Lara Tupper: Swift Ink Stories

Honoring the Artist

 
Like so many, I am a Prince fan. When I heard the news of his passing (by distraught texts from college friends), I dug out my CDs. I danced to "Kiss" and "Alphabet Street." Then I tried to comprehend why the Artist (as he was known for a time) inspired me so much.
 
I appreciated his eccentricity, his allegiance to purple, his incredible talent, his ability to blur categories. In junior high, in my small New England town, I could quietly rebel by listening to his R-rated tapes on my Walkman. He could be soulful or silly or funky, sometimes within the same breath. He was prolific. He worked at this. I listened and thought that maybe I could be an artist too.

May writing exercise: Think of an artist who speaks to you--a writer, musician, painter, etc. Why exactly? What is it about his/her creativity that moves you? Give yourself 10 minutes and GO. If 10 minutes turns into 20, so be it.

In doing so, you honor your artistry too.

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