Where Is Your Talent Born? – The Extrovert and Introvert #3

by | Jun 11, 2014 | Marilyn Monroe, The Extrovert & Introvert - 2014 | 0 comments

 

It’s day #3 of ‘The Extrovert and Introvert’ series!

 

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 Alone Together

I started out in college studying printmaking. Because you have to use big, heavy and expensive presses to print your work, and you have to use chemicals and inks that require special handling, you usually are in a group environment in a big studio.  You do your own work but you are talking to others, maybe helping them print something or asking advice on how to get something right, as well as just idle chitchat that happens during long hours in the studio.  It’s the perfect ‘alone together’ environment for an artist who is an extrovert.

Alone Alone

But early on I was so much of an extrovert, I wanted so much socializing, that I didn’t really spend an adequate amount of alone time doing my artwork.  I believe my career as an artist actually suffered because of that. What I eventually learned is embodied in the quote, ‘A career is born in public, talent in private’.  In my understanding now I believe you will not be successful creatively unless you spend immense amount of time alone simply practicing, training, learning, exploring and creating your work.

Model Alone

This is true of artists, actors, singers, writers, speakers, and more; anyone who has to be in the public at some point. Even professions you wouldn’t at first think about.  In my capacity as an organizer for PHOTOG, the photography group I help lead here in Oklahoma, I often will need to find models for shoots. If the model is inexperienced one of the essential bits of advice I give is for them to practice posing in a mirror by themselves.  The reason is so they can really know their own face and body, what it does, how they can make it do this or that.  

Being alone, focused on practicing something over and over, is where talent will be born. We who are extroverts can learn something from introverts who already know this.

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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman

Quote by Marilyn Monroe, 1926 – 1962, American actress

 

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Norma Jean Baker

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Being Alone – From The Series Formerly Known as ‘Unnamed’

by | May 5, 2014 | Being Alone - 2014, Blaise Pascal, Frederic Dard, Julien De Valckenaere, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther | 0 comments

 

Hello Napkin Kin!  Have you been wondering all weekend what the theme of last week’s ‘Unnamed Series’ is? Well, wait no longer, here is the answer: Being Alone

I started it because a dear friend of mine who is going through a divorce is now living on her own in a condo.  She is learning how to be alone for the first time in many years. It’s hard enough to be alone when things are going right, but when your world has imploded and all seems lost, being alone can be devastating.  These drawing and quotes were a result of my exploration of the idea of ‘being alone’.

Here they are from first to last, with the quotes written in.

 

Being Alone #1 - from the series formerly known as 'Unnamed'

Being Alone #1 – from the series formerly known as ‘Unnamed’

 

 

Being Alone #2 - from the series formerly known as 'Unnamed'

Being Alone #2 – from the series formerly known as ‘Unnamed’

 

 

Being Alone #3 - from the series formerly known as 'Unnamed'

Being Alone #3 – from the series formerly known as ‘Unnamed’

 

 

Being Alone #4 - from the series formerly known as 'Unnamed'

Being Alone #4 – from the series formerly known as ‘Unnamed’

 

 

Being Alone #5 - from the series formerly known as 'Unnamed'

Being Alone #5 – from the series formerly known as ‘Unnamed’

 

So, now that you know, what do you think? Do the drawings make sense now? Do the quotes fit the drawings? Come on, let me know. I want to do another series like this, it was a lot of fun and there was more than average interaction with the Napkin Kin and your feedback will help make the next series even better.

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Drawings by Marty Coleman

Quotes by the following:

#1 – Frederic Dard, 1921-2000, French author

#2 – Julien De Valckenaere, 1898-1958, Dutch writer

#3 – Martin Luther, 1483-1546, German monk, religious rabble rouser

#4 – Marilyn Monroe, 1926-1962, American actress

#5 – Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, French mathematician and philosopher

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