Filed under: Artsy, quotes | Tags: agnes, art, artist, passion, poem, poetry, quote, restless
Just one of my most favorite quotes, ever:
Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille:
“There is vitality, a life force, a quickening
that is translated through you into action,
and because there is only one of you in all
time, this expression is unique. If you block
it, it will never exist through any other
medium and be lost. The world will not
have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how
valuable it is; nor how it compares with
other expressions. It is your business to
keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep
the channel open. You do not have to
believe in yourself or your work. You have
to keep open and aware directly to the
urges that motivate you. Keep the
channel open. No artist is pleased. There
is no satisfaction whatsoever at any time.
There is only a queer, divine
dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps
us marching and makes us more alive
than the others.”
Filed under: Artsy | Tags: art, artistic, associated content, diligence, diligent, discipline, helium, inherent, innate, learn, practice, skill, talent
Is one skilled in a discipline merely because they inherently possess its basic tools? If I were nit-picky, (and I am), I would argue that “talent” and “skill” are substantially different. Talent is an innate, ”special natural ability.” While Webster Dictionary considers a “skill” to be a “great ability.” At least the latter definition is attainable with discipline and regular, honest assessment; both techniques that can be applied to any area of life, and even in the realm of art.
Ken Foster (www.kenfoster.com) has seen over 1000 students during his 35+ years as a piano teacher. He recalls a student he’d had for several years who had learned all the technique that was at Mr. Foster’s disposal. Though efficiently grasping the skill of piano playing, the student never excelled beyond the basics and onto improvisation. On the other hand, there are those who possess the talent, but lack the discipline. Mr. Foster relates a personal example; “A teacher once told me that he probably would’ve given up on me long ago if it weren’t for my talent…”
…see Quo Elbert’s full article here.
