On An Artists Life, Creativity, and Vibing
January 16th, 2014
Last night I went to my first BK ArtLovHer open mic, hosted by Je San Chez at The Living Gallery on Broadway, and followed the event with a low-key chill session/open mic at Chris Carr‘s in McKibbin. The evening proved a welcome return to the state of perpetual inspiration which living in Bushwick used to bring me on a near daily basis three and half years ago.
Despite the dramatic bullshit that took up an energetically large portion of my weekend, I was very fortunate to spend quality time with one of my closer friends. She mentioned to me on Sunday afternoon that although she doesn’t feel very creative she loves being around creative people. And who doesn’t? Creatives love being around one another too, for several reasons:
First of all, being together reminds us we aren’t crazy alone. Attending open mics, or just all lounging in the home of a fellow artist – music in the background, drinks and smokes shared freely – not only relaxes the mind, but opens the channels of sharing, and ultimately reignites the passion to create.
Creation is connection.
I don’t necessarily believe you have to be an “artist” to create. Mothers and fathers create. Plastic surgeons create. Day laborers and landscapers and construction workers create and they may not consider themselves particularly artistic. I feel like “artist” is it’s own separate bag of crazy – especially when the individual creator makes the decision to make their art their life, and everything they do is linked to “creating” circumstance in which they are allowed to continuously create.
However, I do believe that feeling which artist and non-artist alike derive from communion with “creative” people is the same feeling. It’s energy, it’s life. I think that you don’t have to be a painter, singer, poet, or violinist to be able to experience that feeling – whether in flash, or continuously.
“You’re so lucky you know what you want to do with your life.”
I get that a lot. Sure, I guess. It has its own burdens. Everything looks better when it’s not yours, you know? Except, I don’t believe that anyone doesn’t know what they want to do with their lives. Some people just listen to their inner voice more than others. Whatever makes me you feel the most alive is what you’re supposed to be doing with your life. Because ALIVE = LIFE. Duh.
And if you haven’t found the thing that makes you feel more than human, that literally brings you outside of yourself, that fills the intangible you, thrills the internal you and makes you FEEL ALIVE then you just need to keep looking and keep living and keep pulling and chasing experiences.
There’s nothing we don’t know.
The energy and the vibes are all around. You have more than five senses, and if you really want to get your life you can definitely create it.
