Oskar Kokoschka

"How do I define a work of art?  It is not an asset in the stock-exchange sense, but a man's timid attempt to repeat the miracle that the simplest peasant girl is capable of at any time, that of magically producing life out of nothing."

— Oskar Kokoschka

Austrian Painter, Poet, Playwright

1886 - 1980

The Bride of the Wind
(1914)

When I stop and think about it, the birth of a child is probably one of the greatest miracles known to the human race.  Although I must say that it takes more than a simple peasant girl.  A peasant boy is usually involved also.  Nothing we do as painters, writers or composers will ever equal the conception of a child.  But that should not discourage us.  What we create is our attempt at defeating death — to live beyond the few short years we are given.  And for some they work will survive hundreds of years.

How do you define the artistic work that you do?  Why do you do it?  What motivates you to create new pieces of work?  Where do you place creative work in the greater scheme of things?

Here is a video that displays some of the paintings of Oskar Kokoschka.  Enjoy.

Viktor Emil Frankl

"Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude."

Viktor Emil Frankl

Austrian Psychiatrist/Writer

1905 - 1997

I believe that everything in life is a choice.  We choose how we get up in the morning.  We choose how we go to work.  We choose our attitudes.  I believe we have little or no control over what happens to us.  We can be in a car accident, be diagnosed with cancer or get fired from our job.  We have no control over preventing these things from happening.  The only thing we have control over is how we respond to what happens to us.  We have 100% control of our attitude.  As Frankl says, we have the freedom to choose our attitude.

What is your attitude to your life?  Your art?  What is your attitude to the people around you? Do you choose to be optimistic and positive?  Or are you grouchy?  Discouraged?  Negative?  Are you always finding fault with people and the world around you?  Do continually make sarcastic comments and put people down?  Or do you look for the good in people?  Even the worst of people have some good in them.  

As creative leaders we choose our attitudes.  Choose today to be positive, dedicated and inspiring.  Choose to find the silver lining in every dark cloud.  Choose to be a better you.  And then you will be a better artist.