A while back when I was trying to learn how to play the guitar, I wasn’t putting in enough writing time. Every free minute I had, I was strumming my too-good-for-me Gibson, trying to learn something simple, like Mr. Tambourine Man (well, it was simple the way I played it; it reminded my friends of summer camp). I told illustrator Chris O’Brion that I felt bad about neglecting my real art for something that clearly wasn’t going anywhere. But Chris pointed out that they were both related. By learning to play guitar, he said, he was pretty sure it meant my writing was getting better.
It’s years later, but I think about that conversation a lot. My guitar playing never got great or even good, but it did help my writing. And I’ve been fascinated by how the arts interrelate ever since. Not in a this-should-be-my-doctoral-thesis kind of way. Just in the wow-cool kind of way.
Consider:
Have you ever noticed how many musicians are also artists?
My friend Sarah and I started coming up with a list a few weeks ago when I was asking if it bothers her when musician-artists get big gallery showings the way it bothers me when celebrities publish picture books. (Oops, let me rephrase that: when celebrities publish BAD picture books. And it turns out it doesn’t bother Sarah so much about the art thing, because many of the musician-artists are good.)
Here’s our list so far, though I’ll note it was just off the top of our heads and there are probably lots more people to add:
David Bowie
Tony Bennett
Chris Mars (Replacements)
Paul Simonon (The Clash)
Neko Case
Marilyn Manson
John Mellencamp
Joni Mitchell
Captain Beefheart
Mark Mothersbaugh (DEVO)
Ronnie Wood (Stones)
Paul Stanley (KISS)
Patti Smith (photography and drawings)
Ringo Starr
Paul McCartney
Um, and Donna Summer
Other intersections
• When the aforementioned Sarah was here, she sold one of her pieces at The Principle Gallery in Alexandria. I loved hearing her talk about the little red dot they put up by paintings that have sold. And I could definitely relate to that feeling of elation — of knowing someone out there loves your work enough to actually buy it.
• A lot of writers are familiar with National Novel Writing Month in November. Did you know that February is Album Writing Month, when musicians try to come up with 14 songs in 28 days? I’m not prepared to do it this year, but it occurs to me that this could be the impetus for my country album!
• The Beats mixed it up. William S. Burroughs wrote and painted. Ed Sanders wrote and sang. They weren’t all good at everything — imagine if Jack Kerouac were judged by his poetry alone. But they tried other mediums and I’m certain that each art informed the other. That would be my prompt for today, if you happen to be looking for one. If you’re a writer, go draw. If you’re an illustrator, pick up an instrument. Whoever you are, whatever you do: Go play!
I would have eaten it, no questions asked.
Wow. Madelyn. I never knows what kind of random crap I spout; it’s a good thing I didn’t tell you that eating marshmallow cream on baked flounder was the key to creativity! 😉 Humans have the need to express themselves, so it makes sense that one form nourishes others…
True, whereas kids seem to label themselves as expert singers/artists/writers. At least until they get self conscious, before that, they’ll say: I’m great at this. But I think the point might be to just do it, even if you aren’t great.
I looked up E.E. Cummings and was blown away. Here’s a link: http://eecummingsart.com/prosp/?p=1
Katharine Patterson mentioned in one of her books that she was taking drawing lessons. (Tangent: Would this be like meeting M.C. Escher in a writing class?) I also wonder if this all has something to do with embracing creativity. It seems like some adults label themselves as “un-creative” and then shy away from the arts completely.
Thanks, Jama. I didn’t know about E.E. Cummings!
We should also start a list of author/musicians (or musician authors) like Steve Earle (who has a book of short stories) and Lemony Snicket (who played with the Magnetic Fields). And Steve Martin, who plays banjo and writes on top of the whole acting thing. And even the Rock Bottom Remainders. Also, Jane Austen MUST HAVE played the pianoforte.
Love this post! I agree that each type of art informs the other — often in subtle ways. But as you mentioned, it’s allowing ourselves to play, which helps to spark creative thinking by engaging different parts of the brain.
Great list of musician-artists, to which I’d like to add Grace Slick and Bob Dylan. Also, a surprising number of authors also like(d) to paint. E.E. Cummings considered himself an artist first, a writer second.