April 5, 2010

They say talent is a God given gift. It is probably correct but who determines what talent is?

Leonardo da Vinci had talent, Mozart had talent, most of the artists that we are admiring today who lived in the past centuries had some talents.

Today's artists' talents I am questioning. It seems that today's artists just like in the old days need benefactors. But today's benefactors are not the same caliber as the ones in the distant past.

What art is to paint a Campbell Soup can? If it weren't for the support of Jackie Kennedy, Andy Warhol would have remained an unknown and struggling artist.

This just proves the old adage: it is not what you know, it is who do you know!

For every successful artist today there are hundreds or thousands possessing the same or even more talent but lacking adequate backing.

There is nothing more upsetting than to be an unappreciated artist.

I knew someone who was multi talented. In all seriousness, this person was close to be a genius.

He created beautiful paintings, he created gorgeous drawings. He made etchings that were fantastic. Actually, I have some of his works in my home.

He wanted to be a movie director and he wanted to be admitted to the university to study that field.

Multi talented doesn't begin to describe him. But he couldn't succeed.

Could not get admitted to the university, could not sell his art work, he was forced to live his life and support his family as a simple factory worker.

Maybe poverty helped him to create. If we think back most of the great artists lived in poverty or were suffering from pain or depression while creating their greatest works. But try to tell that to an artist today.

The person I was writing this about finally died years ago from cancer without ever succeeding or being appreciated. But I cherish the pieces he gave me because if nobody in this world remembers him, I still do.

The question still lingers there. At what point does a person give up trying and decide to fit in society by joining the world of the working people and attempting to make an honest living.

When I was young all I ever wanted was to be gigolo. But I realized my shortcomings and instead became an engineer.