Even when I was young and throughout some of my adult life, I learned about the harsh realities of creative people. Since I was brought up mostly with encouragement in my artwork and songwriting, it was a jarring shock to learn that everything in this world has a political side. True, many can attain something equivalent to making a living, punctuated by times of just getting by. To become more than that requires more than luck but someone you know.
I learned "the ropes" in New York City's Greenwich Village by visiting centers for the performing and creative arts. I didn't like "prid quo pro." The dislike of it stemmed from its seeming unfair and biased. And of course it was. Like it or not, that is how the world works.
I turned down chances to advance my songs and artwork because the people willing to back me had questionable backgrounds. Even some of my professionally successful compatriots warned me about some of them.
So I have all my works and all of the pieces of the pie, but had I accepted the real-world solution, I would have had a smaller piece of a much bigger pie. Maybe.
No regrets, the negative side left many former friends in a bad place, even if they are still living.
My favorite artist is Vincent van Gogh, and his fame and success were established after his death through the efforts of his sister-in-law.
Johanna van Gogh-BongerJohanna van Gogh-Bonger (1862–1925), the wife of Vincent’s brother Theo, was the primary promoter responsible for Van Gogh's posthumous fame. After inheriting his paintings in 1891, she organized key exhibitions, sold works strategically, and published his letters, building his legacy over 35 years and establishing his global recognition.
