Inspiration is not for Amateurs.

It was a dreary day in Memphis and I was a bit blue. You know, a little anxious for no particular reason. A little sad that I should feel anxious at this age. You know, a little self conscious anxiety resulting in non-specific sadness: a state that I call blue. Anyway, whenever I feel blue, I like to mosey up to the CODA office, hoping some (oh yes, here it comes) inspiration may strike.

Folks, I live for inspiration. Yes, I know that was a big, bold, dramatic, bumper sticker statement, but as recently pointed out I practically popped out of the cheesiest decade of all time, the 50s, and I live/speak through hyperbole so deal.

I wandered in, sat down in a delightfully unpredictably wobbly chair, and inspiration did not come. In fact, I sat and had a converstaion about inspiration. My mentor/friend cinematically gestured towards the enormous letters above the entry way "Inspiration is for amateurs." I wholeheartedly and conclusively disagree. I would love nothing more than to take an equally large poster and print the words "Inspiration is not for Amateurs" above my entry way. In fact, I think I'll do this tomorrow.

Said Buddy-Holly-glasses-sporting mentor loomed over me and matter-of-factly expressed that art was work. Yes, it's work. But none of us would be here doing it if we didn't have the inspiration to do so.

Passion and inspiration are the reasons I get up in the morning. I will always do my work. I often dislike my Search texts. I still read them. I read them begrudgingly and very critically, but I read them. I complete the work necessary in all projects and assignments.

However, I do my best work when I have been inspired. I am not arguing that we all sit around and do nothing while waiting for the ever-fickle muses to hit us over the head with brialliance. Keep doing your work, damnit but pray inspiration will strike while you're at it.

Telling a curious student to stop waiting for inspiration is exactly like a kid there's no Santa Claus. Without inspiration and passion, much of the magic is gone.

Here are some crazy things I dream of doing (and have been inspired to do):
1. Get Oprah to come to an Arts Event that I organized. This probably seems like the weirdest thing you have ever heard, but it is literally the first thing that always comes to my mind. I can't think of too many (sadly) more publicized figures to advertise and compel people to care about things. I see certain people snickering uncontrollably at this thought, but I will be inviting Oprah Winfrey to whatever my senior CAP project ends up being, so deal with it.
2. Host an Arts Benefit at the Orpheum. Have performances/talks by the largest names in the Memphis arts community to perform/speak about art. Get people to care. Collaborate, sell tickets, and give the revenue to a committee devoted specifically to audience development and improvement in Memphis. (And heck, sell a publication describing our findings. Put Memphis on the map!)
3. Build an "environmental room." This is another one of my totally random ideas that is insane, but I want a room that can morph into almost anything. I don't want a studio space. I want a space that is a freaking production. You can walk in and are literally transported into a forest. I don't just want pine trees painted on walls. I want fog, the scent of pine needles, and a treehouse. The next year (or next room over) would be a World War II era bar/swing club in DC. I don't know what the purpose would be, how it would sustain itself, if it would be a coffeeshop or hangout or performance venue or what, but I've always wanted tomsething like that. Maybe after I live everywhere imaginable and I'm old and decrepit and dying I'll buy out a huge mansion in the middle of nowhere and just fill it with environmental rooms and a magical backyard and host insane parties for artsy people to come to.
4. I want JPG to become a national program. In Dallas, I was a part of the Junior Patron's Guild. There was a season of shows/art exhibitions for three private high schools to go to for a greatly discounted price. It became the cool thing to do on the weekends, and I saw some of the coolest stuff in Dallas.
5. I want an all-encompassing arts studio arts festival. A house or building that has lecture halls, a coffee shop, a theatre, galleries, and studios. (Gosh, this sounds like First Congo.) I'd want all the arts to collaborate and have simultaneous food/exhibitions/performances for like two or three days, charge admission, and start an arts grant. Or start a committee for someone. Or help fund an already established committe or group. Heck, it could become a yearly thing, and half of the money could go back into planning for the next year and the other half would go to an organization honored by the festival (or started by it.)

Trust me, I have plenty more zany ideas, but I should probably sleep. Point is, if I permanently lose inspiration in what I'm doing, I quit. Inspiration and passion are what make me happy. Work is what fills the time before and after.

If inspiration is for amateurs, I never want to be professional.