October Workshop: James Baldwin’s Advice for Becoming a Mature Artist - “The Artist’s Struggle for Integrity”
Wednesday, October 22nd at 7:00pm EST
Come listen to the speech/essay that changed the course of my life.
An encore of my most popular reading group, reframed to nurture the artist leaving in tense political, even spiritual times. James Baldwin’s timeless insights about the artist’s journey from personal pain to universal truth with renewed urgency. We’ll examine how fear, upheaval, doubt, and disillusionment can initiate raw material for deeper, more necessary art. We will listen to this famous speech together, then a short workshop from me + ample time for community discussion.
Key themes we’ll explore:
Moving from self-centered despair to other-centered service
Understanding art as a responsibility rather than just self-expression
How to make use of difficult times in service of your work
The distinction between the child artist (sustained by joy) and the adult artist (sustained by purpose)
Building bridges of understanding through honest engagement with struggle
Meeting takes place on Zoom. Participants receive PDF + audio recording of Baldwin’s essay
Discussion led by Vanessa Aldrich.