Inspiration, Innovation and Imitation

July 28, 2016Creativity

Inspiration is a wonderful place to start when making art. But we often move too quickly from being inspired to innovation—making our own thing with (hopefully) our own, unique signature. I believe that imitation is a missing link in much of our artistic development. Don’t just be inspired by someone’s work. Make it part of … Read More

Learn To Love What You Can’t Make

July 14, 2016Creativity

As much as I enjoy music, I have a tendency to think and talk shop about music—meaning, my love and appreciation often take a backseat to analysis and critique. But that’s harder to do when I’m looking at work I know I can’t make— work by artists like Rothko or Vonnegut. Because I cannot do … Read More

Fall Down. Get Up.

July 7, 2016Creativity

Young Playwright: “I just feel like everything I write is crap.” Old Playwright: “It probably is. You’re still too young to write great dialogue.” YP: “So, what am I supposed to do?” OP: “Keep writing.” YP: “But you just agreed that it’s probably crap.” OP: “Yes, but it is out of the manure that the … Read More

Art Means Everyone Matters

June 14, 2016Creativity

I’ve got a rough history with customer service. Better said, customer service has a rough history with me. I’ve been unkind. I’ve treated people like poorly. Basically, I treated them like they were part of the machinery that I need to serve me. That’s bad business. That’s also bad art. So, heres what I know … Read More

You Are Not Called To Be An Artist

May 31, 2016Creativity

Not primarily. I think your primary calling is to love the world and those to whom you’re given. Art may be the way you go about doing that. But that may also change. Here’s why I think this is important to grasp: I’ve seen wonderful, gifted women and men run out of steam in one … Read More

Stop Signs And The Truths We Get To Tell

May 26, 2016Creativity

This is a true story: Boyfriend rolls through a stop sign. His girlfriend, in the passenger seat, says “Hey! you just ran that stop!” He tells her that, after 5pm, stop signs with white borders should be treated like “Yield” signs. She’d never heard that before. “Oh, yeah,” he tells her, “I learned it from a cop buddy of mine.” A … Read More