process vs product, a topic which has garnered much brain time of late. I don’t believe it is exclusive to age at all. It is a perception that once adopted must be fought for in the face of social pressures. Isolated genus artists don’t have so much to fight but the social networked blog reading child of the 00′s has to become disciplined quickly to avoid the temptation of the brass ring and therefore avoid the audience response puling the art. This discipline is probably the reason we equate the posture with older artists. 
My first and strongest relationship with recognized artists was with the producers of the LP. The rock musicians. Its easy here to track the public consumptive notion of success through the years. Some artists peak early then never regain their stature although they keep producing and challenging themselves. Some have periods where their output blends well with public demand at the time and they have comebacks. I am thinking of Neil Young who has challenged himself every step of the way. Market response is a poor indicator of success unless your goal is making money in which case the discerning consumer can see right through you. We may hoist you aloft for a while but we see what you are up to and place you in a category it may take a lifetime to get out of. Then again if you aren’t hoisted aloft we may never see you. The curse of popular opinion.
The reward for an artmaking lifestyle lies in the mediative moments, the eureka afternoons and the relationships developed through the years with people who’s companionship is a process oriented exchange rather than one of product.
Inspired by Edward Winkelman blog post
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
http://www.edwardwinkleman.com/2011/01/oh-places-youll-go.html
