“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
This is on creation and audience. I am at a place in my life, which because I moved away from Los Angeles, where I lived all my life, I do not have friends or peers. So I do all this creating and no one I know is the slight bit interested. For the most part that is ok but we like people to respond to us.
Now, I am certainly not referring to the Word Press blogging community, as you all have been very supportive and positive. My question is; Do we create for an audience? I am trying not to be too much in ego in regards to this but maybe I just miss my best friend who died a couple of years ago, he would have been interested. What got me thinking about this is that I will be directing a one act at school this fall and I was wondering who in my family would come? Or come and not get it/me? lol
So I should just be grateful the muse of creative flow is with me and that I am taking action to manifest these thoughts and visions…right?
I know, many of you artist, writers, painters, photographers, musicians, sometimes feel this way too. So it is a good thing that we can support and encourage one another here at Word Press.
Many of you have educated, entertained, moved and inspired me. I want to say thank you.
Keep creating.
Sindy
Writing Works in Progress 
The thing that comes to the mind is IF A TREE STANDS AND NO ONE IS STANDING IN IT’S SHADE, THEN IS THE SHADE WORTHLESS? Do we all need a purpose all the time. Do we create for a purpose and for someone? No Sindy! We do not create for an audience. We create it because we want to and are capable of doing so. We can compare creation to God’s Work and Destruction as the Devil’s. We are just helping with God’s work is one way of looking at things.
Thank you for contributing to the discussion.
hi blue.
i am extending a spirit hug for you after reading this post. these are all natural questions that creative people have. i know because ive had them all myself. theres something inherent in the nature of creative people that leads us to question what the world is about (thus our drive to create a reality/write/draw/photography/direct as we see and know it in our own eyes). That questioning eye falls on ourselves from time to time. and its our most difficult challenge. actually i find it rather painful. It sounds to me like youre in the shadow of this questioning eyes gaze. It shall pass.
Its ok to create for an audience in the sense that we all desire our work to be understood and to be cherished, absorbed, and to make an impact on others. and on some level all good work is recognized. and until the fame from our collective zen adventure best seller washes over you..you might feel a little under supported.
but its right now, before the fame, during the moments when you dont think anyone is listening or “getting” what we you are giving,( besides us wordpressers) that artists like us cant stop the creation process. its at those exact times that you have to hunker down and try harder. for youself. not for the actualization that someone might know your truth immediately (it takes time) but because when you faced your greatest challenge (yourself) you kept fighting for your voice to be made whole in more than just the internal dimension. thats true freedom. and joy.
keep up the good work my fellow wordpresser/artist/writer/muse/director/ spiritual guru.
love odie and odie mama.
also. the next installment of the question is up. hope you like it. cuz its a dooooozy!!!!
Thank you odie mama. I was pretty sure others felt this way sometimes. I have always been creative in Los Angeles, I always had support and friends. It will be ok and I am so fortunate to have you, odie and all my great friends here. 🙂
See the Dr Who Made Me Cry post at Peace & Peanut Butter. It really sums it up when Dr. Who takes van Gogh to the future and an exhibit of his art. I cried, watching Dr, Who. lol
Oh and yea! I can’t wait to read your post.
I resonate with this a lot. I feel like I learn so much from the people who resonate with my work. There are some moments when I don’t care who is listening or reading, and other times when I do. For me, the answer to “If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?” is “No, it doesn’t, becuase ‘sound’ is our label for a type of vibration. A tree falls in the forest and makes a vibration; but if nobody (including insects) hears it, then it’s not a ‘sound’ ”
So for art, it would be, “If nobody sees this, does it make an impact?” No, to me, it doesn’t always. It may cause a release, it may make an impact on me as the creator, but it is not the same as when people hear/read it, resonate with it, and tell me so.
Part of me always loves validation when it puts something out there. When I put something out into the air for nobody, then it’s fine and it’s just release. But when I put it out into the world to be read, seen, heard, understood, then having people respond to it with their feelings is so incredibly validating. And I have some friends that can do it and some that can’t. So I relate with what you are feeling sometimes here. Some art sometimes is meant to be heard and perceived. Other art is personal and can be on its own in the forest, having served its purpose. That’s how I see it, anyway 🙂
Thanks Jen, that is so validating to me. 🙂 It is ok, I just miss having my friends and peer’s that were interested in my artistic endeavors. Luckily becoming involved with the theater at school (even though I am 30 years older than my classmates) is helping a lot. Also great blogging friends I have here, like yourself.