Don’t Read This Blog.

That title was a trick. If you tell people they shouldn’t do something, they will almost always want to do it, right? And a lot of us are just ornery enough to do it anyway. So now you are here-reading this blog post! But I’m here to tell you it’s a waste of time. You see, the blog is dead!


I read (a blog) where they (they being the experts. I’m never really sure who “they” are, but I assume it’s people who know more about stuff than me) “they”, say the blog is dead. Old news. Passé. I guess people don’t read anymore? Word on the street is that people want their information in small bites. Tweet it. Keep it short and simple. Get your message across fast. And yet be relevant and give them quality content. I guess we dont have the attention span anymore. The problem, it seems, is the constant stream of input from the media. Social media included here. No one is going to read a lengthy blog if there is an easier, faster way to get similar content.

I paused after reading that. Its true. I opt for things online that don’t take a long time to read. And its not like I dont have the time. It is because I dont want to spend the time unless I’m really, really, really interested. I do still read. In fact I love to read. And there are a few blogs that I love to read. In fact, I look forward to them. Why? I dont know. I’m not “them” and I don’t have time to analyze the data! So, if blogging is dead, why am I blogging? I might as well just quit blogging and go the way of so many other irrelevant blogs. I really dont post as much anymore. Certainly not regularly. Why bother and what’s the point?

Originally years ago I made a website to further my professional art aspirations. “They” said I needed a web presence to be taken seriously. So my website was born. That lead to the blog which was mostly for my students to encourage and help them with their art. But things have changed, as you know if you read this at all. I’m not teaching or showing my work and I barely create art anymore. And it’s not like I dont have time for that either! So when I read over my last blog I answered my own question—why do I start the challenges so publicly? Only to “fail” publicly?  I do it to stay in the game. I am, after all, at my core and by nature—AN ARTIST. And that is a permanent part of my DNA.

I realized that when I was teaching, showing and selling, my website and blog were helpful for my business. Now I just blog for myself and for you, my readers. And I challenge myself when I put something out on the internet. It’s a type of accountability. Self imposed really, because you’re not going to come to my house and give me a good talking to if I don’t finish what I started. (At least I’m pretty sure you’re not!) And I figure if I am struggling to keep my art alive, you might be too? When being an artist is who you are, but not what you do for your day job, its a whole different ball game. It can seem unimportant. It takes longer to improve when you are a weekend painter. And there is no one to crack a whip. You must be self motivated to create. Some would call it a hobby. I challenge that notion. I think art, being an artist and creating are part of the nature of every human. And I believe that to not create goes against one of the very things we were in fact created to do! That’s why I keep encouraging you to make your art a priority. Because really, there is no downside to creating art. I believe the main upside is that it feeds something deep inside you. Your creative soul. I’d like to ask for some feedback about what you’d like to see on this blog. What are your topics of interest and how can I encourage you? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

So the public “fail” from Inktober reinforced my conviction that you’re never going to regret creating. You only regret when you dont! So I’m here to stay for a while longer.