song for theme #12: Artistic Orientation

“Artist Suffering” by Stephen P. Cook

to be sung to the tune of “Tuesday Afternoon” by Justin Hayward / The Moody Blues

Artist suffering¹

Here by myself all alone

Lose it, find the way

And make this creation my own

From my vision not stray

Dreamland, a nightmare

After much hurt, fear and pain

Again my dreams are sweet

After trauma comes gain

In my passion there’s heat

I’m playing with my art²

Toying with my soul

Relaxing spurs me on

Helps if I let go

Celebrate creation³

With expressions of love

Acknowledge pain

Recognizing the value of

Human suffering

Human suffering

Muses⁴ call to me

To share what I feel inside

To let it out through art

Bound no longer, I confide

In you, from my heart

Feel me, I touch you

My soul is bare in the raw

Can you feel my pain?

Released, I stand in awe

I let my art explain

SONG—NOTES / COMMENTS     (this song is part of the author’s personal story)

1—Some artistic creations are more mechanics than expressing feeling. This song isn’t about them.  Like definitions of music that

      stress communicating or manipulating emotions (including pain turning to joy), it connects with a similar definition of art. 

2—Art is one of those difficult to define terms, one whose definition depends on your point of view.  Definitions of it can empha-

     size art as any of the following: expression, imitation, playful creativity, insight into reality, communicating feeling, etc. They

     can link it to beauty, pleasure, pain, empathy, and both idealizing common daily experience / escaping from it. It can be defined

     to include a wide range of creative works used to portray images and express feelings, including drawing, painting, sculpture,

     music, dance, theater, literature, architecture, etc. The author prefers thinking of art in terms of expressing  / arousing feelings.

3— Creativity involves something new and worthy being created.  It can involve creative thinking—thinking that happens without

      words or logic, and can involve images, intuition, emotions, and bodily feelings.  Some feel certain types of creative

      expression are spurred by emotional trauma, stress, drugs, alcohol, etc.

4—Muses originally were nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology who were patrons of the arts. See part If for more.

Comment: this theme is associated with high emotional volatility and has been discussed in this context in the “Artistic Creativity—Risks and Rewards” section of Part IIIb.  It suffices here to say if you’ve spent years both honing your skills and pursuing artistic endeavors, the toil and associated fallout may have left you carrying emotional baggage. But the emotional rewards can be great (ecstasy is a term sometimes used in describing feelings great music or art inspires!) and make it all worth it. If you survive the struggle—realize many do not, and succumb to mental health problems / addiction / suicide— a feeling of being both appreciated and connected can provide emotional armor vs. the pain of feeling unworthy, alone, alienated.