Despite my blossoming career in the field of journalism, I’ve always considered myself more of an artist than a reporter. I’m by no means a great artist, but I’ve made some cash off a few short stories and poems. The boys in my band Chasing the Sky and I have also had some mild-to-moderate success. So it’s only out of love that I write this column.

Last week, a friend of mine who majors in photography confessed – on the verge of tears – that she had severe doubt in her abilities. Despite several career successes (including a digital painting in Congressman Pete Hoekstra’s art gallery for a brief period of time), she was considering giving up. Her professors hate her work, she said. She should just resign herself to a career in gluing corrugation to cardboard boxes.

I believe every artist experiences this at some point. Students pursuing their dream career, too. All I have to say to that is stop whining and get back to work.

I’m going be tacky and quote a television show. Any fan of the HBO western-drama “Deadwood” recognizes saloon owner Al Swearengen as the ultimate evil badass. The guy is an extortionist, murderer, and all-around jerk. But there’s one thing you have to admire about him – he lets nothing stand in his way. I mean, this guy picks fights while simultaneously passing a stone.

During the series, the editor of the town’s newspaper is beaten for publishing something the bad guys didn’t want him to. When he speaks to Swearengen of quitting his post, Swearengen (who sees the need for a free press) does to the editor what should be done to every artist at some point. He slaps him out of his self-pity.

“Pain or damage don’t end the world,” Swearengen says. “Or despair. Or f***ing beatings. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then, you’ve got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man and give some back.”

Isn’t that why you’re an artist? To push back against a world that is consistently beating on you or the people you love? You didn’t start painting to get a pat on the back from your professor. You didn’t spend hours writing a manuscript so that your friends will think you’re intelligent. You didn’t learn to play inverted chords on the guitar just to get a record deal.

You did it because, like Picasso said, “The painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war.”

You’re an artist because you have a voice and that voice deserves to be heard by the people who will love it and hate it alike. You’re an artist because the world is dangerous, chaotic, and seriously messed up, and this is the only way you can make sense of it all. You’re an artist because you know somewhere, someone feels just like you. And if even just one person is affected by your work, all the effort was worth it.

Because that’s what art is about.

kvanantwerpen@

lanthorn.com