The World Today (as Seen through the Eyes of an Artist)
The world, as seen through the eyes of an artist, is an especially bleak one at the moment. This era isn’t one that favors creativity. Continually, throughout my life, especially having grown up in the Bible Belt of the U.S… I have often felt as if artists are treated like we don’t matter. Even when an individual admires something we’ve created–trying to get that same person to compensate us for our time, effort, and energy is a monumental endeavor. Endeavor. If only we were in a field that offered things which others desperately needed, like healthcare or manufacturing. A pill. Oil. A new building. Alas, though we may create something that is wholly unique, in general, people pay more attention to what they are ordering from the local lunch menu. Round pegs. Square holes. Yet I can’t be anything other than who I am. Night turns to day. Then night again. Years go by. And I’m still here. And when I’m gone, someone will take my work and sell it for more than I ever received in my lifetime. Or throw it into the trash. That is how I feel today. Hopeless.
