reflect and attempt make sense of this crazy world. This is also the basis of good storytelling. And a richer life. So it's all good and fits my not too tightly wrapped, generalist, multitasking rather "incomplete Mind", I was delighted to see this link posted by Guy Kawasaki on twitter -
" Bigger brain for those who self-reflect [video] http://idek.net/35qW" Ha! I wish. But here is the video so you can decide.
