There’s this bitterly funny blog I follow called Ben’s Bitter Blog. Read one of my favorite posts here. He cracks me up on a regular basis, so I asked him to guest post while I’m living it up in France for the next couple weeks. Who knew he’d compliment me in his post? A girl can never get enough of that. Read his post below, then go check out his blog and maybe offer him a job so he can afford his all-pizza diet:

As a long time follower of Emily, she has graced me with the opportunity to guest post for her on a number of occasions. And as a bitter person, that thinks his time is valuable, I’ve always said yes, and then subsequently forgotten about it, pretended to be too busy, then left her hanging like a banana on a tall tree. Enough was enough this time though. I’ve always been really honored that she would want me, an uncooth and bitter old man to guest post for her. In contrast to my bitter old man routine, she is this amazing artist that works on a number of mediums. I’ve always been envious of the talented. I’m especially envious of my daughter (who I gave 50% of her genes!) who already can draw a stick figure much better than me.

There are two things that I know about art. First, art is subjective. While an untrained eye like me can appreciate all kinds of art like cartoons, comic strips, and super realistic art, there are some that I just can’t appreciate. I can’t believe these artists who draw dots, although really amazingly precise dots, that take almost no talent or creativity at all, except for the talent of swindling a super rich gentleman or lady to buy this “work of art” for more than a penny.  In that case, they should be salesman or criminals, because a dot should not be worth any kind of money. The only thing that dot should be worth is the dot in front of .01 (a penny). (Speaking of which, a penny to Emily actually means something. Ask her about the significance sometime.)

The other thing I know about art is that there are all kinds of different art. For instance, there are baseball pitchers that are so good at their craft, that they can pitch a 100 mile an hour pitch so precisely that it can “paint a corner” of the strike zone, or an architect that is so precise in his measurements that he can build the plans of a building that is 100 stories high, that lasts a 1000 years.

In other words, we can all be artists, but I think it takes a few things. I bet Emily will tell you that for her to be an artist, there are a few characteristics you need. First, you have to have a passion for what you do. I’m pretty sure if she was only doing her art for the money, she would be doing commercial advertising or graphic artistry somewhere. She has a passion for art, despite the fact that she isn’t making a million dollars for her various artistic mediums that she does.

Second you have to have a talent for it, and you need to work at it. Some people are the most naturally talented people at doing something, but they don’t work at it. I think that naturally gifted people that don’t work at something, can lose the talent and I think that is sad. I often wish I could sketch or draw or sculpt like some people I know, but have never been given the gift. But I’d rather be bad at something and try really hard, than be really good at something and not really work at that talent.

Which is why I blog. For years, I had this talent of humor and the talent of writing (and bitterness) and I never did anything with it. Until I read about a gentleman that was bad at something and he decided to work at it until he became good at it.

I may never be good at drawing, but I am good at doctoring words in a way that others aren’t good at. And not sharing that talent would be a shame. So get out there, find what you are good at, and share that art. Whether it is drawing, painting the corners, writing, engineering, accounting, or even making concrete smooth on a sidewalk. Everyone is an artist in some way, and when they share their art it makes the world a better place.

Oh and there is one more thing I’m good at. Shameless promotion. So, check our my blog at www.bensbitterblog.com and subscribe to it, follow it, share it with a celebrity that will promote it for me, so I can get rich.

ARRRRGGGHHH

Bitter Art is for Everyone Ben