G. Steve Journal

Greatest Lesson

A dominant theme of these posts has been about the tension that exists between intellect and emotion in creating art.

We’ve featured many observations by artists who, consciously or unconsciously, allow the emotional component of their creative vision to inform the work, like songwriter Allee Willis.

Willis, who recently passed away, penned many hits, most famously with the band “Earth, Wind & Fire” and she credited band member Maurice White with her success. She describes here, succinctly and poetically, what he taught her about the proper relationship between intellect and emotion:

I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.

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No Rules

Artists seeking a path to express a unique vision typically discover few guides.

So it's not surprising when they conclude that, though the results may be messy at times, the journey must be respected:

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.

                                                                                                –– F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Time Stops

Here's another excerpt from that recent NY TIMES Op-Ed about beauty, this one from author André Aciman:

All beauty and art evoke harmonies that transport us to a place where, for only seconds, time stops and we are one with the world. It is the best life has to offer.

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Most Alive

A recent NY TIMES Op-Ed inquired of artists, writers and designers "Why Is Beauty Important To Us?"

Here's an observation suggested by actor Constance Wu:

When we become aware of life’s beauty, that’s when we are most alive.