PATHWAY TO JOY AND HEALING

As some of you may know, I am an amateur artist in that I don’t sell my art work professionally. My interest in art began as a form of emotional healing and art therapy.  It has helped me tremendously to tap into my right brain where I believe emotional healing can take place.  As I delve deeper into art, I have met many artist friends, and in fact, about a third of my friends on Facebook are artists.

As I study art, I find so many famous artists are troubled human beings. They are drug addicts, alcoholics, philanders, and many are bipolar and suicidal.   Many are self-centered people, egomaniacs, and narcissists.   These artists include Jackson Pollack, Picasso, Rodin, Salvador Dali, Georgia O’Keef, Vincent Van Gogh, just to name a few of the world renowned ones.  I have included an article, about why this is, called Creative Madness.

People frequently confuse the artist with their art work.  I have learned that there is a big difference between the art and the artist.  We can appreciate their art, but not necessarily the artist.   We do not necessarily want to emulate the narcissistic behaviors of the artist, but only the creativity and beauty of their art work.  That is what I am striving for and believe that we can create beautiful art but we don’t need to be addicts, philanders, and suicidal to be artists.

Narcissistic or egomaniacal behaviors are choices they make, and it is not inherent in being an artist.  Regrettably, many great artists end up dead from addictions or suicides.  How sad is that?  Make art, but also make a good life for yourself as an artist without addiction, philandering, and living in self destruction.  (Copyright 2016 Awakening Journey with All Rights Reserved)