Well, it looks like I’m going back to school! Not because I need another degree, not because I’m looking for a new career, and certainly not because I miss taking exams. I’m going back because I want to learn something new, improve my artistic abilities, and rediscover some of the excitement that comes with being a student.
Recently, I decided to stay with my mother a little longer. She suggested that I enroll in the OLLIE program at California State University, Fullerton. OLLIE stands for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a continuing education program designed for adults who have already completed their formal education but still have a desire to learn.
There are no grades, no academic pressure, and no need to earn another diploma. You pay a membership fee and have the freedom to participate in classes and activities that interest you. You can come and go as you please.
Now that sounds like my kind of school!
Having already earned my degree in art, I'm not particularly interested in going back to study something I've spent most of my life practicing. Instead, I want to concentrate on another creative passion of mine: music.
I plan to take guitar and singing lessons. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the greatest singer in the world. In fact, my voice could use quite a bit of improvement. My guitar playing could use some polishing as well. Although I've written and recorded numerous albums over the years, I've never considered myself a particularly accomplished performer. I'm more interested in songwriting, composition, and the creative process than in becoming a technically perfect musician.
But why bother improving if I'm not planning to sell more music?
The answer is simple. Because I enjoy it.
Of all the art forms I practice, music is probably the one I do most for myself. I've discovered over the years that my music doesn't attract nearly as much attention as my paintings, illustrations, or books. Not many people seem particularly interested in listening to it. That's disappointing sometimes, but it doesn't mean I should stop making it.
Quite the opposite.
Music gives me something that doesn't necessarily depend on an audience. I can write a song, record it, play it back, and enjoy listening to something I created on my iPhone or iPod. If nobody else likes it, that doesn't take away the pleasure I get from making it.
Some people would argue that this is the way all art should be. They believe artists should create entirely for themselves, without worrying about sales, popularity, recognition, or public approval.
I disagree.
I believe artists should have the freedom to decide what they want from their own creativity. There is nothing wrong with creating something purely for personal enjoyment. But there is also nothing wrong with wanting to share your work, exhibit it in a gallery, publish a book, perform onstage, or even make a living from it.
Why should these things be mutually exclusive?
An artist can enjoy the creative process and still want an audience. A musician can love writing songs and still hope someone buys an album. A painter can express deeply personal feelings on canvas and still hope the painting sells.
Selling art doesn't necessarily compromise its integrity any more than keeping it to yourself guarantees its authenticity. The important thing is that the artist remains in control of the creative decisions.
For myself, I intend to continue doing all three: creating art for personal satisfaction, sharing it with others, and offering it for sale.
And that includes playing music at open mics.
I've decided that although I primarily make music for my own enjoyment, there's no reason I shouldn't occasionally get up in front of an audience and perform. Open mics offer an opportunity to practice, experiment, and share my songs without the pressure of becoming a professional entertainer. Maybe people will like what they hear, and maybe they won't. Either way, I'll be doing something I enjoy.
Besides, there's a big difference between recording music alone and standing in front of a microphone with a guitar in your hands. Performing live requires confidence, practice, and a willingness to make mistakes in public. Perhaps taking singing and guitar lessons will give me the confidence to do more of that.
Meanwhile, I'm not abandoning my visual art or writing. I plan to continue drawing and illustrating my graphic novel series, The Unlikely Prophet. That project remains an important part of my creative life, and I still have plenty of stories to tell and pictures to draw.
In fact, I think returning to school could benefit all my artistic pursuits. Learning something new can stimulate creativity in unexpected ways. Music can influence painting, painting can influence writing, and writing can influence music. The arts are not isolated disciplines. They communicate with one another, often in ways we don't immediately recognize.
And perhaps that's what excites me most about going back to school.
At this stage in my life, I'm not interested in proving myself through grades, degrees, or academic achievements. I've already done that. I'm interested in learning for the pleasure of learning. I want to become a better guitarist, a better singer, and perhaps a more versatile artist in the process.
I don't expect to become a rock star, and I certainly don't expect to become the next great American vocalist. But I might become a better version of the musician I already am.
And that would be enough.
After all, creativity doesn't have a retirement age, and education shouldn't have an expiration date. There is always another technique to learn, another song to play, another story to write, and another artistic possibility waiting to be explored.
So, while I continue working on my graphic novels, paintings, and other creative projects, I'll also be picking up my guitar, exercising my vocal cords, and hopefully making a few appearances at local open mics.
Whether anybody wants to hear the results is another question entirely.
But I'll be listening. And occasionally, I'll be performing.
Because art isn't just about making money, gaining recognition, or pleasing an audience. It's about having the freedom to create, share, perform, and enjoy your work on your own terms.
In the meantime, it's back to school for me!
by Dan and Bonkers
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