{"id":6092,"date":"2010-02-28T02:11:17","date_gmt":"2010-02-28T01:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/?p=6092"},"modified":"2010-02-28T02:11:17","modified_gmt":"2010-02-28T01:11:17","slug":"state-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/state-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"The State of the Artist # 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Marvin Kanarek<\/a><\/em><\/h6>\n

I\u2019ll try as best I can to describe the journey, the psyche, the attitude, the denial, the acceptance and anything else I can touch upon that might illuminate this elusive universe that I call \u201cThe State Of The Artist? It\u2019s a state of mind, spirit and necessity, that is highly romanticized, clearly misunderstood, sometimes overblown beyond recognition and other times, not given the credit it\u2019s due.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are no notes, no script or ultimate goal here. It is an idea that I know has been percolating for a long time. I am not sure what form it will take. I do know that I will only write when \u201cThe Muse\u201d visits me. Otherwise it will be premeditated, intellectualized verbal masturbation. I do know one thing for me personally and that is, true Art and it\u2019s creation cannot be premeditated or intellectualized. Those are to be left to the \u201cafter the fact\u201d act of critiques and criticism. It will be raw, not proof read,full of wrinkles and definitely full of typos. I guess it will be stream of consciousness writing. Maybe my selfish \u201craison d\u2019\u00eatre\u201d is to help me understand myself. Maybe my ramblings will help those already on the path, and those that don\u2019t realize that they are already on it.<\/p>\n

Maybe this can all be said on one page. Maybe it will justify a series of instalments. I don\u2019t know. The Muse will be the final authority.
\nWell here I go. Wish me luck. Both the journey and the description of the journey are not for the faint of heart!<\/p>\n

I am feeling right now that one of the most difficult stages for me was that of acceptance. Not acceptance by others, but the time it took for me to embrace the fact that I myself was and am an artist. As a matter of fact it wasn\u2019t \u2018till about a decade ago that I could comfortably call myself what I was. An Artist!<\/p>\n

Why did it take me that long? I guess I knew from childhood on that I was different. I can\u2019t remember why I felt different from those around me. All I can say is that there was a constant awareness of destiny. I don\u2019t mean that in any romantic or spiritual context. I just knew that there was something waiting for me. As I write this, it\u2019s as if I\u2019m hearing this for the first time! I just learned something about myself! I always knew from the age of five that I would sing,or design houses and draw. I knew that so long ago. I\u2019m sitting here now telling that child from decades ago that he was right!<\/p>\n

I never once during my much hated high school years consult with a guidance counsellor to discuss the pros and cons of embarking on a career in the Arts. Even though I didn\u2019t embrace and accept who I was until many years later, I knew one thing for sure. I was never going to compromise what I felt driven to do. It was an uncontrollable desire. I was only sane when I was in the process of creating. I would still have become who I am today with or without my parents support or guidance.<\/p>\n

They, as Holocaust survivors, wanted only one thing. Survival for them and their family! They did as best they could to offer “passive” support. It became more a case of them begrudgingly accepting the inevitable. They couldn\u2019t stop me. It wasn\u2019t well into my adulthood that they finally with much frustration accept the fact that I was going to and had to pursue and follow The Muse. I am grateful that they lived to see some concerts and art exhibits.<\/p>\n

So, this Muse thing I keep talking about is very interesting to me. It smacks of blind loyalty to some unknown mysterious energy that visits at it\u2019s whim and fancy. Sounds insane doesn\u2019t it? Well maybe it is, but I know when it\u2019s coursing through every ounce of my being!<\/p>\n

And maybe, this is the first salient concept in understanding this “State Of The Artist”. I know that Art (not commercial art), is something that chooses you. It is not something that you have any control over. Perhaps you might deny it\u2019s existence, or even worse, doing everything you can to kill it. I understand that in many cases people have crushed the Muse because they felt that they needed financial stability or one or more of many other reasons that lead to the killing of childhood dreams. I can understand and appreciate their decision. At the same time, I feel compassion and regret for them.<\/p>\n

Like I said, “The State Of The Artist” is not for the faint of HeArt!<\/p>\n

The State of the Artist<\/strong>
\nPart 2<\/a>
\nPart 3<\/a>
\nPart 4<\/a>
\nPart 5<\/a>
\nPart 6<\/a>
\nPart 7<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Marvin Kanarek I\u2019ll try as best I can to describe the journey, the psyche, the attitude, the denial, the acceptance and anything else I can touch upon that might illuminate this elusive universe that I call \u201cThe State Of The Artist? It\u2019s a state of mind, spirit and necessity, that is highly romanticized, clearly misunderstood, sometimes overblown beyond recognition and other times, not given the credit it\u2019s due. There are no notes, no script or ultimate goal here. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[5],"tags":[133,728,3,743,788],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/Photo-by-Marvin-Kanarek.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paG8MM-1Ag","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6179,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/state-artist-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":0},"title":"The State of The Artist # 4","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"March 3, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Marvin Kanarek I was going to do something else right now. I was outside having a smoke. Something came in again. So I\u2019m sitting here getting it out before it goes away. Three words: - Sacrifice, Selfishness, Balance. When that \u201cmoment arrives\u201d it\u2019s only you tapping into and following\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrities"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrities","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/celebrities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/PC260273.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/PC260273.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/PC260273.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6164,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/state-artist-muse\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":1},"title":"The State of The Artist # 3 – The Muse","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"March 2, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m sure there are dictionary definitions of the word Muse. I or you can look it up. Maybe I will when this cycle has passed through me. I had heard a great story about a Scottish poetess who was out walking on her land one morning when all of a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrities"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrities","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/celebrities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/DSC_0206_2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6254,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/state-artist-6\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":2},"title":"The State of The Artist # 6","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"March 11, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Marvin Kanarek \u201cBody Of Work\u201d is here, let\u2019s see where this goes... Someone who designs a single house is not an architect. Someone who writes a single song or set of lyrics is not a songwriter. A person who owns a musical instrument is not a musician. A single\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrities"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrities","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/celebrities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/kanarek.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":558,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/michael-jackson-memorial-marvin-kanarek\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":3},"title":""Michael Jackson Memorial" by Marvin Kanarek","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"July 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Marvin Kanarek shares his impression and feelings after the tragic death of musician and artist Michael Jackson who he never met but new a bit about through common associates.","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrities"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrities","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/celebrities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Michael-Jackson-by-Spike-Lee.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Michael-Jackson-by-Spike-Lee.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Michael-Jackson-by-Spike-Lee.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6123,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/state-artist-part-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":4},"title":"The State of the Artist # 2","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"March 1, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Marvin Kanarek I just had an epiphany, maybe it\u2019s The Muse, I don\u2019t know. So I guess I\u2019m fated to continue at least \u2018til the end of this little story. I\u2019m a true \u201cdyed in the T-shirt\u201d Hippy way back when during the Yorkville days in Toronto. Living the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrities"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrities","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/celebrities\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/PC250099.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/PC250099.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/PC250099.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28180,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/eclectic\/marvin-kanarek-rip-january-18-1947-december-19-2012\/","url_meta":{"origin":6092,"position":5},"title":"Marvin Kanarek RIP January 18 1947- December 19 2012","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"December 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"May you Rest in Peace our Dear Brother Marvin Kanarek","rel":"","context":"In "Eclectic"","block_context":{"text":"Eclectic","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/eclectic\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Marvin Kanarek","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Marvin-Kanarek-560x410.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Marvin-Kanarek-560x410.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Marvin-Kanarek-560x410.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6092"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6092\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}