Art's a staple. Like bread or wine or a warm coat in winter. Those who think it is a luxury have only a fragment of a mind. Man's spirit grows hungry for art in the same way his stomach growls for food.
Irving StoneRead
When I have trouble writing, I step outside my studio into the garden and pull weeds until my mind clears--I find weeding to be the best therapy there is for writer's block.
Interpretation
Engaging in simple physical tasks can help clear the mind and overcome creative blocks.
In this quote, Irving Stone expresses the idea that taking a break from the creative process by performing a mundane task like weeding can help refresh one's mind and inspire new ideas. It emphasizes the importance of stepping away from the pressure of creativity to allow the mind to reset and stimulate imagination, suggesting that therapy can come from unexpected sources.
In practice
This quote could be shared at a writer's workshop to encourage participants to take breaks and find inspiration in nature.
Art's a staple. Like bread or wine or a warm coat in winter. Those who think it is a luxury have only a fragment of a mind. Man's spirit grows hungry for art in the same way his stomach growls for food.
Talent is cheap; dedication is expensive. It will cost you your life.
Art is amoral; so is life. For me there are no obscene pictures or books; there are only poorly conceived and poorly executed ones.
One should not become an artist because he can, but because he must. It is only for those who would be miserable without it.
Ecstasy is the accurate term for the intensity of consciousness that occurs in the creative act.
You don't have to be singing specifically about things that are going on in your life, but because of the nature of music, because it is this incredibly emotional phenomenon, everything that you are feeling or experiencing is relayed in the music you put out.
Through care taken over trends, the desire to be novel and affectation knowledge, we repudiate our art, our instinct, our own way of doing things; it is absurd and stupid
To evade such temptations is the first duty of the poet. For as the ear is the antechamber to the soul, poetry can adulterate and destroy more surely then lust or gunpowder. The poet's, then, is the highest office of all. His words reach where others fall short. A silly song of Shakespeare's has done more for the poor and the wicked than all the preachers and philanthropists in the world.
If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
Good improvisers seem telepathic; everything looks pre-arranged, This is because they accept all offers made—which is something no ‘normal’ person would do.
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