Artists, Alternative Personas and Living In Character...

[Dan Goodwin]

I wrote in another discussion:

I think it's one of the privileges of the artist to create alternative personas and characters through their work.

What experiences of this do you have in your work? What fictional characters have you created that have been alternative versions of yourself? Do you take on a different personality when you create, or when you perform, to be able to tap into a deeper creativity?

Is exploring a different artistic personality a way of avoiding your true self, or simply a way of connecting with other parts of yourself that are unexplored?

Leave your comments and experiences below:

[Nick]

I agree with you Virginia. When creating music I am doing something a bit like meditating. As an individual, I disappear and narrow down focus on what I am trying to do. I think the same goes for writing or any other creative endeavour. When I am in a position where I have to deal with several, or many people I am totally wired in the opposite way. I can become quite punchy if I'm not careful.

[Dan Goodwin]

Virginia, you talk about bringing out negative energies, is most of your art a form of catharsis for you, or was that just one example you were using?

I think most of us can relate to feeling we're in touch with a very authentic part of ourselves when creating, even if the medium involves explore new characters, styles, materials or concepts. Maybe it's the fact that we're creating freely that's more vital to feeling this way than what we're actually creating?

[Virginia Gardner]

Nick – I know that punchiness well. Those are the scenarios when I become an actor. I used to think this was manic behavior until I went to be tested and a psychiatrist told me I was not bipolar, I was not manic-depressive, I am, instead, enthusiastic. I kid you not. LOL

Barbara, I am so glad to have led you to Robyn’s Synchronicity – it’s a remarkable post, IMHO.

And, Dan – this is only the second experience I’ve had dealing with the negative energies, and it’s been fantastic! My point was that your original premise, or question, doesn’t seem apply to me. I understood you to suggest that creating often allows a certain degree of escapism. For me, it like a truth serum.

[Dan Goodwin]

Virginia, great that you've found this way of discharging or dealing with the negative energy, it must make creating all the more valuable. The latest work on your blog is stunning, especially the Never Enough Payback collage with the words blending into the background, floating beneath the surface.

I think escapism is a good way of describing part of what I meant in my original opening to this discussion, and in my thoughts since I wonder if through our creative projects we often escape to our true selves. So instead of every day being the real you, and in creating you escape to alternative identities, it's the reverse. In everyday life maybe there's always a compromise in order to fit in to a group or situation, whereas in creating we can "escape" to our real selves, one unbounded by our daily obligations?

Each time we visit this "true" self through art, we're able to a little piece of it back to daily life, the ultimate aim to be living in a way that's authentic to us all the time.

[Virginia Gardner]

This is it exactly.

[Anne Westlund]

Escapism is underrated. Well, that was my first thought. I think most people try to escape their mundane reality at least sometimes. Why else would we go to the movies, watch TV, etc.

[Dan Goodwin]

Exactly. So isn't it better to try to be more at peace with ourselves exploring our creativity, rather than spending 90% of our days in some mundane reality and only a tiny fraction happy?

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

Let's hear it for Enthusiasm!

One quote that hit home with me was "Depression is anger without enthusiasm" ... can't recall who said it.

[Carol Clark]

What a great quote, Barbara. I'll have to remember that one...

Carol

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

Awesome blog, Virginia ... kudos! Very helpful to me :) Also thanks for linking to Robyn's blog on Synchronicity! That was quite synchronistic for me this morning.

[Laurie Rutan]

Seeing what everyone has written about persona I find it interesting that everyone seems so concerned about what everyone else is thinking about what may be perceived. I believe that maybe when I work through that "hurt", "anger", "laughter", or what ever "feeling" I may be having at that moment, that a piece of my true self is showing thru and you may really know what kind of person I am.

[Dan Goodwin]

This makes me think of the question - if you trace someone's creativity history - their collective body of art made over many years - do you see the story of how they are, or the story of how they'd like to be? Is the artwork a window to the real them, or a window from which they look out to the person they wish to be?

My guess is it's a combination of both, and we all create for different reasons at different times...