ArtBizVoice: Limitations (The Joy Is In the Striving!)

Dear Mr. Trump,

My Limitations:

  I have never used my disability as an excuse for failure.  I wanted my art to stand on its own merit. Thus I never  advertised myself as a disabled artist. Pity does open doors; however, it won’t necessarily make your work timeless or masterful..  

One of my friends years ago told me it is not  about beating the competition, its about beating your own last best effort. He was an endurance rider who  competed in 100 mile rides. He told me you have to be able to run a marathon in order to do it because you don’t want your horse so tired at the end that he cannot go on for another  20 miles, if needed. That means knowing when to rest, knowing when to let your horse carry you and knowing when to get off and run along side him.

I asked him once why he did it. He had this far away look in his eye and said “ The joy is in the striving”.  He was passionate about it. He loved it and the challenge to accomplish it was what drove him.
He died of cancer in 1988. The only race I ever remembering him not finishing was the one before he was diagnosed. People knew him by his dedication and passion. Many people joined the sport because of him.

When I look at my limitations, I think it is not the fatigue, the weakness I have sometimes, the pain in my legs, and how hard it is to move around . Sometimes I think that my biggest limitation has really been the stereotypes.  I am stereotyped as a artist. It hinders me with people who could help because they think I should be showing at shows, exhibiting in galleries. At my income level, as a disabled person that just doesn’t work, and is a complete waste of money.  Those who I have approached ( and no they don’t know about my limits physically beyond what they see) do not talk to me about what I am trying to accomplish and they don’t want to hear my vision. The word artist puts me in the artist box.  Just like the word disabled puts me in the disabled box. 

For me, the Internet has been a lifesaver and away to get the word out about myself and my art. I have a cult following of appreciative followers. However, for me to thrive and really be successful, I really need more. I need a way to get the word out to the majority of the people who don’t have time to be on-line. It takes preparation. It takes mentorship and it takes a person to partner with me just like my friend was partnered with his horses. In the mean time I am following my passion. Because, the joy really is in the striving.

Blessings of the Day to you.
~L