Darren Daz Cox, now in Pekin Illinois!
Why you aren’t as famous as Paul Gauguin
The Moon and Sixpence, the fictionalized account of Paul Gauguin by Sommerset Maugham is a great novel (here’s a link to download the whole novel (legally!) for free wheee!) Have you noticed that Gauguin, Van Gogh et al all knew their work was great and persevered on their personal path of discovery regardless of their sales? Did they ever make a conscious effort to make art that was like the paintings that were being sold? No, of course not because if they had we wouldn’t know who they are, they’d be like most of the artists you know today. It doesn’t make them better people to be ‘romantic’, and it doesn’t make them fools who couldn’t cash in on their talents while they lived, it just made them ahead of their time. I know you have to pay the rent and feed your kids and that makes you a good decent person but you can’t be good and decent and romantic in the Paul Gauguin sense and that’s why you might be stuck at a particular level in your art. 
I just want to point out that when you die, I hope you are totally proud of your art and have inspired some people. "Did you have a good life before you died? Enough to base a movie on?" – Jim Morrisson
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Originally posted 2008-04-29 21:37:40. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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April 29th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
“Did you have a good life before you died? Enough to base a movie on?” – Jim Morrisson
yes…yes…ten times yes.
but only after I stopped apologizing for who I was born to be.
great post daz.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Please email me!!!! or call 415-331-8948
Elmore.michelle@gmail.com
April 30th, 2008 at 5:21 am
It’s so funny that you’ve included excerpts from this novel. I’ve just realised that I absolutely have to read it for my phd. It’s referenced in one of the books I’m analysing and it fits perfectly with my argument! Serendipity indeed!
Thank you so much, Daz