This quote from New York painter and printmaker Chuck Close has been pinned to my desktop for years. Chuck is one of my personal heroes. His wall-sized, haunting self-portrait is front and center as you walk in my apartment. He was a well-known abstract painter in SoHo who, 20 years ago, had a stroke, almost died, and became paralyzed. In the aftermath of recovery, he redefined artistic expression in a format that was not restricted by, but freed by his physical limitations. And elevated himself to the very top of critical and popular success in the art world.
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Inspiration Is for Amateurs: How to Do Great Creative Work - Jonathan Vieker
The only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life is you, and that can be a considerable obstacle because you carry the baggage of insecurities and past experience. Last night, while surfing the television channels, I came across an episode of "Charlie Rose. Though he is severely paralyzed due to a spinal artery collapse that occurred in , he continues to paint and produce highly sought-after, incredible works of art. There's no waiting. You make art. The inspiration is in the process; the energy and motivation is in the doing. At the same time, an e-mail from a Tushkateer a member of the Kick in the Tush Club popped up in my inbox.
The answer seems obvious: yes. If a painting inspires its viewers, it must been created by an inspired artist, right? I say no. Inspiration makes for a good origin story, but if you look at how most great thinkers actually work, inspiration seems to play a pretty minor role. Personally, I have another problem with waiting for inspiration: it takes the power away from the artist, making us mere vessels.
So I wrote that novel, and I cleaned it up, and I sent it out agents, and I was rejected — over times throughout the course of a year. I would get close. Two years ago, I began my second novel, and accepted that my first would sit somewhere on a shelf or in a drawer.