Comments on: the creative bug

By: Clintavo

Clintavo — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:51:45 +0000

Interesting – creativity, art, etc as a religion. Substituate the word “God”, “Jesus”, “The Universe” for “The creative bug” in your saying and you’ll see what I mean.
FWIW – I agree with you, artists,writers,creators must give their entire lives over to their art or go home….if they want to change the world at least.

By: Wogan

Wogan — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:53:56 +0000

Creativity can never be satisfied. It’s not a legacy you leave behind – it’s a trail of destruction.
Of course, the rest of the world doesn’t see it that way.
~ Wogan

By: Lee Ann Sosa

Lee Ann Sosa — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:50:05 +0000

When you look at hugely creative people, it seems like a large number of them have had to allow the creative bug to take everything from them: alcohol, self-destructive behavior, etc.
But not all! Think of Thoreau; ensconced in his homemade cabin at Walden Pond, surrounded by everything he needs, and writing beautiful prose. Flaubert (Madame Bovary) lived a completely bougeois life, happily married, and wrote the most scandalous book of its time; a book full of angst, deception and lust.
Wouldn’t the best of all possible worlds be to have it all (peace, health, family) and still be creative and productive? This would be a good thing to strive for.

By: Steve Hopkins

Steve Hopkins — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:54:11 +0000

Give me my crayons back…

By: Danny Jouwe

Danny Jouwe — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:11:15 +0000

I just bought your book in Amsterdam. Great stuff, MacLeod! And right now, just after reading about Tim Burton’s advice about the creative bug I see your 18 June post about the creative bug…
One thing about your business card cartoons: this format looks ideal for the era of the iPhone! These days even in Africa a lot of people have small screen communication devices. Yep, small screens gonna get bigger and bigger.

By: SimplyQua

SimplyQua — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:59:32 +0000

That is absolute perfection. Describes the reality and the result.
I’ll be passing this on to my other artist friends.

By: Jake Edwards

Jake Edwards — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:35:43 +0000

The only grenades under my desk are real.

By: Shelley Noble

Shelley Noble — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:48:58 +0000

ugh, I didn’t say anything when this was in your newsletter. I didn’t say anything when this was in yesterday’s blog post. Today I have to say it.
This quote about the creative bug costing everything is so far off from my creative life experience and understanding I can’t let you slide with it. Too much respect, etc.
When one is creative there is no sacrifice involved. There’s no other aspect of life being given up. There is no loss, no lack, no doing without. There’s not even any sense of sacrifice, loss, lack, or doing without. Being creative is the life of someone creative.
I consider you to be genuinely creative. I don’t think you are a dilettante at it as the quote’s materialist undercurrent indicates.

By: nino

nino — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:47:18 +0000

i agree, that’s def. true…

By: Matt Topper

Matt Topper — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:06:58 +0000

I’d gladly trade my Create or Die print for one of these.

By: Nathan Phillips

Nathan Phillips — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:41:53 +0000

I thought that bit in the newsletter was especially powerful (and true). Glad to see it on a cartoon – will be printed out and hung on my wall ASAP. Thanks Hugh!

By: Daniel Edlen

Daniel Edlen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:07:43 +0000

Yeah, so work on not feeling queasy when you talk about your creativity, will you? Remember, we’re prophets.
Peace.

By: Ben Atlas

Ben Atlas — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:05:03 +0000

I think everyone got that bug. It’s just that civilization hunts for it and kills it before you know you got any. I guess if you discover it yourself, you are dead meat anyway.