just a quick note today.

some of the best art is made under psychological duress, with minimal resources, and tight parameters. when you strip away all the fluff, the only thing left is creative truth.

coincidentally, this is also what VC’s and Founders and Business Leaders don’t understand about regulations. if you’re so good at Market Games, why do you need less rules? so you can “innovate” or make a bunch of useless shit nobody needs?

figure it out.

anyway, to anecdotally exemplify the initial statement: when I started my ding-a-day project — the results of which can be found here — I was in a relationship; when I finished the project, I was not. when I look back on all 366 images, there is a clear evolution of style over time. there’s a certain set of images that are my favorite, and I don’t find it coincidental I made them in the throes of heartbreak.

Emotion is the fuel for art.

It’s important, though, to make a quick note about emotion, and more broadly, suffering. Many people think you need to suffer for growth; you do. But the flavor of suffering is important.

some suffering is organic. this is fine, and it’s the good kind for growth. because it’s organic, the lesson sticks a lot more. it’s a lot healthier for affective digestion.

other suffering is synthetic. it has benefits, but they’re much shallower, and you don’t really get the full experience. in the same way that processed food will work in regard to general sustenance, synthetic, or “processed” suffering will work for personal growth, but, you know, you get what you pay for.

anyway, all this to say that you have to suffer for art. at least, the good art. you should be doing more with less, but also, don’t cut corners.

“what does that mean?”

figure it out. not complicated.

you should be doing things as simple as possible, and to the fullest of your capacities. if that doesn’t make sense, you perchance, maybe, possibly, perhaps have some thinking to do.

cheers.