Residency 3, Day 09: 'Work taken home, or even work taken to the beach, remains work.' Caroline Bassett (2007)

The privileging of so called 'creatives' (often by people who see themselves as part of this special elite) is contradictorily, both irritating, and something worth defending. Creativity is an aspect of much human behaviour after all. Even crossing the road safely requires it and there exist 'creative accountants'. Second, perhaps the compulsion to create ought not simply be considered a positive: it could be a curse. Consider the environmental problems, which arguably arise out of the need to relentlessly create, or our habit of creating more people, lovely people often, but lots of 'em, too many arguably.

The other side of the argument is to embrace the specialness of what, say, artists do. The blood, sweat and tears in getting there warrants some respect, you'd hope. Sports people and folk or traditional artists, those demonstrating skill from a list of accepted practices, or using certain media, suck up the admiration more easily. The person that ran the MA in Fine Art I did twenty years ago, claimed that people are born artists, by which he did not necessarily mean genetics is involved. Art seems to require commitment to a distinct trajectory, individuation, and at least tacit knowledge of art history and contexts. Regarding the last factor, there are many cultured people out there, who know their stuff, learned types, but who could not do it, for some reason. Probably there's a need to be able to dip in and out of foolishness and have no shame. I have often come across students who find it difficult to think laterally, and to be inventive. Others can't stop coming up with ideas. The second category may have a problem completing things. A mix of both is marvellous, and the recipe for an exciting life, I'd say. (Shit: just had a revelation that I blog like I'm writing for that old publication, still going, Ireland's Own.)

Earlier I visited Schull market, and bumped into an old friend, or associate at least, dishing out certain delights (for money). I bought a cup of coffee at another stall, paid for it, but then almost walked off without the drink. The man behind the operation joked that he is used to people forgetting to pay, but not leaving the coffee behind. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to set up a market stall which only provides transactional experiences, i.e. a market stall that sells nothing. The business model is excellent, right? Overheads would be minimal. Branding is crucial apparently so something like 'Organic Artisan _ _ _ _ _ _ _' might work. An expert retailer, and excellent all-round person, I spoke to about it, seemed unconvinced...