Art, Artists and Vocation

"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the arts!"-Kurt Vonnegut

How many times have people been told that "You can't make it as an artist."

How many times when you've told someone that you are studying theater, dance, the visual arts, do people look at you and cringe; feel sorry for you, and feel that you and your family have wasted a great deal of money, and that you have wasted years of your life.

How often when you tell people that you are involved in the arts, do people feel sorry for you because you won't be able to find a job or make it in the "real world".

A vocation has been described as "something you can't not do."

Frederich Buechner has defined vocation as "the place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need."

A very wise man, Harold Babcock, has this to say, "Vocation is not simply about doing, but, at a much deeper level, it is about being. It is about what Thomas Merton called "one's true self," that self that one is really meant to be, and that no one else can be." Vocation is not always something we choose, much as we might like to thinks so; rather, it is often something which chooses us."

An artistic vocation, sharing your beauty, depth, insight and wisdom with the world, is both a gift and a responsibility. People who have an artistic vocation often have having different priorities than other people. It means that having a fancy car, expensive house, designer clothes, is not as important as doing "the thing you can't not do."

If you have a vocation as an artist, you are not different from the world, but rather you have been given an extraordinary gift, one that requires dedication, focus, courage, perseverance and hard work. Art is not for the faint of heart.

© Mary Baker 2005

Mary Baker is a contemporary realist painter, whose studio is in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This New England city, north of Boston, has been the inspiration for the artist's realistic oil paintings. Mary Baker is a professional artist and has shown in New York art galleries. Mary's art work has passion, depth and beauty, capturing moments in time that many people pass by.

Mary Baker hopes that if you have a vocation in the arts that you will share your artistic gifts and artistic voice and be delighted that your art brings much needed beauty, depth, wisdom and integrity to the world.

You can visit Mary's website, Mary Baker Art, at http://www.marybakerart.com, see her beautiful paintings and read her comments on creativity, the creative journey, the creative process, Tips on Breaking the Creative block, Art, Artists and Money, and creative space-the illuminating silence.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Creativity Information:

Related Articles

How to Generate Ideas for Info-products?
Dear friends the current study shows that there are morethan 50,000,000 registered domain names on the Internet(approx.)(Reference http://www.
The Optimal Mind State
Let's begin by defining the optimal mind state and the power it will give you to channel your energy toward your desired outcome. The optimal mind state is a quality of attention that leads to the highest level of concentration.
The Source of Growth and Creativity
Bare attention (to objects, people and circumstances) is what brings order in this world and in your personal world. If you know how to move your attention without the involvement of mind, positive creation happens as a result.
Taking it Step by Step: Combining Intuition, Spiritual Purpose, and Creativity
Something I have always found helpful is taking affirmative action where the universe and my path in life are concerned. Many years ago when I first read Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life, one thing she said stuck in my mind; always put your order in to the Universe.
Take Time To Think
I recently saw a program on television wherein the participants discussed the degree to which present day computer technology has contributed to our economy, well-being and our ability to communicate. They pointed out the many ways that this technology was already obsolete and that further refinements will impact our future in ways we dare not imagine.
Charge Your Imagination (1)
"The challenges are not in the marketplace. They are in the mind".
Self-Care for Creative Artists: 5 Ways to Start Today
Self-care is the path to creative expression. By paying closer attention to your self-care, you can have easier access to your creativity, to your muse and to your inner strength and resilience.
Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street
Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back in shape time!' For me, that means strapping on the sneakers and going for a run (well, at this stage it's more of a slow loping jog..
Art, Artists and Vocation
"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the arts!"-Kurt VonnegutHow many times have people been told that "You can't make it as an artist."How many times when you've told someone that you are studying theater, dance, the visual arts, do people look at you and cringe; feel sorry for you, and feel that you and your family have wasted a great deal of money, and that you have wasted years of your life.
Creative Thinking The Secret Key To Lasting Success
What is creativity anyway? Well, let us look at the word. Creativity means the capability to build, create something.
How To Master Your Game
Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right way. Start out by finding the people and books that will make you exceptional.
Mind Power Games
Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why not use some classic mind games to help you increase your brainpower and get you out of your thinking "ruts." Good mind games habituate you to using creative problem solving as a normal part of thinking about things.
Make Yourself Creative: Two Easy Idea-Generating Methods
Here are a couple of exercises to force yourself to come up with some brand new ideas. These methods can be used to give your business an edge, to overcome creative blocks, or just for fun - to prove to yourself that you can have some great ideas.
Is Your Team Suffering from FWTS?
Who do you know who is feeling stuck, under-performing, or dealing with frustration and upset?These folks might be suffering from FLAT WORLD THINKING SYNDROME! (FWTS)"Flat World Thinking Syndrome" is the number one issue standing between predictable performance and breakthrough performance. Allow me to illustrate.
Story and Screenplay Structure
Structure is beneficial to creative output in a number of ways. There are at least two types of structure, work processes and frameworks:a) Work processes such as incremental production produce more output than a "do your best" approach.
Becoming Radiant: Boost Your Teams Creativity with Mind Mapping
I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly colorful, creative and inspiring page whenever I need to make a decision, prepare a presentation, or plan an event.
Are You Creative?
Have you ever heard the saying, "The harder I work, the luckier I get?" Guess what? That's the way it is with creative inspiration too.Don't Wait For Creative InspirationGraham Green, the famous English writer, attributes much of his success to a simple habit: He forced himself to write at least 500 words daily, whether he felt like it or not.
Improvisation in Life and the Arts: What I learned from Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch
Can you be an artist while you're washing the dishes?In this article I share some of my learning and impressions from a chapter of the exceptional book, "Free Play", by Stephen Nachmanovitch.This subtitle of this book, "The Power of Improvisation in Life and the Arts", speaks of bringing the improvising we do as creative artists into our daily routines and interactions.
Stress VS Creativity
Now when I use the term "creativity", I mean the kind of states of mind and body where thoughts and ideas flow freely; where there is a STREAM of data information that comes clearly from a very different place than one might normally inhabit and which translates smoothly and perfectly into colours, visions, sounds, patterns, movements, actions and resolutions.These are very beautiful states, very precious; this flow of "creativity" is nourishing, enlivening and one can do so many things for a long time without feeling in the slightest bit tired; when it is done, one is happy, very much at peace and delighted, too.
Learn A Life Skill TODAY!
Did you ever watch your grandma knitting?Wasn't it boring? Didn't it seem to take forever?Most of us live life in the fast lane.Who needs to buy balls of yarn, search for patterns and spend - heaven forbid - the next three months making a jumper, when we can buy one in the high street for next to nothing.
>