In my daily reading list on my news feed there was a great article today: 29 Worn Out Perspectives in Need of the “Oh Really” Factor. These are a few on there that specifically talk about art or creative items or just general life which I have heard more times than I care to think of. They lend themselves to all sorts of equally trite or smart alecky answers:
1. I don’t have the time. Better hurry along then.
8. I need an MFA to get published. (need a snappy one for this)
9. Art is good, but if you want to make a living, you have to get a real job. Because real jobs are devoid of art, fun, colour, and exist in this outer, Orwellian world that I am unaware of. Or the converse, because Art is all fun, all the time and has no elements of ‘real job’ness.
15. I have to know how it ends before I begin. It’s (insert something creative) not the recipe for PB sandwiches!
20. I’m not creative. Even your excuses are dull.
24. I don’t have any choice. You need a better imagination.
26. If you’re an artist, you need a career to fall back on. ’cause everyone should have multiple, concurrent careers by your dictate.
29. There’s nothing I can do about it! Try harder.
A few more from my experience:
I can’t do that. (or its cousin: That’s too hard) Suck it up.
That’s not art. Says you.
Oh that’s nice but don’t you think you should look for a real job? No, I like eating bonbons on the couch all day.
And there’s the whole collection you get working at craft shows – the i-can-make-that / isn’t-that-a-little-expensive? / my-five-year-old-uses-sculptey-too – that make my hackles rise.
Of course, I find myself using some of those sometimes, so go figure. I just need to train myself to stick my tongue out even to the ones I do.