With the Support of Others

One of my all time favorite self-help art books is Art and Soul Reloaded by Pam Grout.

One of the many things she writes about is the need of artists for support. However, support is necessary in other areas as well and this little bit from her book speaks volumes":

"Mary Shelley, who was barely 20 when she wrote the classic tale Frankenstein, claimed she'd have never done it without the encouragement of friends who were staying together at a villa in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. It was a dreary, rainy summer and Shelley and friends, including her future husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the poet Lord Byron, wiled away long days in front of a log fire. Mary, egged on by her poet comrades who challenged one another to write a ghost story, decided to join the fun. She put her mind to work until, one night, the muses woke her up with a horrifying tale of the now-familiar young doctor and his unorthodox science experiment.

Mary Shelley may not have been alert enough to catch the story if she hadn't been around others with an artistic vision."

I know - unlikely to happen to us, (or is it?) even if we are writers.  It speaks to the subject of support; whether it is in the form of friends, teachers, a painting atelier or a sports team. Knowing there is someone or several people cheering us on and encouraging us when our morale sags can keep us going.


Several years ago, I attended an informal weekly art group. We had an instructor, but she didn't teach - she was merely there to jump in and lend a hand when one of us was stuck or needed a verbal or hands-on boost. In addition, the support and reassurance of the members of the group was invaluable. Artists can be a sensitive, touchy bunch but having others' understanding made a huge difference.

Now I am in a posse of pickleball playing women and they are not only majorly fun to play with but not a game goes by that I don't hear one or another congratulating a player for a great shot, or a terrific game. We play better because of the support and encouragement of one another.

xo