A Good Artist Is
I received a
best of type thing not long ago and it sparked some people to write some long winded , well thought out bashings of my work, my name and so forth. Funny thing is i agree with most of what was written. There are so many superior painters in richmond, and yes, my mural compositions are sometime jumbled and awkward, in the academic sense, i use the wrong colors constantly, my conceptualized thematics are quite often shallow and over- literal , and yes i am a poor speller and a shitty writer ..So what does this mean?
It means having the label of being a good artist goes way beyond being judged by the standards of one discipline in the arts. I truly believe that a good artist is a person that wants change, A good artist is a designer and curator that can weed through never ending information and influences, and find their own style A good artist will always find their outlet ,legal or not. A good artist is the perfect amalgamation of this found style , ego, selflessness , stewardship, craftsmanship, love, hate . A good artist spreads his or her light and is always willing to help a fellow artist. A good artist knows there will always be better artists then themselves and will always learn from their shortcomings or failures. A good artist knows that once he or she has declared themselves the
best artist, they are fucked. A good artist loves music and literature, A good artist researches ,works constantly, and is never afraid of criticism. A good artist is never affraid to change direction, and experiment . So what is the difference between a good artist and a good citizen ? Not much in my book.
As an artist I want to be a good dad, I want to inspire people,consult companies, i want to teach kids, i want to give speeches, write a book , i want to make paintings the way i have taught myself and not the way others think i should. I want to produce murals that can leave a lasting impact , sense of optimism , and community pride. I want to leave this city with a legacy of public art and public gardens that take over this city. Have these public art sights connected with endless bike paths and mobile and augmented reality tours.. i want richmond to be nationally known for these gardens, bike paths and public art.. After all, a mural, or a creative idea, is simply a transitory object, BUT , to start a never ending dialog between needy neighborhoods, the creative masses, innovators , corporations, the public, and the next generation, can leave a lasting impact..
Change doesn't happen by sitting around criticizing others, change comes from humbled hard work, and in this constantly changing world I will always strive and try my damndest to be a good artist and citizen,,,, i can hope and dream everyone else will too!
