Stephen Sondheim | Order of the Good Write

Palm Trees. Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

(I wrote this post this morning on MarieForleo.com in reply to a discussion about the importance of art in our lives. This comment felt like a blog post. I’d like to share it here. I hope you find some good in its message.)

Art is essential in allowing humanity to connect spiritually.

I use art to motivate my writing and the writing of others. Each facet of art, especially painting and sculpture (for me), can ignite a bevvy of stories for the world to see. It can inspires other and can change lives. It can shift a mind.

Street Art/Berlin Wall. Wende Museum. Los Angeles.

Music is also a profound inspiration. Artists who write life affirming and soul searching lyrics have made me the writer I am today. They connect feelings into words. Music and art makes us feel less alone in this world.

I think the one piece of art that changed my life (other than music), was Georges Seurat’s painting “Sunday on the Island of Grande Jatte” and the musical play it inspired. James Lapine wrote the book for “Sunday in the Park with George” and Stephen Sondheim created the most glorious, heart wrenching, moving score to reflect the concept of how a painting can tell a story. How each visage, each person painted were really humans with beating hearts and broken lives painted in dabs of light. The way the painting comes to life with humanity and the love story woven in – showed me how art can be a powerful reflection of our lives. In fact, the entire show has specific lyrics that support this entire theme.

‘Sunday in the Park with George’

Add the wonderful musical ‘Fun Home’ – which shows painful, universal themes in a beautiful, touching way – and we have continued proof that the arts tell the story of our lives.

Cast of ‘Fun Home’. Photo by Christaan Felber. The New Yorker.

Don’t let anybody, or any negative voice in your head tell you otherwise. We need more art. We need creation.

As good ol’ Steve wrote in “Sunday…”

“Look at what you want,
Not at where you are,
Not at what you’ll be-
Look at all the things you’ve done for me
Opened up my eyes,
Taught me how to see,
Notice every tree…”

Just keep moving on. 🙂

scarf lady

I can’t lie.

All the writing motivation in the world cannot avoid the fact writing just doesn’t happen all the time. Like when you’re sick.

Today, I’m dealing with a head cold. It could be worse. I’ve HAD worse. But when the sinuses are inflamed and I’m sneezing every few minutes, it’s hard to concentrate on ideas and words and thoughts and how all that can be combined into a productive day of writing.

I have an outline I’m trying to write for an upcoming book I’d like to see published.Yet, I have the document open, hiding among tabs of websites and various programs open on my desktop.

Social media keeps beckoning me – almost as if the congestion in my nose is some kind of magnetic device, leading me from the work at hand, pleading with me to relax and watch more “Reich and Sondheim: In Conversation and Performance” because I cannot get over the fact I’ve never heard the music from ‘Pacific Overtures’ before and cannot get “Someone In a Tree” out of my head.

Harper Lee died today. That’s been on my mind. ‘Mockingbird’ is my favorite novel. President Obama said today via the First Lady’s Twitter account, “When Harper Lee sat down to write ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, she wasn’t seeking awards or fame. She was an country girl who wanted to tell an honest story about life as she saw it.”

So true.

It’s days like today – a Friday, a head cold day, a day of distractions outweighing concentration, that make it a challenge to write that honest story about our world. Or my world.

But, I’m doing something. I still have the intention. I’m picking at the words of my outline with respect and honor, not beating myself up because I can’t find the flow.

There’s always tomorrow. Besides, it’s not bad to seek out inspiration from other artists (like Sondheim and Lee) to stimulate the creative energy.

Sometimes just getting the words out by way of a blog can help. Blogs like these allow you to confide to the internet – a virtual sounding board where you know that someone out there will read you.

Blogs are wonderful tools to allow writers to promote themselves, help others and, when used well, provide a space for the writer to write with ease, especially on days when they can’t find the juice.

Well, you know that. That’s why you are here.

So, as I write one word here and there, I know there will be better days.

Hey, I wrote this, didn’t I?

Just keep the intention out there as a writer. Know you’ll be back better than ever tomorrow.