The Artists' War | Your Thoughts

Your Thoughts

When singer/songwriter Holly Near went to Vietnam, she thought of herself as a troubadour. When she returned home, she took her experiences there and wrote them into song. In many of those songs, as in the lyrics to "Change of Heart," Near asks the members of her audience to become their better selves.

What is your definition of a "better self," and how have works of art helped you become that better self?

Sun, Jan 23 8:50:43 PM (PT)
From Rachel Sellers in Oakland :
Art is a way to express oneself freely without any boundaries. Just like poetry. I write poetry, and when I write I feel as though I am free and that I have no boundaries, except the margins on the paper. Art is like an escapism from reality's setbacks and downfalls.

Mon, Jan 24 11:42:32 PM (PT)
From Bridget Kelly in San Francisco :
"Change of Heart" is in itself a good way to describe my "better self". I feel that through my own painful lifes experiences, losses, mistakes. I have grown slowly and clumsily into a much better self. My own ignorances, continue to melt through time... my better self is the voice deep within me who tells me "learn from this", "grow", make use of the misatkes you make, don't just mourn them.Don't be afraid to change... don't be afraid OF change. My better self is also the voices of my Mother, my God, my conscience, as well as my heart, to listen and respond to those voices from deep within, from my heart. Thank you for such a wonderful question!

Mon, Jan 24 11:55:04 PM (PT)
From Bridget Kelly in San Francisco :
Regarding the second part of the question, How works of art help me become that better self... I Am most INSPIRED by visual art, paintings in particular, yet, I am most MOVED by music. Listening to music helps me to slow down and listen to my heart, my own inner thoughts. Yet, Painting, (doing it myself) helps me reach a part of myself which surprises even me sometimes! Almost like a higher form of my own lowly humaness, comes in and takes over to produce art which I did not know I was capable of! I wish it would happen more often, I always feel so wonderful when I produce a painting Which pleases me and feels like I am looking at someone elses work! Perhaps it is Gods gift. Or my "better Self"

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