Text Reading- Julian LaVerdiere

I love Julians inspiration. It is much like mine. He has described the essence of what it is. "A steady phenomenon that flows continuously, a component of every hour whether or not that hour is devoted to the creation of art. The enrgized mental state is both the product of each artwork and the inspiration for the next one." I do not go looking for inspiration. I let it find me. It could be a rock, a person, a feeling, a completely opposite random thought. Julian states that the woirk has an ability to augment the creative potential of viewers. The way that I work with my art, is somewhat similar to this statemtn. I let myself become a viewer. I analize, not from the artist point fo view from a spectators. It allows me to see things in different lights. Julian states that he strives to establish the inspired state of mind as a mental norm. Well I believe I have come to that point already. I have a very visual mind. I see things that most don't see. But more importantly I let my mind wander. I let it explore, and find its own way. It finds its own mysterys, produces its own curiosity, and stimulates any creative action that I would physically take. My mind lives life through my imagination.

Julian compares himself to Faust. Faust to Julian is a paradigm of inspiration. Hius mission is to create art infused with the perennial power to inspire original achievements in others. But why others? Why not make art for yourself? Why make it for other people? I think when you start making art for others it becomes a job, it is no longer a profession. It takes on a different purpose. I make my art for me. Not for anyone else. Defined below are job and profession. There is a big difference.

job1 /dʒɒb/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[job] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, jobbed, job·bing, adjective
–noun
1. a piece of work, esp. a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price
2. a post of employment; full-time or part-time position
3. anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility
4. an affair, matter, occurrence, or state of affairs
5. the material, project, assignment, etc., being worked upon
6. the process or requirements, details, etc., of working
7. the execution or performance of a task

pro·fes·sion /prəˈfɛʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pruh-fesh-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science:
2. any vocation
3. the act of professing; avowal; a declaration, whether true or false: professions of dedication.
4. the declaration of belief in or acceptance of religion or a faith
5. the declaration made on entering into membership or order.


I beleive that Julian has an interesting inspiration subject. The missing chapters in recorded history. Again I kind of find this hypocritical. He finds inspiration in history even in times when he is not devoting himself to art. But isn't art history? A sketch on a napkin I did yesterdya is history. Is there record of it? Not if I throw it away? Well what if I dated it and threw it away? Then there would some discovery to be made later? But then is it still consdered art or trash? He has to devote time to discovering these missing chapters in recorded history to find inspiration for his art. Unless this world operates like the matrix in the sense that he jsut plugs himself up one time and he knows all of the history there ever was for anything. I just find some of the things he say contradictory. But on the other hand I do agree with a couple of key statements. Apathy and boredom are the twin enemies of inspiration. IF you aren't getting out there to experience the world then you will be bored. "You cannot inspire hope without inspiring confidence." So true. You have to have confidence in hope above all else.

pro·fes·sion /prəˈfɛʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pruh-fesh-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science:
2. any vocation
3. the act of professing; avowal; a declaration, whether true or false: professions of dedication.
4. the declaration of belief in or acceptance of religion or a faith
5. the declaration made on entering into membership or order.