HAPPINESS IS BULLSHIT!
Look, I don’t believe this really for one second. I’m genuinely a pretty happy person and love my life for all of its ups and downs but, with blog titles like ‘Handle with Care’ and 'Melancholia’, I can see how you might think otherwise. I get it! Trust me I do, and I’m not unaware of the fact that the subject matter I’ve chosen to share with you here in Creative Nowhere Land, albeit sporadically, has been a little heavy or emotional and maybe not the most comfortable of reading for some of you. But what I will say is that it’s been honest!
Throughout most of my career as a commercial photographer (https://www.mattwilsonphoto.co.uk/), other people have dictated the work I’ve created. Clients or Art Directors come to me and they have an idea or a brief they want to bring to life with my help. And don’t get me wrong, I love what I do but, the whole reason for starting Creative Nowhere Land was to create what I want to create and on my terms! A place where anything goes no matter how crazy. And, yes, that will involve delving a little deeper into myself from time to time, my emotions, my life and experiences in order to find inspiration and create. That’s what artists do! And I guarantee that it won’t always be happy because let’s face it, life isn’t always that way now is it?
“No art worth a damn was ever created out of happiness I can tell you that much. Ambition, narcissism, sex, rage those are the engines that drive every great artist.”
Maybe Mr Harris is right! Maybe great art isn’t created out of happiness but that’s always going to be highly subjective. But you can’t fail to look at the number of great artists and creators who have been inspired by the deeper and darker sides of life! Slyvia Plath, for example, maintained that she couldn’t write when she was happy and that her best work always came from her darkest times. I’ve always been captivated and drawn to this style of work. It just seems to resonate more with me and anything that forces me to think a little deeper and ask more thorough questions about myself and my life, even if it is dark, can only be a good thing in my opinion. It’s all an evolution and we are constantly learning.
So many pieces of great art, literature and films, with these dark undertones, that have made really powerful impacts on me throughout my life come to mind. Interestingly though, my first memory of feeling this power was with music and at a very young age. I remember almost being stopped in my tracks as a little boy when my mum used to play ‘Moonlight Sonata 1st Mvt’ by Beethoven on the old piano we had at home. It was so powerful and even when I hear it today it has the same effect! If you’ve never heard it then give it a listen. It’s one of the most beautifully dark pieces of classical music I’ve ever heard…
Anyway, as always, I digress! What I’m trying to say is that some of the deepest emotions come from the darkest of places and these emotions have inspired great art for centuries. For me, working through my own dark moments helps me understand myself better as a human being and as a man. It helps inspire my creativity as an artist and I try to use it as fuel. Rather than being afraid of my dark side instead, I’m trying to take inspiration from it.
HAPPINESS ISN’T ACTUALLY BULLSHIT!
I’ve always felt the need to create and that’s one of the many things in my life that makes me happy so I know that happiness isn’t actually bullshit. But I do believe that happiness is a by-product of our actions and decisions. Maybe it’s just not that inspiring! But we all find inspiration in different places and we all have to find it somewhere right? Maybe my ‘somewhere’ is just a little darker than yours right now! Who knows?
Don’t worry though this is all part of a cathartic process. As I said I’m a pretty happy person in my day to day life! Honestly! I’ve been writing and creating as often as I can and in as many ways as I can to stay inspired and these have always been the things that have made me happy even if the subject matter, as I say, is a little dark sometimes. I’ve just not been very good a sharing it here in Creative Nowhere Land with you. Sorry about that! I figure creating is the most important part of the process though so I hope that you’ll continue to be patient with me.
I do still have big plans moving forward in Creative Nowhere Land and I appreciate every bit of support that you have all given me over the last year or so. So please please stick with me and If it’s your first time here in Creative Nowhere Land then please consider signing up to the newsletter below so you can be the first to know when anything new is going on. Once again thanks for taking the time to read another blog post with a semi depressing title haha! Until next time!