Light and Shade

Making art is supposed to hurt. If it doesn’t hurt, dig deeper.

I close most of my workshops with this line. I don’t know if I got it from somewhere (though a quick Google search turned up nothing) or if it’s my own, but it’s true. Writing, painting, composing, whatever, is supposed to be an expression of your soul. “Here,” I say. “Here is a piece of my soul. I cut it out and shaped it with every tool I have. The gap where it was will never close over. Now I am giving it to you. Take it, bec...