Hello Friends,
As an Artist, Writer, and performer, you may think I hate critics. I do not. They are an essential part of the creative process. Can they abuse their privileged position? Sure. Everyone can harm others in some way: bullies, authority run amock, unfair assessments, and unrevealed biases.
Art critics keep us on our toes and help us evade mediocracy. I had two projects reflecting times in local history, and one critic seemed to complain about my use of treble when mastering. He was right. I was unaware of how much my hearing was affected by my military experience, and I was able to make adjustments in the recording process to compensate. If he had not written that, I would have continued mastering with that flaw.
Writing about sensitive topics? I have often stumbled into the china closet and broken a few dishes. I had to develop tact to convey the truth without offending someone who did not deserve to be offended.
The most challenging criticism to deal with comes from peers. They can be motivated by envy or have a valid point mixed in with overzealous expressiveness.
I forgive them; why? They may alert me to a valid truth, but my audience is the ones who count the most.
AFTER I WROTE THIS, AN ANECDOTE CAME TO MIND: I was one of several regular performers in a coffee house, and we knew each other as rivals and friends. I arrived early for my performance time and walked in on peers mocking my songs and imitating me. I accepted the criticism graciously and then explained that the simplicity of the songs they seemed to mock was intended for children. Easy to sing simple words and simple melodies. Also, a novice guitarist quickly accomplished the guitar level in the songs.
