there's a map of the world on the wall in your room

nathan's studio (detail)

i had an interesting experience this weekend that i’d like to share. i was asked very recently to start a music column for Nighthawk Press, a literary review based out of Chicago (which you should definitely check out). i immediately jumped at the chance, and 48 hours later had not one, but two very lengthy posts submitted to the editor. then, i got to thinking about the neglect of my own personal writing. why can’t i write for my own blog, yet can set aside time to submit to another? the weather in San Francisco finally broke today, and i went for a walk, and thought a lot about this conundrum, and came up with a few interesting points.

one: it’s easier to rely on someone else to edit and publish content. all you have to do is write and submit, and you’re done! simples! when I sit to write a post, i think about how much time i have, how it’s going to look with the site, is it too lengthy? what image will i use? what do i want to say? and then, most of the time, i get tired and go do something else.

two: i find it’s easier to write about something you’re not directly involved with. i am not a musician, nor do i wish to be a musician. my posts for Nighthawk are all about my passion for music. for myself, i find it easier to write about something i am removed from. as a fan of music, i can write whatever i want. as a visual artist, i consider every point i try to make as an artist. i aspire to create, and write, with intention. and i find myself self-editing more when i write about my work, especially when i feel the pressure of how i choose to express myself.

three: music is so consumable. you can multitask while listening to music. in fact, i’m listening right now! i find that you can’t really say that for any other art form. since it is so consumable, you can experience a wide variety in a short amount of time. for other visual art, like film, you have to sit and absorb for two hours. music is really the people’s expression.

four: most visual art, unfortunately, has some accessibility issues. of course, with the internet and the “democratization” of art (which can be argued as a good or bad thing), accessibility is no longer the limitation it once was. i can spend three hours down the rabbit-hole and come out with twelve new artists that i love. but the roots of art still lie in a hierarchical and, for lack of a better word, elitist environment. art and the artist seek to reach people, but the structure of the art world is still very insular.

to elaborate further on the fourth point, i’m lucky enough to operate in the San Francisco art community, which i find very open and collaborative. collaboration is what will carry art and the artist forward. we no longer have to operate in the bubble of the art world. we can be committed to reaching new audiences, and can work together to build new communities that are inclusive and engaging. we share resources, and spaces, and within those collaborations we find something bigger than ourselves, which is very powerful.

as for me, i’m going to continue to write with intention, but not be so self-edited that i find i have nothing to say.