Advice To Graduates In The Art Field

A career in the arts is unlike other careers.

People have always held artists apart from other professionals. As the world changes, how people relate to art in the world is rapidly changing, too. Choosing a career in any art field right now is both exciting and terrifying.

When people choose a career in the arts, they may secretly dream of becoming rich and famous, but more likely, they worry that others will judge them negatively. Artists are often told they should get a "real job." There is this idea that if you are an artist, and certainly if you enjoy what you do, if you create music, write, paint, or photograph, that you are somehow not really working. And, unfortunately, too many artists believe that.

To further that, author Neil Gaiman shares a problem with getting even a small amount of success. He says, "you have the unshakable conviction that you are getting away with something and, at any moment, they will discover you." He calls it the "Imposture Syndrome."

Being an artist is not an easy career. To create any kind of art and do it well, one has to be committed, driven. There is often more rejection than appreciation. There is more doubt than understanding. There is more effort than money.

In honor of graduates everywhere, I'd like to pass along some points from Neil Gaiman's speech that he delivered to the graduating class at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. (via Open Culture, with video of speech)

1. Embrace the fact that you’re young. Accept that you don’t know what you’re doing. And don’t listen to anyone who says there are rules and limits.
2. If you know your calling, go there. Stay on track. Keep moving towards it, even if the process takes time and requires sacrifice.
3. Learn to accept failure. Know that things will go wrong. Then, when things go right, you’ll probably feel like a fraud. It’s normal.
4. Make mistakes, glorious and fantastic ones. It means that you’re out there doing and trying things.
5. When life gets hard, as it inevitably will, make good art. Just make good art.
6. Make your own art, meaning the art that reflects your individuality and personal vision.
7. Now a practical tip. You get freelance work if your work is good, if you’re easy to get along with, and if you’re on deadline. Actually you don’t need all three. Just two.
8. Enjoy the ride, don’t fret the whole way. Stephen King gave that piece of advice to Neil years ago.
9. Be wise and accomplish things in your career. If you have problems getting started, pretend you’re someone who is wise, who can get things done. It will help you along.
10. Leave the world more interesting than it was before.

 So, to all artists, go out and "make good art!"

And happy graduation!

Down in the dumps about Depp

Dark Shadows, the 2012 movie version, is now in theaters. Have you seen it? I haven't had the courage to go and sit through it. Sadly, I think this will have to wait until Netflix has it available. And that is hard to say because I saw the first Twilight movie in the theater. (Didn't love it, but had to see it.)

I've liked Johnny Depp before, but I loved him since Donnie Brasco (1997). And, I watched the 1991 version of Dark Shadows when it was on TV. (The original daytime soap version was before my time, so the series was new to me.) I remember watching it alone, since no one else in my family shared my love of vampires or quirky TV shows. (Twin Peaks? Yep, loved that, too!)

So, I was very excited when I heard Johnny Depp was going to be playing Barnabas Collins. His ability to play dark, moody characters seemed like the perfect fit. The timing was perfect, at the height of the Twilight/Vampire Diaries craze, still riding the Pirates of the Caribbean crest. This dramatic story will have new life breathed into it, I thought. After casting was announced, I waited to see how the movie would turn out. I was delighted when I got the chance to see the movie trailer.

Only, it sucked.

But not in that great "vampire-y" sort of way.

Here is a movie review, with links to the 1973 and 1991 TV versions.

How could they take Dark Shadows and turn it into a comedy? How could both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp sell out and disappoint? This should have been dark, scary and sexy. This should have put Twilight to shame with its sparkly vampires. This should have reaffirmed vampires as the go-to genre. This should have been big-- epic, even. But, alas, it will be just one more movie that will easily be forgotten before summer rolls around and vampires go back to sparkling in the sun.