What a difference one day makes! I had not realised the depth of the state of anxiety and uncertainty into which I had fallen in the lead up to the installation of my Green Man exhibition in Lincoln. Today it has been quite remarkable to see the energy and confidence with which I have been able to throw myself into planning new activities. People often seem to reduce the motive which drives artists to something called “inspiration”. Our activity is dependent, however, on much more than this. “Inspiration” is of little value, for example, if you are burdened by the lack of a feeling of self-worth.
More than this, an excessive focus on “inspiration” overlooks the very large part of the lives of artists that is devoted to the promotion of their work and its dissemination. I’ve spent a good part of the day in correspondence with potential exhibitors. It has been necessary to find the drive to do that, but I would hesitate to associate it in any way with “inspiration”.
Let’s face it. Art is work, and to do it successfully depends upon all those things which make work both possible and worthwhile.