The Artist’s Way
Y’all, I’ve been working my way through The Artist’s Way, and it’s a lot! If you’re not familiar with The Artist’s Way, it’s a workbook for creatives that walks you through twelve steps of creative recovery. I’ve begun the workbook many times, but I’ve never finished it. All sorts of things were obstacles - a hectic work schedule, personal struggles, environments that were less than nurturing. Suffice to say, I wasn’t ready. But with my recent move and career shift into the arts full-time, this process called out to me again to begin, and so I have.
I made the choice, unwittingly, to start Week One on November 3, two days before the election. I also committed to thoroughly annotating several acting books and finally writing out the YA novel that’s been floating in my head. A lot of art-making, while also auditioning every week, learning new music, and planning and teaching all the voice lessons! Without meaning to, I’d set up a powerful distraction for that week which helped me stay centered amidst everything that happened and continues to happen. I’m now in the middle of Week Three, and it continues to ground me as fear and hatred run amok. Yes, there are things I’m doing to prepare for the regime change coming in January, and at the same time, I’m focusing on the role of the artist.
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“The artist's role is to raise the consciousness of the people. To make them understand life, the world and themselves more completely. That's how I see it. Otherwise, I don't know why you do it.”
Amiri Baraka
“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”
James Baldwin
“This is precisely the time when artists go to work—not when everything is fine, but in times of dread. That’s our job!”
Toni Morrison
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I’m immersing myself in creative work and releasing any responsibility that it must be good. In this latest historical moment, as the much of the world openly embraces fascism, genocide, and destruction of the earth, I feel it’s much more important for my art to be true. Maybe that’s my Meisner training coming, too, but in my opinion, art made in earnest will always outlast virtuosity, technical prowess, or showmanship. I tell me students often, “It’s way more important that you truly believe the story you’re telling than it is to get the high note or breathe the right way or whatever. If you believe, your audience will be right there with you.” All the ancestors have known that to be true. Now, I’m working through The Artist’s Way so I can live by that as well.
I’ll keep you all updated about how it’s going, and I’m recording all my weekly reflections to post to YouTube once I complete the process. Look for that in 2025!
Thanks for reading!