“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.” Ray Bradbury
Austin Kleon’s book Steal Like an Artist was the inspiration for my last two blogs, School Yourself Through the Work of Others and Where the Good Stuff Comes From. Today’s blog, Part III and the final installment, is all about both the things an artist needs, and those things an artist really doesn’t need.
“Geography is no longer our master.” How wonderful is it that we live in a time where information is at our fingertips? Kleon explores the advantages of the information age in which we live in Chapter 7. Connecting with the world and finding a community of other creative artists has never been easier. When I began directing high school theatre in 1994, I really could have used the connections that I now take for granted. On Facebook, we enjoy connections with like-minded people on UIL One Act Play Directors (Adjudicators and Contest Managers have Facebook sites as well). There’s also Texas Theatre Exchange and Texas Thespians Facebook pages. The Maestro Directors’ Facebook page which is a source of comfort, guidance, suggestions, and fellowship, is a treasure to directors who have attended a Maestro workshop. Those who subscribe to the Maestro Forum at maestrotheatre.com enjoy access to the Maestro staff and fellow directors. Today, we can email playwrights and their agents when pursuing the rights to perform “scenes from”. In many cases, our students can Skype with the playwright. The list of possibilities goes on and on. Connecting to those in the theatre world is now as easy as typing a message and clicking. Take advantage of these opportunities when you need that extra something to help your creative juices begin to flow again. And to contrast, it is also important to travel or do things outside of your theatre world. Spend time at places and with people who are different from you. It gets you out of your comfort zone. This will help you to think differently and is an opportunity to bring about changes in the way that you look at others and even yourself. When I read Chapter 7, I was reminded of John Shedd. Shedd began as a stock clerk and worked his way up to president and chairman of the board of Marshall Field and Company. He was also a civic leader, philanthropist, and supporter of the arts. He once said, “Ships in the harbour are safe, but that’s not what ships are made for.”
“Be nice. Make friends; ignore enemies.” Technology can be our friend, but it can also be our enemy if not used properly. Remember to be kind when making comments on social media or in conversations with others. There are times (and gratefully, not often) when I’ve seen the UIL Directors Facebook page become a source of negativity. A few people have used the page to complain about students, principals, parents, adjudicators, etc…I’ve also seen many people use the page to compliment, assist, and lift up others. People are watching and reading. Be kind. Be truthful. Be professional. Kleon lists not only kindness, but also curiosity, stamina, and a willingness to look stupid as the things an artist will need. When I read those words, I thought, “That’s a theatre director”. At Maestro workshops, I see evidence of creativity and curiosity in each session. I witness the kindness of directors who give freely to each other. Each show directed is a lesson in patience and stamina. I don’t think the phrase “willingness to look stupid” is quite the right wording, though. I would say creative theatre directors have a willingness to take risks. I see this happen at clinics and contests, from both directors and actors. When artists let go and take risks, wonderful things happen on stage. Kleon also believes that creative artists should follow people who they feel are the most talented in their field. He says, “If you ever find that you’re the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room.” Fortunately, Texas high school theatre is blessed with numerous talented people to follow and multiple locations to find them (TETA, UIL contests, workshops, summer theatre camps, Thespian festivals, etc…).
Also on Kleon’s list of things you need is a “praise file”. When you receive letters, emails, notes, etc…from students, former students, parents, an administrator, or anyone else who has thanked you, shown appreciation for work you do, or made you smile, save it. When you are having a bad day, look back at your praise file. He cautions to use it sparingly so you don’t live in the past, but sometimes you need to remember that although we all struggle at times, many great things come from our work with our students. I will come across notes I’ve received over the years. Sometimes, I’ll find one in my desk drawer as I’m searching for something. Not too long ago, I found a large piece of brown construction paper cut out in the silhouette of a teddy bear. My first school was Beverly Hills in the Houston area—-the Beverly Hills Bears. My mind flooded back to those little middle school kids (who are not that much younger than I am, but they seemed so young back then). As I read the comments they wrote on “the bear”, my heart was happy. They’re in their 40’s now, but for a moment they were my “kids” again. We all need to be reminded that what we do matters, even decades later.
There are, however, things we don’t need as artists. While Kleon says to file the praise, he also says to delete the “nasty”. When a nasty email, comment, or attitude comes your way, hit delete and ignore when possible. Your time is valuable, so focus on the positive rather than the negative. That doesn’t mean that we can’t learn and improve when we are critiqued. Notice the word he used was “nasty”, however, not “constructive”. Kleon also says we shouldn’t need validation either. His exact words are, “Validation is for parking”. When I first read these words, I thought, “But validation can be very motivating”. Then, I read on, and I completely understand his viewpoint. Many of our greatest creative artists were misunderstood during their day. They died before ever being validated. Does that mean that their work wasn’t good? No! Think of how many excellent directors you know that have never advanced to state. Their work is not worth any less because they weren’t validated by a panel of judges. Some creative directors make their creations appear effortless because their work is so outstanding. You have no control over the reactions you will get for your efforts, but you do have the opportunity to be so busy working on your art that you don’t care.
“Take care of yourself.” Theatre teachers hear this a lot from those who love them. If you take care of yourself, you’re more likely to have the energy to be productive and creative. Kleon suggests keeping a calendar to enable you to plan your time/schedule, set goals, and keep on track. For my personal calendar, I have found the Passion Planner works wonders in helping me keep organized. If I lost my planner, I probably wouldn’t know where to go! It’s my secretary in the form of a book. In addition to it, for each production I create a calendar complete with detailed plans for each rehearsal (page numbers we will block, dates for line checks, tech/dress rehearsals, performances, conflicts of company members, school holidays, etc…). This keeps me focused on the goal for each rehearsal. I adjust when needed and make notes of what we were able to accomplish each day. I also give the calendar to my students. It really doesn’t take long to complete, and the benefits of having it outweigh the time it took to create it. It’s my way of taking care of myself. Kleon also suggests that an artist keep a logbook, a calendar where you can keep a daily record of your activities, both personal and professional. If you combine my show calendar and my personal calendar, you’d probably have a version of his log book. The type of logbook that I have found useful to keep is a binder of each production I direct. When I was a UIL director, I found these books particularly helpful. I keep our schedule; information about contest sites, stage dimensions and tech info; receipts from purchases made for the production; adjudicator and clinician’s critiques; lodging and restaurant info for each contest site; etc…This was very helpful if we returned to the same contest site, or I wanted to order additional materials from the same company, or if I had the same adjudicator in the future. Kleon compares his logbook to those that sailors use to keep track of how far they’ve traveled. “That’s exactly what you’re doing—”, he says, “keeping track of how far your ship has sailed.”
The next item on the list of taking care of yourself is so very true. Marry well. Your most important decisions will be when you determine with whom you are going to surround yourself. Whether that is a marriage, your friendships, business partners, other staff members, or your cast and crew, choose wisely. This is particularly true when it comes to your significant other. It takes a special person to love and stand by a creative artist. Our loved ones are faced with interesting moments—like shopping at JoAnn’s for the perfect fabric for costumes (whether with you or waiting for you at home for 3, 4, 5, or 6 hours); answering questions like, “Do you think you can build a guillotine for me?”; listening to those moments when you just have to vent to someone about your horrible day as well as those moments when you are bursting with excitement because things are coming together. God bless them. They are special people!
“Creativity is subtraction.” As artists, we have to learn what to leave out. Kleon says, “Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities”. This can happen when it comes to selecting a play title, casting a show, cutting a script for competition, or looking over notes from a critique. You have to make decisions. Directors have to concentrate on what’s important and choose what to leave out. Some of the most creative productions I’ve seen are a testament to “Creativity is subtraction”. The final scenes of Peter Shaffer’s brilliant play, Amadeus, were rewritten numerous times over a twenty-year span. Shaffer had a plethora of ideas for the script, but it took two decades of editing before he was satisfied with its ending. Mandy Conner, the director at Waco Connally HS, began searching for ways to design set pieces, costume pieces, and props due to a limited production budget. She couldn’t afford to purchase pylon capitals, top hats, wall hangings, and other expensive items, so she had to subtract the purchase of them. This constraint, however, led to Mandy’s discovery that she could use cardboard, masking tape, and paint (with a few other items for embellishments) to create the items she was not able to purchase. She didn’t make excuses or give up, but instead used her creativity to makes things happen. Mandy now travels all over Texas leading workshops on how to take “trash” and turn it in to theatre “treasure”.
“Telling yourself you have all the time in the world, all the money in the world, all the colors in the palette, anything you want—–that just kills creativity.” Jack White
Kleon leaves us with a question at the end of the book. “What now?”, he asks. He then promptly answers that question with the following:
“Take a walk. Start your swipe file (see School Yourself Through the Work of Others blog). Go to the library. Buy a notebook and use it. Get yourself a calendar. Start your logbook. Give a copy of this book (Steal Like an Artist) away. Start a blog. Take a nap.” Great advice!
As the UIL one act play season continues, keep in mind that you’re not alone. Take advantage of opportunities to communicate with other theatre directors. Remember to be nice, make friends, and ignore would-be enemies. Take care of yourself. And last, but not least, concentrate on what’s important and choose what to leave out. Best wishes to you and your theatre students!
The post Things You Need and Things You Don’t Need: Part III of Steal Like an Artist (Chapters 7-10) appeared first on Maestro Theatre Publications.