Wednesday, February 18, 2009

It's the Green Fairy! And we're not talking Tinkerbell.

Art is inspired by many things: Beauty, Love, Music, Hallucinogens......

Beauty inspires us. We see beauty in the world around us, in the people around us and we want to mimic it. What's that about the best form of flattery being mimicry? And of course love inspires art... love is the greatest of all feelings, and art is the embodiment of feeling. And music? Music is art's audible counterpart! But of course it would be inspiring!

But Hallucinogens now? Where did THAT come from? You read me right, that's not a typo. I'm talking magic mushrooms and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and, right up there with the best of em, Absinthe.

The Green Fairy, they used to call it. Or the Green Muse. Or the Green Goddess. Take your pick of green-tinted hallucinations.

Fairy? Muse? Goddess!? What gave this creepy drink made from worm wood such a special reputation worthy of such glorious names? We know that the rebellious Bohemes of France made it very popular, but aren't we artists particularly well known for leading the lethal statistics of any vice that causes mental illness, alcoholics anonymous, lung cancer and rehab?

(no, not ALL artists are pot smoking, liquor swigging, needle pushing rehab cases, that just seems to be a stereo type they often fall into)

There is some reason to some of our madness.

"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."

"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people."

~Oscar Wilde



~Vincent Van Gogh



~Pablo Picasso

What is the link between these three geniuses? Art? Yes. Absinthe? Yeah, that too.

I suppose you consider me a drugged up absinthe swilling fiend now. No, not really. I just find it intriguing. Look up these artists. Do you admire them? Do you admire them less now that you know that they at times drank absinthe in search of creativity? Or more, maybe?

What will we turn to next? Personally, I'm hoping for a creativity patch, to wean us off our present vices. It can even have a cool or trendy picture on it, like a skull or a cup of coffee! To apply, peel off of paper backing and slap sticky side onto forehead with hand.






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5 comments:

Insomniac said...

Hey, i really enjoyed reading your blog, i've often wondered if the hallucinogens would increase my creative streak and make me able to paint some canvases with original work rather than copies of my favourite works. Sure i sketch some originals but there's just something a bit too daunting about an entire canvas...it worked for the greats right?

Hiro C. said...

Did you happen to think that hallucinogens didn't help them to create ? Maybe it's the other way : people who are creative may have a different brain than mere mortals... and they may bee more attracted by drugs than other people ?

Jenn said...

I cannot read about absinthe without thinking about "Hills Like White Elephants" and about how it must taste like licorice (which I hate). Your post also made me think of Coleridge's "Kubla Kahn", which he supposedly wrote under the influence of laudanum and which is pretty unintelligible. I love the idea of a creativity patch -- maybe all we need to do is walk around with our eyes open. . .

Mike Benhaim said...

Wow! A kindred spirit who not only enjoys art and hallucinogens, but is not satisfied until she understands why. Also, I read your feedback and advice to "Vengeance" and would love to solicit your opinion on my blog. I am not a professional. Just have some shit I thought I could share. Thanks.
Peace.
http://scholarlee-vexednation.blogspot.com

The Vengeance said...

Hi all! thanks for reading! Insomniac, a little advice. Buy some cheap canvas and have at it! Don't worry about messing up! just Go! My best experience with this kind of stuff is just going for it. You've got the creativity, you just need to bolster your courage and just do it! I have a little bit of fear every time I try a new artistic element. The best way to get past those fears is to just go for it, and not worry about messing up! I'm almost always happy with the results. :)

Hiro, you may be right. I was just sort of theorizing. The Absinthe is not the artist. If it is then what can we say about the artist? That they really were never artists to begin with? I see your point. I'm glad to have someone to bring forth an opposing point anytime on my posts, and I welcome you to come again! ^_^