HEY!
Sorry to yell. I just wanted to make sure I had your attention!
I’m sure you noticed, but, I’m back from vacation! And I have some truth nuggets for you to eat (is that weird? That felt weird).
Ahem.
Anyway.
Art should be like fishing.
In a world of high standards and rampant AI, it can be difficult for artists to feel satisfied. To feel like we’re accomplishing anything.
In other words, we lose the plot.
News flash: the plot is with the fish.
Nothing bites.
Have you ever been fishing?
I don’t go very often. But whenever I’m in Maine, I feel like I have to! I grew up fishing there.
Now, you can’t fish in Maine without a license. And licenses cost, like $15 for one day. That’s not terrible, but not totally cheap either.
But my brother and I wanted to fish. We were already going to hang out at a friend’s lakeside cabin, so why not fish? So our PopPop graciously got us each a license. Yay!
So we go out to the cabin.
And we go out on the boat.
And we’re out for a while.
Aaaaaaaaand…
We don’t catch anything.
Nothing even bit. Our worms were still on the hooks!
And that could’ve turned bad for me.
Example: “Wow, Lucy, you got PopPop to spend fifteen bucks on nothing. Wow, look, you’ve wasted your time. What was the point of fishing? No fish? Really? Lame.”
Etc. Etc. Etc.
But man…the weather was nice. And the seats were comfy. The wind was refreshing–not icy, nor warm, just cool and brisk. The sky was so blue that it seemed to go on forever, smattered with gigantic clouds–I’m talkin’ Castle In The Sky levels big.
My point is, I just got to sit and relax in the middle of a beautiful lake, surrounded by endlessly beautiful creation.
That is why I like fishing.
Sure, it’s also nice to catch a fish. But that’s not the point for me.
It’s in the doing, not the result.
And now, the arts…
Art should be like fishing: not about the product, but rather about the production.
That doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the product. The product is usually awesome (unless you hate it, which sometimes happens with artists…) and inspires us to make more things!
But when we become too focused on the “product,” we cordon off the “production” into a lesser territory.
And, honestly, I don’t love the term “product” when it comes to art. It feels too…cold. Distant. Unemotional.
We typically call them paintings. Works. Creations.
…
Do you see it?
What do those words have in common?
They describe the process too.
Painting is the act.
Creation is the act.
Work is the act.
And I mean, yeah. I know. That’s how words work. I know.
But I still think it’s an important reminder. The painting is just as important as the painting. The work is what makes the work important.
Creation is about creation.
All this talk of Maine…
How could I not talk about Fantastical Summer too? So many summery stories in one anthology!
My story is “Leaving Lake June,” and it’s about a 13 year old girl named Lilah. She’s vacationing in Maine, on the edge of a lake, and she wanders off into the woods…
And she meets the Yeti, who’s not very happy to have his vacation interrupted by a tiny human person.
It’s about friendship, 2016 nostalgia, and letting go.
Here’s a tiny sneak peak from when she first meets the Yeti:
I kept my hand up, blinking slowly as I tried to think of a suitable question. It just stared at me, holding its beer close to its chest as if it were afraid I would come over and steal it.
So, I said: “I don’t want your beer.”
It raised one side of its brow. “That, Small One, is what they all say.”
Great points, Lucy!
I don’t usually like fishing, since I never catch anything, but this is a good perspective! I just typically wander the woods or catch frogs while everyone else is fishing, hahah.
Thanks!
And that’s so funny–my cousins always loved catching frogs and stuff but it always wigged me out. Frogs are so slimy and fast; I was always afraid one would jump at me lol
I had no idea about the writing, crafting, painting etc. having the process in the word! That’s so cool. Thanks for pointing it out. Great article.
Thanks, Alli! Always happy to shed some light on life’s little things ☺️
So, since I was there, I know that you did eventually catch a fish. In fact, I think you caught the same fish twice, haha. I’m wondering if, considering these facts, you can extend the fishing-art analogy even further…
True! I switched to dock fishing and caught a yellow perch (I think) twice haha. I’m pondering an extended analogy…
Perhaps this: if you don’t quit, and simply exist in the enjoyment of the process, you leave room for the result to surprise you.