Posted by olive on August 10, 2003, at 17:10:51
In reply to Re: artists and depression (discussion fodder), posted by Noa on January 28, 2000, at 5:10:37
In response to Noa's: "My depression has felt more DEADENING in recent years, and less evocative of the artistic spirit."
I have been making art "professionally" (or whatever) for about 13 years, and have fought my way through each body of work...it has almost always been a difficult and profoundly stressful process for me. Ironic because so many people seem to think that being an artist is so "fun" and "interesting"...how great to sit around all day and "be creative." This has not been my experience. I see now that my artistic practice has been an ongoing attempt to come to terms with grief and depression. I do not view or experience my art as therapuetic because it does not seem to help the depression. It's simply its voice. And the voice has gotten louder and louder over the past year, to the point of feeling deadening...it is drowning out that angry spark that used to be the mechanism which flipped me from dormant(the idea generating phase) to productive (making work).
poster:olive
thread:19731
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030807/msgs/249859.html