Patti Smith in Chicago

Hey all--it's been two years and 3 months since I wrote this ode to Patti Smith and then left it in draft form.  I wanted to write so much more.  I wanted to talk about how Patti said during the show,

"How do you like my hair cut?  I got it done...in Paris."  

It was just the right dramatic pause.  Not arrogant or entitled, but full of masterly timing that evoked an uproar from the audience.  Quintessential Patti.

Since this never-before-published post, I've seen Patti perform again, bought her book, "M Train" and watched her (via video, of course) accept Bob Dylan's Nobel Peace prize for literature (see Spin's write up here.)  Why publish this now?  I saw a call out on Twitter for artwork or writing on Patti, and thought, what the heck--maybe someone will know what I'm talking about when I describe my appreciation of the Godmother of Punk.

ORIGINAL POST

The day I bought these tickets, my hands were shaking on my keyboard.  Only 10 tickets left for a second added show.  Heart pounding, the first set of seats I had clicked on were gone as I tried to check out.  Same thing with the 2nd set.  Now I was down to 6 tickets.  Was the website malfunctioning?

I was panicking.  It's not that I hadn't known Patti Smith was coming.  I had asked a couple of people, but at $125 a ticket, I didn't pursue it in my usual manner.  Then, as I watched this dream of mine start to fall like dry dust through my fingers, I mentioned it to my husband.  Could we make this my Christmas present?  My eyes started to well up...this might be my only chance to see her.

My voice started to crack as I plead my case.  Kman stopped me and said, "I know how much Patti Smith means to you; I read your blog." Well, it's true you know.  Here's where I talk about my love of Patti before this:  Day 148. Thanks Ray Manzarek.  (I've got a great video of Patti singing, "Ain't It Strange" (in Amsterdam) and a drawing of her from one of my Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbooks, "The Last Word Ever Spoken.")  Anyway, I got my Christmas present early and it was SO worth it--a dream come true in the form of a ticket.

Patti Smith had swirled around in the consciousness of my life, but it wasn't until I read "Just Kids" in a 2-day gallop back in the beginning of 2011 that I truly fell in love with her music, lyricism, incitefulness, humanity, poetry.  I've read it several times since and even tried to get college students in my reading class to read it for extra credit.

There is no way I can express how life-altering that book was to me...how it gave me the courage to plunge further into my creative life...to have someone understand how desperately important it was to be an artist.  To accurately describe this strange calling inside that compels you to give up all else in its pursuit.  Really, the only other books in my lifetime of reading that have ever touched this internal artistic calling are Irving Stone's, "Lust for Life" and Chaim Potok's, "My Name is Asher Lev."  In fact, Patti was in town to accept The Chicago Tribune's Literary Award at Chicago's Humanities Festival the day before. (Click here for more info.)

By the way, if you have the time, and you REALLY should make the time, read this great description of Patti's life and influence by Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot of the eve of that Literary Award.

 Chicago Tribune Patti Smith at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Summer Pierre

Back at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, I was in quite a deep state of sadness.  A growing unrest and unhappiness had been building in me, and all I knew was that I wanted to draw, bake, and read.  I wrote it in my journal, I said it aloud, I felt it in my heart.

Now, I had been creative throughout my life, painting as a child, but writing most of all.  I really began to draw and paint around 1997 and came to be viewed as an artist by some people a few years later. Still, I didn't entirely devote myself to art until about 5 years ago.

That mantra (draw, bake, read), along with the pledge to dedicate myself until death to becoming the best drawer I could be, saved my life.  I read Patti Smith's, "Just Kids," and I came alive with her beautiful words and dedication to art.  How could it be that the "godmother of punk" had felt the way I was feeling about being an artist?!  I've written about Patti several times before on this blog, but that's not who I want to talk about now.

There were a few other inspirational people whom I began to run across, and one of those was Summer Pierre.  She is a cartoonist, an illustrator, author of two wonderful books, and a formerly touring indie rocker.  If you are unfamiliar with here, please do yourself a favor and check out her website HERE.

I ordered Summer's books, "The Artist in the Office:  How to Creatively Survive and Thrive 7 Days a Week" and "Great Gals: Inspired Ideas for Living a Kick-Ass Life" and further felt driven--and INSPIRED, and dare I say, CAPABLE OF, living my life as an artist.  I still am an "artist in the office," but Summer made me feel that I was not alone in this situation.  And isn't that just the greatest gift?  To know that you're not alone in this world when you feel exactly the opposite--that there are others who know your struggle even if they don't know you?

   

I began to follow Summer's blog, and her honest posts.  She did not shy away from sad thoughts or hard feelings.  I liked that.  A lot.  I mean, I loved that.  Because somewhere in my past, it probably was from Natalie Goldberg ("Writing Down the Bones")--yes, it was--who said that it is your obligation as a writer (artist) to be honest.  I took that directive to heart.  You risk a lot by doing so, people thinking you're bi-polar, too open, embarrassing, but you know, whatever!  If Patti Smith, Natalie Goldberg, and Summer Pierre can risk it, I can, too.  Besides, what company to be in, no?

So, Summer is becoming more and more famous for her witty, insightful, and intelligent comics. In one of her posts, she invited readers to exchange postcards with her, which I did.  I'm trying to cut to the chase, peeps.  On Monday (3/9/15) of this past week, Summer posted this comic on her website and also posted IT online at Medium.com.  I'm in it, people!  I'm the painter from IL writing about peaches!  What an honor to be included in something written by someone you have looked up to and admired.  Well, there are just no words.  Please check out Summer for yourselves!