Saturday, March 19, 2016

Day 2:

We all knew this day would come.

The "Artist" will now speak of his aesthetics and accomplishments.  I'll try not to make it too much to bear.

I have spent a great deal of my time studying my art and "perfecting" my craft in the last decade. This endeavor actually took up most of my days in one form of another and I can't honestly say whether I'm any better at any of them when I started, but I definitely am more experienced! That truly is something to be proud of.  Also, at least at this point I can finally verbalize what moves me and what I hold in the utmost importance as far as aesthetics go.  Bear in mind that these hypothesis are untested and subjugated by my own person experiences and findings.  No scientists were harmed in the creation of these ideas!

*Note: I am only speaking of my two main subjects and their love child: Music, Theater, and Musical Theater

There is a Venn Diagram that I have found particularly useful over the past decade...(YAY CHARTS!) and I would like to share it with you.  It is highly debated among scholars and many question its validity in understanding aesthetics, but I like it and this is my blog so;


I find that I am most moved by the Academic, the Folk, and the shared spaces of all three.  Why is that?  Am I more moved by things unique and under experienced? Am I a snob whose intellectual aspirations cloud my ability to enjoy things on mass?  Am I a hipster?

In an in depth analysis of appeal, I came to a shockingly simple answer (This also generalized and only tested by my personal observations.


Each of the three aspects of culture appeal to different parts of our being.  Generally, Pop appeals to our body and our base desires. This is especially true in music! I cannot tell you the amount of times I have questioned a persons taste toward a pop song and their reply has been, "It has such a good beat!" This is generally why the lyrics contain multiple repeats of phrases.  Bear in mind I am speaking only of the pure pop circle here.

What I have discovered about myself it that I am only interested in the top two circles and and the combinations of the three.  Anyway, this is long and complicated and no one will probably care, but being able to articulate my aesthetic principles, even in simplistic terms, is a huge accomplishment!  This is what I am after.  I can truthfully say that I have a deep understanding of what moves me and can analyze that!  I can also articulate in an intellectual manner why I don't like certain songs, pieces, and works (and boy do I...).

I have written some things that I'm incredibly proud of! I've performed some roles that I'm incredibly proud of! I've seen some amazing things develop and watched talent bloom and grow! I've performed with numerous Jazz Combos, Rock Bands, Big Bands, and A Capella groups.  I've done "prestigious" things and I've had more fun that I can say.  I've tap danced! (Childhood dreams do come true!) Anyway, I can't even talk about all I've done because a decade is a long time!

In this coming decade, I'm going to be less awkward about sharing my talents (even if that means singing more karaoke, which I hate).  I feel for some reason, that even if people ask me what I'm working on, I'm being irritating if I talk about it.  I know I can deliver the goods, so I'm going to have to start acting like it.  I think the key is to find balance and still maintain my charm.

Anyway, people, this is the end of day two!


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