An Artistic Breakdown: Strangled
Explaining myself.
I don't often tell the viewer what to look for.
I'll start out by saying, lately — due to circumstances beyond my control — I've been having one hell of a bad time attempting to produce some artwork. Everything I do looks like shit and I'm never satisfied. It seems like I want to actually impress people instead of simply producing something, placing it here, and hoping for the best.
The whole reason why I'll often include a write-up that has very little to do with the art I've shared is so, in the event the artwork wasn't your cup of tea, at least there are some words you might enjoy.
I can't even say I'm confident with the words I'm writing today. I'm saying a lot without really saying anything again.
I don't want to give up on this place.
I see a lot of folks have taken a break. I don't blame you. I don't take it personally these days if I post and my comment section is dead. I have a feeling it's going to be quiet again and I don't think it'll be my fault.
I think if this place goes to shit, I can leave feeling confident I did a good job.
I think there are quite a few out there who will never forget me.
I've been struggling a lot lately with making an important decision. What will I do if this is my last post?
I'm of the mindset where I'm hopeful I'll still have a future here but at the same time I'm not oblivious to a few other potential outcomes.
I can't see myself starting at the bottom anywhere else. Like it or not I'm one of the world's first artists who saw success in this world. This entity, @NoNamesLeftToUse, made the decision early on to remain exclusive to Steem. I was under the impression there was plenty of money set aside for the development of this platform and it seemed like a good place I could feel confident to make such an important decision.
There are plenty of other places I can take this brand and style of mine. I'm not interested in those places.
I was out looking around and see many familiar faces on other platforms. The content is the exact same, everywhere.
Some folks who were busy ripping us off here with bogus artwork are having a great time on other platforms, with the same damn product, ripping those people off.
After many many months of failing miserably, this platform decided to get its act together. Suddenly the riffraff is no longer tolerated and each stakeholder is given a tool to help keep our streets clean. That decision added another layer of cement onto my feet which were already firmly planted into this blockchain.
Things were finally starting to look up. Now I'm looking at my feet wondering how I'll ever chisel my way out of this mess.
All of you developers, witnesses, investors; you're not the only ones who poured your hearts and souls into this place. Anyone who ever actually cared, I can tell you right now I know exactly how you're feeling, but I won't say it out loud.
I won't look back at these years and think of it all as a big waste of time.
Anyway.
The art.
I said I'd say something about the art.
I realize to some it just looks like a mess of color.
If you look closely though you might see the figure facing the left. I often hide side profiles of faces in all my work.
Today, this character is being strangled by something blueish in color. That could mean depression in this case but as the image plainly states: Nothing is clear.
Have a nice day.
That is something I can relate too. Your artwork to me is some people kissing, actually putting a smile on my face. If it has an effect on humans it is art, so you caused an effect. (A discussion we had many times at an advertising agency I worked once, in another life. My opininion: if I strikes a nerve it is art.)
Recently I do feel somewhat estranged. This whole Steem thing. Feels like losing a good friend who decided to take his own life.
Nostalgia, back in them days, of miracle and wonder. The first time you wend silent. Worries and glad you returned. Second time: he'll be back, faith.
Sadness, that is what I feel, damned, I came to a place where I could just publish anything, without needing to worry whom I would do it for. Fuckit.
How to move on from here. Would like Steem to move on, but how, don't know.
For what it is worth, you sure produced unique work, which I do appreciate. Because it triggert something, like feelings, even sad ones liked now, but that is Art.
Hope there is more where that came from. Maybe it needs a fork, maybe it wont. Or we get sucked in by a black hole. By that time we'll never know.
Hang in there.
This is why, for nearly four years now, I allowed you folks to explain what you see, rather me telling you what I see. I can place my darkest of thoughts inside these works and you folks come along and see something on the other side of spectrum, every time.
Today, yes, sadness. Not afraid to admit it either. I look around and see the pain everywhere. A lot of broken hearts.
You hang in there too, man. This is a resilient bunch.
A good friend once asked me what I meant with a certain drawing I made. (Old skool style) My reply was: "That does not matter, to me maybe, but I like to hear what it means to you." It was great to listen to him tell me what he experienced.
Keep up the good work!
That is for sure, so it is hard to imagine that it will end like this. Do not know how, but there are some who might know how to do it and I think they might pull it off.
Will do mate!
Nicely expressed. Same feelings here. (also with regard to Nonames)
Thanks Amigo, think many of us fellow Steemians experience it in one way or the other like that. That is what binds us together. And makes us strong, as one.
Even though sad, right now, I do still feel this it as many want Steem to move on. And you know the saying: where there is a will, there is a way.
Good day @nonameslefttouse,
I discovered you quite late but I've read up a lot of your stuff in the past days.
In my eyes you have an incredible talent in writing, especially when you write down some stories. I don't even have to focus super hard to have your story fully visualized in my brain, that's an incredible skill in my eyes. Something what I only know from Hunter S. Thompson and a very few other Authors/Writers.
We just gotta keep going! :)
There's a lot there to read. Thanks for going back in time. Not every day was a good day but there are quite a few things I can be proud of. All I really wanted to do was give this world something different. I can still do better. It was always tough to keep up because I created all the visuals as well. I just came back from a comment saying we're all pretty much scum here so coming back here to this one really helped bring up my spirits. Hunter is one of my heroes. I don't have many of those. Placing me in that category was more than a compliment. Thank you.
I've never seen your comment section dead but then again by the time I get to your posts they're usually several hours old.
You can use that concrete block as a weapon. Just no head shots that could kill someone.
No breaks here. My callous disregard for money means I'm happy to carry on til everything dies in a fire (in which case I have one favourite witness that I'll be casually toddling off after should they go on to a fork, and those other vaguely familiar forks might actually get more love if they're not already) or resolves.
I know I've been quieter than usual lately but that's because life has been busier than usual lately not helped by the fact I'm not naturally organised and being forced to be organised because I'm managing a bunch of other people is exhausting XD
There have been a few occasions where it has been dead here and when that happens I quickly go back and read the post to see what I said wrong. Did I typo and accidentally tell everyone to go fuck themselves?
When it comes to the money, unfortunately I needed this to work out, as I banked a lot of working on this project rather than actual work that pays. Two jobs probably would have been the way to go, but I didn't know they'd simply push us all out of business here. Go back far enough you'll see Steemit talking about this place being good for business. And now this? This situation is the opposite of everything that misled me here.
Facing the left. A bad omen.
I think you highlight a very important point in all the nonsense that has gone on lately. Often the focus is on developers and witnesses, who have poured everything they have into this platform. We are often forgotten. The content creators. The people trying to make this place a place that people want to visit out of all of the places on the big wide Web. A place that is a success. How often we are derided, denigrated and sneered at though.
Success should be celebrated and you my friend have been and are a success here.
If this is your last post then you have done a fine job. I hope that it isn't though. Just because I'm a selfish bastard ;0)
I've been trying to give the content producer a voice for a long time. It's often overlooked, you're right. We've spoken about this many times. There are plenty who voice concerns but often those of us who could provide valuable insights get lost in the noise. Ned fucking muted me, for fuck sakes. These things though, they don't make me bitter. I forgive and forget.
I'm seeing now a push for a split. That'll take some convincing. Instead of steemit take being the problem, the next highest on the list will take over that role. The same group of bottom feeders will tag along to shoot us all down and call us ass kissers. LOL... Where the fuck did I put my beer.
Get that beer!
I dont like what I am seeing and what I am seeing is people saying that a split is inevitable. They are saying that a group of influential witnesses and stakeholders are all but set to leave. I just dont think they actually care about what everyone else thinks. As far as they are aconcerned, their vocal minority is in fact the community.
Sigh sigh sigh.
Fuck it, I am cracking one open too!
It's hard to know if all just for show. I do respect a lot of these people though. I know many of them, from around here. I've not known them to be morons. I also see a lot of emotions. And I don't blame em.
Maybe we should all just get straight hammered and drunkenly keyboard warrior the fuck outta this place for shits and giggles.
Hammered and keyboard warrioring!!
That's the way to go! :0D
I can't hit the bottle without music!
Haha, now we are talking!!!
You did a GREAT job. Good to have you in the fox hole.
That sounded like a Frosted Flakes 'Great!' within my head. Thanks for putting Tony the Tiger there man.
Steem is probably the last crypto bastion for me as well, if this place folds then I'll be more than "a tad disappointed" that a great concept can be so savagely twisted. Was hoping to bring a load of music producers over and have been gearing up for some time.
It's difficult to say "yea it's great, you have a chance to connect with a new audience, develop your own monetisable blog and website here"... Then they saw bid bots, no interaction, steem centric posts... To name a few things. Then the "T" word and now, they won't touch it with a barge pole...
But I'll still stick it out because, despite all that crap, there's never a dull moment (not that I've seen anyway).
I received a comment one day, long ago. An artist with all kinds of ties to established platforms. They said I should go over there, I'd be a hit. I told them no, you should go show those people what I'm doing here. The response was, OMG! You're right!
I'm paraphrasing a bit but it's on the goddamn chain somewhere. That was back when this place was rocking, shortly before some folks thought it would be wise to start selling votes. I'll stop that thought there though, because I become triggered, and that problem is gone anyway.
The true potential was pissed away. The true potential is still there. Maybe.
The potential is still there but we need to get through this storm and then hopefully people will start to realise that if enough voters come together, it can make a difference. Having said that, stake still talks unfortunately and even us at 30k SP, we aren't exactly "big fry".
I seem to remember a while ago that there was a dolphin council? Or did I just make that up?
Even if there was a dolphin council, I most likely wouldn't be involved.
brother, your art makes changes...
enlighten them! those... who do not trust the guidance! :P
I want to be the guy who was never sour and put smiles on faces. Today I suck at that. I don't know what else to say and don't want to bring people down with this shit I'm feeling. I don't even know why I just told you that.
Probably because same story goes with me...
trust me... it's temporary! and it's a big lesson!
The bit that makes me so sad is how well everything was going before the sell out. It was the community driving it too! We were making it a more rewarding place to be for actual contributors and talking Steem on other social media platforms.
I suppose if we can get through this it can be used as a lesson. Learn to defend from outside takeovers. Either that, or others can learn from what brought us to our knees.
That's why it stings so much. On the verge of breaking out onto the scene and they pulled the rug out from under us.
We'll come out stronger than ever before if we manage to turn this around, no doubt about it.
I can impersonate that voice quite well, after several drinks.
Well, you had me there. I swore you were going to work in a dead body before the end and then you DIDN'T! I saw the faces but I thought I was looking at a slumped beigy grey body and the turquoise was where the blanket was folded over. Hmmm...
I do have a big bloody mess I was working on. I'm not sure if I'll finish it.
I didn't really say much about the art again. There's more to see than I mentioned. What I said, to me, was the most obvious. Apparently it's not as obvious as I thought though. Sometimes I'll say things as a distraction. I won't tell you if this was one of those times.
I can't stop listening to this song
Wow! You need a dose of puppies and ice cream! Hey, is there much of the coronavirus out your way?
I have my own Corona virus. It comes in a bottle and I've had about nine. I'll be better tomorrow.
That other stuff, I wouldn't know. I'm in the middle of nowhere right now.
It sounds odd but I heard their sales were up. How many people do you suppose hear the word Corona virus and find themselves getting thirsty? Then go to buy beer and "I haven't had that in awhile...."
If you're out in the middle of nowhere, remember to blaze a few trees so we can find you.
That's one hell of a great subliminal message advertising campaign they got going there.
And yeah, you're right, blazing trees is legal now. I don't have to hide it!