The Creative Process and Identity...

[pied_piper70]

I haven’t written a introspective entry in a very long time...I’ve either been too busy talking about school, about music projects, or else I’ve been living life and, more recently, busy with the store...but recently, I read petsnakereggie’s entry a few weeks ago, wherein he talked about identity, stating (which I quote with kind permission) “We tell people we

Comments

Identity

[markiv1111]

Thank you for this post. There is a lot there to think about, not just you, but about myself. So yeah, it's time for some serious contemplating.

Nate

[spacebug]

Yep yep yep yep. At Springboard, the blanket term we use for our clients is "self-employed creative people", though a lot of them are still working on making money from what they do. Some will make art their full time career but most don't.

I'm on a journey through definitions as well... I don't really think it ever totally stops.

When people ask me what kind of art I do now I tell them I'm a classically trained saxophonist who turned left at electronic music. Though that doesn't really get into what I've done with composition, sound design, and (now) interactive sound installation art, which is where I'm starting to feel like I fit the best (and has components of a bunch of those things.)

I got your call, by the way... stuff's a bit crazy right now but we can figure something out!

[spacebug]

Also, Why I Love My Job Part Kabillion (even when it is stressful :) ) :
http://www.springboardforthearts.org/blog/2010/03/youre-artist-damnit.html

[pied_piper70]

That's a very awesome piece of writing...

I think I'll circulate that around...

[pied_piper70]

No worries re: my call...We'll definitely figure something out...Welcome back, by the way!!!

Oh! Also...I may have found a new description of my music: "post modern neo-traditionalist"

It's actually a variation on Steve Tibbetts (who has become an influence on me recently), who called his music "post modern neo-primitivism"...I dislike the word 'primitive', but I like the word 'tradition', given that all the idioms that I work with (Balkan, Irish, Blues, Jazz, Electronic) come from some sort of tradition...

Though, I suppose, if asked, that I could say my genre of music is "Show Me The Money"...Heh heh heh...

[petsnakereggie]

I'm glad that my own insomnia feuled blogging has inspired other similar thoughts.

[chasophonic]

There is a scene from a movie I saw years ago that has stuck with me. It deals with the notion of identity you present. The guy was talking about how phony everything was in LA. You meet someone who says they are an actress and it turns out they are waiting tables. The guy who tells you about his screenplay is parking cars.

The girl says thats the amazing thing about LA. That your waitress might really be an actress and the guy parking your car may really a be screenwriter.

Since I got music back about ten years ago, I've gradually come to identify myself as a musician. Doesn't much mater what I do, That is who I am. Never used to have that.

[materia_indigo]

I enjoyed reading this post. I can tell you put a lot of thought into this. My husband, I think, is still struggling with his own creative identity as it relates to music. He will not call himself a musician, even though he studies Japanese flute and plays beautifully.