Do Any 'ordinary' Artists, Writers, Poets, Come To Mind?

[bainbrig]

Most British writers (mainly the men) seem to have been awful husbands or partners, deserting them, having them locked up in asylums, whatever. None (if any) led 'ordinary' lives - caring for their families, loving their wives or children, etc.

Did ANY of them lead ordinary lives, and just happen to write?

BB

[pixie374]

It obviously doesn't bother me, if I don't know their background, I don't check first... but if I find out something awful about someone, it does put me off anyway. I don't want to hear music, see a picture, watch a film, with the word "paedophile" (or whatever) going through my mind. That would ruin the enjoyment by itself.

[bainbrig]

Interesting replies, coming down on the ‘what’s it matter?’ side of the fence, on the whole. I am saddened, although not surprised.

When I see a picture, hear a song, read a poem, and so on, the artist/performer’s moral life matters to me.

I believe that the way you treat people on a day-to-day basis matters far more than the magnus opus you’re famed for, and indeed, the greatness of that opus is diminished by every unkindness, every meanness, every selfish act.

Give me a kind, generous, selfless person, who has produced nothing of note - except they have, of course.


BillB

[woofgang]

For me its not about whether the artist knows or not but whether I know....I won't knowingly support someone whose lifestyle disgusts me.

[woofgang]

BB I am with you all the way there. Art...any kind of art is a thing. use things; love people.

[bainbrig]

Ah, dear woofgang, I'll shut up, then.

[jno]

woofgang, Milne had no history of writing for childen, so writing for Christopher Robin seems likely. CR hated it all in later life. Grahame had written some sort-of children's books (I think really for adults) but his son wasn't well and later killed himself. Supposedly The Wind in the Willows was bedtime stories he later wrote down, with some of it sent in the form of letters when he was at school.

The boy Peter Pan was based on killed himself too. He wasn't related to Barrie, though.

[woofgang]

thanks Jno

[Atheist]

I have to agree with Retro and Bainbrig. You can't be a creative person without pissing off your partner a bit, unless they are unusually understanding about it. If you spend all your waking life in another world then they will feel left out. Unless you are making loads of money at it from 9 to 5 at the office or writer's desk. I write without making money, and it is not much fun for my wife. And since I'm not an 'artist' it's not much fun for me.

[woofgang]

then why do it?

[DTCwordfan]

I make money - enough to pay for my wine - but, hopefully, a big one in the pipeline about Alzheimers and my publishers are drooling about our on-line sales, the first part of the selling strategy.....

[Atheist]

Woof, you do it because you have to. If you don't do it you wouldn't understand.

[Baldric]

/// And not sure if you've got the point, Baldric ///

Yes I did, just thought it was easier than knocking them out one at a time, that was getting tedious, ok.

[pixie374]

Where it is between partners, that is personal and up to them what they are happy with. For some criminals though, that's different to me and I wouldn't encourage it.

[woofgang]

atheist that sounds more like an addiction to me....you make yourself unhappy, you make your wife unhappy and you can't stop.

[Atheist]

Woof. probably you're right.

[pixie374]

It sounds like boredom and insensitivity to me. Unless you find you need more and more to get the same effect- whatever that is- it doesn't sound like an addiction .

[Atheist]

I don't think that any of you are creative artists. You seem to have opinions on what artists should be or do, but you don't seem to do that sort of stuff yourself.

[pixie374]

How do you know this, atheist?

[Atheist]

I don't know, Pixie. I'm just guessing. We don't know each other here, so I can only .....

[bainbrig]

Atheist. Unkindness coupled with a degree of self-centredness aren’t prerequisites for being an artist, pal.

Sensitivity to the feelings of others might be, though.

Baldric. I’d like to say you disappoint me. I really would; but you haven’t, yet.