I’ve worked with creative and performing artists for thirty-five years as a family therapist, couples’ counselor, and creativity coach. Over the course of that time I’ve acquired a good feel for why relationships in the arts prove so difficult. What do these challenges sound like in the real lives of creatives? Here are three characteristic complaints.
John, a sculptor, lamented: “Being married to an art director is tough. My wife is very outspoken and sometimes hurts my feelings with her comments or criticisms, thereby dulling my creative spirit. How do I get her to stop telling me what’s wrong with my artwork—and to start creating her own artworks once again? She is a very good artist in her own right but she seems to need to control my creative efforts. I wonder if this need to control and criticize flows from her high-pressure career in the advertising industry?”
Marjorie, a mystery writer, explained, “I was engaged to a nice man once but I couldn’t go through with it. Why? He was unable or unwilling to give me any time alone to read, write, or engage in other artistic pursuits. I knew marriage wouldn’t help matters. The man I marry doesn’t have to be an artist but he must appreciate my bohemian side enough to leave me alone for a set amount of time to do what I need to do. I will be glad to make it up to him afterwards!”
Suzanne, a painter, described what happened when she was forced to work at home: “There was a fire in my studio and with a lot of angst I set up a home studio. That month was MISERABLE!!! My new husband had no idea how to leave me alone. I hadn’t realized how important my space was to me. I couldn’t deal with him coming into my studio and asking, ‘What are you doing?’ I finally had to put post-it notes on my door: ‘No Interruptions, Please. Thank you.’ All this has made me wonder if I made a big mistake marrying!”
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So very true. Artist need to mingle with like minded guys.creativity comes out of happines of the artist for scaling up his career and being creative.at times family members do say…why waste yr time and money on art if it does not sell ??…Art is not about selling but about the inner satisfaction and pleasure….views by Bharti Deshpande..
It’s sad all you’ve say here.
I wish I could have at least two or three hours a say to dedícate to my lífe, to my painting dream and draw faces, old towns and corners, architectural details, and a thousand ideas now blowing my mind. My wife and my daughter full fill my time….
I’m 69 years old and I want to take out, to show all I’ve inside of me, in my mind, in my Spirit, because I feel time’s getting to its end…..
And nobody but me knows that: I don’t have all the time to get my goals… Do You understand me?
Please share with us
🙂 yes…true, that space, that space…I consider myself lucky as my mate is tinkering with his music and amplifier fixing. So I get it. Totally.