Had to revisit a discussion I've had with a few people about being an artist and other high discipline occupations. The conversation usually ends up in the neighborhood of nature versus nurture, talent versus practice. Now, i cant speak for other people, but i tend to get annoyed when people when the word "talented" starts getting thrown around. The gist of it is that no one is born truly great at anything beyond crying, eating, pooping... and all the other things we can do naturally out of the box... so to speak. We all have to learn how to do and excel at the things we end up doing. A master pianist still has to learn how to play the piano and make it do the things they want it to do. A doctor has to learn medicine before they can use all the thing they know to cure diseases. I had to learn to use to tools i use and learn how to make them do the things i want them to do. Practice. My point is that anyone who ever got good at something got that way because they have at least some interest and then likely spent a great deal of time mastering they're interests.
So here's the rub. Again, i cant speak for others, but i find it kind of irritating when someone simply attributes what i create to simply being talented. dont get me wrong, it is flattering and it is a nice thing to say... but at the same time, i spent a great deal of my life and energy trying to GET good. Being a good artist (at least the kind of artist that i'm trying to be) requires lots of study and practice. I didn't fall out of my mom able to do what i can do today. Yes, a degree of talent is required to get anywhere in any given discipline, but simply saying someone is talented at something and not acknowledging their hard work can be a little insulting.
So there's my little rant o today. Take it as you will.
- It's Good to be the King =)
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