Miguel de Cervantes

"He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses courage loses all."

—Miguel de Cervantes

Spanish Novelist, Poet

1547 - 1616

Much of life is about loss.  From the day we are born we lose things.  Some children are abandoned at birth.  Others experience death at an early age.  Some people lose fortunes.  Others lose friends.  And some people lose themselves.  I lost a sister last Thanksgiving.  My wife lost a brother last week.  And I am sure that most people reading this have lost someone.  I have lost five jobs in my career, but I have never lost who I am.  Do you know who you are?  Are you where you are supposed to be?  What have you lost? 

The flip side of Cervantes' quote is that we all gain something.  Has a new child been born into your life?  Has some unexpected money come your way?  Have you gained a new friend?  A new lover?

Life is about lost and gain, give and take, birth and death.  Sometimes we feel as if we have lost more than we gained, but usually we have a lot to be thankful for.  Do you have an attitude of gratitude? 

Alexander Graham Bell

"A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with — a man is what he makes of himself."

— Alexander Graham Bell

Scotish Scientist/Inventor

1847 - 1922

Most of us come into this world with nothing but the love of our parents and some do not have even that.  There is nothing written on our birth certificates about us being writers, doctors, farmers, artists or lawyers.  All of that comes much later.   Each of us makes himself into what he becomes.  Some do become farmers, lawyers, doctors, poets, preachers, actors, artists and creative leaders.  But who we become is in our hands.  We choose the direction our lives are to take.  Have you become the person you want to be?  

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves."

— Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Colombian Novelist

1927 -

Creating works of art is the way to give birth to yourself again and again.  Whether we tell stories or paint or sculpt we are re-creating our lives.  We are giving birth to ourselves anew.  Every work of art you create is a part of who you are and who you are becoming.  Celebrate each new creation as if you are celebrating your birth.  Be happy that you have the discipline to become born again and again.

Flannery O'Connor

"Writing is like giving birth to a piano sideways.  Anyone who perseveres is either talented or nuts."

— Flannery O'Connor

American Novelist

1925 - 1964

Ann Linnea

"The essence of parenting is to never lose faith in your child and the essence of adulthood is to assume that faith in yourself.

— Ann Linnea

American Author/Educator
1949 -

Many have compared the act of creation to the act of giving birth and to their creations as their children.  And there is some validity to the analogy.  But the more important message is that one should never lose faith in what you create.  Believe in your creation as you would a child.  And believe in yourself as an artist and creative leader.

Too many people give on their creativity because they haven't found fame or fortune.  Lack of interest in your art by the world does not negate what you have created.  The opinions of others don't much matter.  What is important is that maintain your faith in yourself and what you create.  Don't give up or give in.

Oskar Kokoschka

"How do I define a work of art?  It is not an asset in the stock-exchange sense, but a man's timid attempt to repeat the miracle that the simplest peasant girl is capable of at any time, that of magically producing life out of nothing."

— Oskar Kokoschka

Austrian Painter, Poet, Playwright

1886 - 1980

The Bride of the Wind
(1914)

When I stop and think about it, the birth of a child is probably one of the greatest miracles known to the human race.  Although I must say that it takes more than a simple peasant girl.  A peasant boy is usually involved also.  Nothing we do as painters, writers or composers will ever equal the conception of a child.  But that should not discourage us.  What we create is our attempt at defeating death — to live beyond the few short years we are given.  And for some they work will survive hundreds of years.

How do you define the artistic work that you do?  Why do you do it?  What motivates you to create new pieces of work?  Where do you place creative work in the greater scheme of things?

Here is a video that displays some of the paintings of Oskar Kokoschka.  Enjoy.