I have truly been inspired; by an intelligent
and influential lady who is from a different side of the spectrum that I have
strayed away from, since, my teenage years.
I love learning and if it is not from a book I try to do so by
video. I had the great pleasure of
listening to her through TED.com. Her
speech is entitled ‘The art of asking.’ At
first I was looking for someone to inspire me in fashion and I found out that
not many fashion designers guest speak.
If they do so it’s possibly done at a design school commencement, but
even so, you don’t hear many fashion designers guest speaking to inspire. I guess they inspire through their designs
alone, but it is a wonderment to have them inspire through speaking,
specifically in front of an audience, not just teaching by lecture, where they
talk about the steps that it took for them to master their talent, through their
life experiences. So if any one has any
coverage of a designer speaking at a commencement or at a conference, send me a
link.
Although I have
digressed I wish to speak about this women.
Her name is Amanda Palmer; she is a musician, performer, and artist. She began her career by street performing
as the Eight-Foot Bride, while commencing her career with her band the Dresden
Dolls. This was inspirational and a way
that she overcame adversity, even though, while she was working people drove by
telling her to get a job. To her this
was a job. She changed people’s lives
with just a look with her alluring eyes, and those people changed her. She would acknowledge kindness to viewers
even if they did not acknowledge kindness in return. Amanda has traveled the world with her band,
(now a solo artist) and has used social media to get to know her fans or strangers
for that matter. But I can’t really say
that they are strangers, because these are people who have followed her and
love who she is not just as a performer but as a neighbor, a friend…While using
social media, like Twitter, people have always shown her acts of kindness. She was brought a nettie pot when she
only wanted to find out where to purchase one, and she has stayed over night,
while traveling, with people who have enjoyed and grown from her music. She is a wonderful individual. While watching her speak she opens herself up
and allows you to get to know her not just as an artist, but as a person that
is just like you and me; with fears, questions, motivations, etc. Amanda in her thoughtfulness, does not make
her fans pay for her music, she lets them buy her music. If you want to understand it more and enjoy a
delightful person speak, just use the above link and you will be inspired as
well. Inspired not in just a way to get
your music out, but to sincerely, appreciate the people who listen to your
music and those who want to pay you personally for adding music to their lives.
She
is the paragon of the artist/musician who wants people to be able to listen to
music and let it transcend to another form of art. What I have learned from her is to trust more
and it is amazing what will happen if you just ask people for what you want and
allow that trust to come in. Most
artists use Twitter or Facebook to sell their music instead of asking them to
listen to it; and Amanda Palmer has shown me a new way of asking people to listen
to music, without the celeb; you know the new album with this hit and featuring
this singer; but not as an individual or band that wants to be heard.
