The Artist's struggle into brilliance.

I have just watched the Dylan movie, starring Timothee Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown.” I enjoyed hearing those old songs again and getting a bit more context of their creation, having been a Dylan fan since last century, songs that I have loved for many a year.

The movie celebrated his musical success while only briefly touching on his formative years and significant relationships with women, notably Joan Baez but also, for the first time we see the complicated and doomed affair with Sylvie.

Dylan read the movie script right through, met with the director to discuss the narrative and add some of his own before gave it the nod saying, "Go with God". Whether he has viewed the movie, to date, I do not know. Remember this is the man that famously won the Nobel Peace Prize  in Literature 2016, “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”, then did not go to the award ceremony to receive his fabulous prize.  Bob Dylan has always been intensely private, a hater of the press which is highlighted in a strong yet subtle way throughout the movie. He was not expecting fame to be so immediate, aggressive and overpowering. He was all about the music and the creating thereof. A Gemini, prone to extreme passions and coldness at times,he was sometimes called an “asshole”. Yet, over the years he wrote beautifully moving songs about all the loves in his life. My favourite one is the haunting, Sarah.

Another great legend from the sixties, is the indomitable, Patti Smith, punk poet, singer, artist, essayist, photographer, mother. I have adored and idolised her since I was a teenager. She is inspiring and fantastic. I read her raw and vulnerable autobiography, “Just Kids”, chronicling her early life and her move to New York to make art and her passionate, life-long (up until his death) relationship with Robert Maplethorpe. I was astonished at the almost depraved poverty that she and Robert lived in, sleeping on dirty mattresses on the floor, freezing in winter, dehydrating in summer, with barely any food and very little money they often became unwell with no money to attend a doctor. Yet, throughout this time the pair were happily making art in their cramped little living space.They never gave up as their dreams started to come true. They started to sell their heart, an endorsement of their immense talents, and now they could buy more food and move to better accomodation, the famous Chelsea Hotel where Patti was to cross paths with Bob Dylan who was also staying there at the time.

The struggle into brilliance.

When artists shine, we shine. We cheer and clap them on, follow them on every social media platform, go to their concerts, buy their merch and art. Well done!

Nearly every artist who has achieved greatness, (apart from tay swif) has struggled and been poor, hungry and sometimes with no place to live, dossing on friends’ couches, or as Brad Pitt did on arriving in Hollywood, sleeping in his car.

We, the audience, the fans, love a good struggle story. It gives us hope for our own weary path of trying to find buyers, publishers, galleries, recording studios, etc.

There is the infamous story about blues guitarist, Robert Johnson going “down to the crossroads” and selling his soul to the devil in exchange for a set of insane guitar skills. It’s not true but it’s made for a good myth in the ensuing 100 years since. A more reasonable explanation offered by his brother some years later is that Robert had insanely practiced for hours every day for a whole year. Makes sense.

I always wonder what gets people from struggle to success, remembering that struggle comes in many guises, success in many forms. Both are unique to each, and every person.

I personally believe that what makes a creative or artistic person succeed is their own self-belief that they are on the Earth for one reason and that is to perform or create art. Also, from my own experience, I am always happiest when I am writing, second only to being with my family, after that everything takes it’s turn. Every creative will tell you how they have stayed up all night in the studio perfecting one track, or spending days on a particular piece of painting or writing. Yet doing the ordinary day to day tasks such as shopping or washing the car, or even driving the car, creatives either avoid them or get someone else to do it. And there's the struggle for many- taking care of business in the real world where time waits for no man, no matter how bloody brilliant they are!