The above video was posted on Facebook by an artist whose work I greatly admire and someone who I look to daily to see what he's up to. His name is Tony Moy and his stuff is fantastic. Here are just a few of his pieces:
You can see more of Tony's work here:
Ah Facebook... what a useful tool, or horrible weapon, depending on how you use it...
You see for me, I try my best to ignore the bullshit on Facebook and instead use it to motivate myself. The video above got me thinking about writing this blog entry... Because it's something I have been observing for a while now but never put into words. This is partly because I felt that "who am I to speak up about it"... But you know what? If one person reads this and is impacted by it then it was 100% worth it and if not, well, at least I got it out of my head. I hope at least a few of you can relate - It always helps to feel like you're not alone, I find.
Being involved in art ever since I can remember, I defend it like a parent would a child. When I see people disrespect it, I fight the urge to jump in and tear them apart. That said, there's a terrible trend among artists that is getting worse by the day. With social media becoming a stomping ground for internet bullies and trolls, I see more and more people being attacked for work that others feel is not up to a standard that should garner the attention it's getting. These people more times than not are other artists, which is embarrassing. Sure, if I am being honest, there are times I see someone get backing for a project and go "seriously?" - but thinking something and going out of your way to insult someone directly are two very different things.
If you look at those people who are making these comments, you'll find a good deal of the time that it's people who are talented artists but for whatever reason have not pushed themselves to be their best. It's quite clear these folks are bitter. Bitter because they are of the opinion (and sometimes accurately) that they have way more talent and that THAT individual has no right to be where they are but do you know what? It's your own fault.
If you have any talent in anything you have no right to criticize anyone unless you are doing everything you can with that talent. I don't care if you can paint a perfect likeness of someone, if you are not utilizing that ability then you are wasting it. Don't be bitter towards the guy who draws a witty stick figure comic, busts his ass to promote it and ends up getting it published - At least he had the courage and conviction to fight and see his idea through to completion.
At some points everyone falls into this category, I know I do. "It's been a long day" or "My three year old wore me out and I don't have the energy to draw" or whatever excuse I come up with to avoid working on stuff... But I acknowledge it's my own fault. Or at least I try to. Sure I get bitter sometimes but if you make the decision to do so, you can turn that bitterness into motivation and use it to your advantage.
Beyond that point, I hope that there are enough people out there who love what they do to fight against these people who chose to bully rather than to do good - the art world is hard enough to survive in as it is and we all need to stick together and support one another. If you don't care for someone's work, that's fine, but there's no need to crusade against it like it's your job. It's not your job and most people will just think you're foolish and spiteful and there's nothing to be gained by that. This isn't just about art, it's about all situations and I know it's a tough world to get by in and for every guy who sells a painting it's a painting that I didn't get paid for but that said, let's all try a little harder to improve our situations through OUR actions and not by a false sense of empowerment achieved by tearing someone else down. We are all here for the same reason, to provide for our families and express ourselves but there's no reason why this has to be such a cutthroat process.
To end on a positive note, most of you are probably aware of it if you are a fan of art, comics or film but there is a wonderful site www.kickstarter.com that allows people to start a campaign in which they offer rewards in exchange for donations to help fund their projects. Many wonderful projects have been born of this site and if you are ever bored and have a few extra bucks to spend, check it out. Unfortunately I've missed out on a few I wish I had been able to be a part of but there's new stuff posted daily and there's some amazing projects in there. It's also a great way to support the arts and artists you love, even if you are not artistic yourself.
Lastly, there are a group of individuals that have joined forces to work towards a common, positive goal and I wanted to mention them, specifically. The work they are doing is phenomenal. As well known and respected artists, musicians and writers, they are a wonderful example of what can happen when people put their egos aside and decide to work together rather than against each other. Check it out: http://www.44flood.com/ and in particular check out the tab "Tome" and watch the video... It's another one of those things that can really light a fire inside you if you need a little extra push to get out there and create.
Now to all those out there with ANY talent in ANYTHING, get out there and DO. Not everyone has a talent, so let's stop wasting it and when you do see someone involved in something creative, be sure to acknowledge their efforts- I can say from experience that there is nothing more motivational than encouraging words.
That's all I have to say. Understanding it's a bit off the beaten path from what people tend to expect from me (I keep most of my rants inside or vent to my wife, who is a wonderful and patient woman).
Kevin
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