The Struggle: An Artists Tale

For what do I come here but to repeat the same cycle of rejection and repair? Yes! This is An Artists Tale. A tale of the patching and re-patching of wounds old and new in a hope that someday the scar will reveal itself worthy of the pain it inflicted. Being an artist is not a tale of glory and enchantment rather a tale of struggle and adversity. This is the tale that you don't hear of often...if ever at all. The elusive success that awaits at the end of the tunnel, the mirage of hope that lingers in the distance, the Atlantis of acknowledgment for your talents and abilities or the Loch Ness of exposure you seek to acquire; it is for these reasons that artist continue to strive for their goals not willing to accept defeat. No! For the acceptance of something so easy as defeat goes against the very essence of art itself. Art is bread from struggle, adversity and hardship.

You see, its been said, "One must create the work of art in himself that he

wishes to become"~Unknown. By no means is this an easy task nor is it for the faint of heart.

Self preservation is something that only the strong can wield yet the fragile must

possess. Such a dichotomy to think that you have to be both strong and fragile at

the same time. So what do I mean by this? In order to answer this we must look at

the cycle of an artist in orbit. In that you will discover the very truth of the word itself

and a deeper appreciation for those who choose to walk the tightrope of creation. Now

before I go on please understand this is not a negative depiction of the life of an artist nor

is it meant to be a downer of a read. I ask that you bear with me as we explore this

uncharted territory.

When an Artist is at their lowest their passion reaches its highest, their desire is at its peak and their yearning is almost unbearable. It is in this state where invention becomes more prevalent. One begins to invent ways of overcoming and create avenues of new outlook. Resources become more plentiful as the search for that "something" becomes more desperate. In the tangle of reality and dream the battle of strength and fragility is constant. Nowhere is this battle more prevalent than in the life of an Artist.

Fragile:

I am Artist...I am FRAGILE!

My tears, to you, display weakness as my heart breaks from the trials of the day. My posture, to you, displays defeat as I expose my exhaustion from the journey I just left behind. The slowed pace of my step, to you, displays retreat as I recapture my last encounter trying to figure out where I went wrong. My seemingly distant emotional state, to you, reveals a void of care as I fight to

remain present in a world of NO. Yes! I am fragile. I break easily and all might

seem lost.

Strength:

I am Artist...I am Strong!

My tears, for me, display the number of times I've been rejected yet I continue to try. My posture, for me, displays the yearning to remain standing against all odds. My slowed pace, for me, displays my closely calculated plan of attack for the next opportunity. My internal emotion state reveals, to me, my ability to heal my wounds in a world of NO being fully aware that all I need is that one YES! No! I do not give up though I'm laying on the floor in a million pieces. I have the strength to put myself back together waiting to fight another day.

So you see, the Artist has to be both strong and fragile. The fragility of an Artist gives him the experience he needs to build a story worthy of the audience it will inevitably affect while the strength of an artist gives him the fight he needs to be the foundation on which that story stands in all its beauty sturdy and ever present. It's easy to desire to be an Artist but only those who are able to wield both their strength and fragility will stand a chance at being the Art itself. The canvas on which the Artist is displayed is filled with holes. Each hole represents a "NO" the Artist had to endure to get to where he/she is yet for some reason these holes only add to the beauty of the Artist creating a fully completed work of Art.

Well, there you have it. The journey to becoming an Artist is ladened with trials and tribulations that will inevitably determine who stays and who goes. In doing this, the Artist will face many a battle which will bring many a wound. Each wound will unleash a fragment of the completed work. If fought for long enough, the entire work of Art will be exposed and you will be left with the beauty of an Artist worthy of the audience present to view him/her. So, to all my fellow Artists, keep fighting, and continue to display both your strength and fragility. You just might be the one to grasp that elusive success waiting just around the corner.