fannie & millie .: handcrafted goodness

I had to write an artist’s bio today for something I can’t yet talk about. It was a seriously painful exercise. I decided that rather than pretentiously prattle on, I would share something that has had real meaning for me, so I wrote a bit about the following:

I’ve always made things - art, craft, life… whatever you want to call it, I consider it all my art. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, I lost my confidence and stopped sharing my creativity with the world. I had a lot of judgment about whether anything I did was good enough, or original enough, or worthwhile in any sort of way. Despite the power of my inner critic, I still felt urgently compelled to do or make something - - - always. I felt that way for a very long period of my life. Luckily, I discovered a quote from a woman I have always admired. Here are the words that, quite literally, changed my life:

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”

~ Martha Graham (American dancer, teacher and choreographer - a pioneer of modern dance 1884-1991)

Thank you, Ms. Graham.

Please click on this photo to visit the Museum of Contemporary Photography to learn more about the collaboration between Martha Graham and the very talented photographer, Barbara Morgan. These two women are responsible for some of the most breathtaking dance images ever made.