Artists without keeping up appearances

One of these past days, I found a welknown artist on facebook, and although I didn't know him, I just told him we have a poster of a painting he made of his wife, on our wall.

He immediately responded, invited us to come over to an exhibition he has in The Netherlands, and in case we are the die-hards, we are invited for a more private get-to-know-eachother-exposition, and in case that doesn't work, we just meet somewhere.

After that there's just normal talk between us, and, low and behold, there's a normal man behind the name. Not too hard trying to keep up appearances.

This little 'incident' reminds me of being humble, even though the whole 'world' is fan of you, or your work.

For 'normal people', deep in our heards, it's hard to not try to act a little like Hyacinth-keeping-up-appearances. Stories are usually a little better than reality, more exitement, more creepy, more generous, more humble, more christian.

Imagine you are known to a lot of people, because of what you do, what you know, or who you are. Then you have the luxury of standing on a pedestal. After you did end up there, you don't have to do much, you still stand there. As a friend of ours often says, after I did write my first 2 or 3 books, no editor or publisher is going to check me again, or ask questions: just my name under the script is enough.

Wow, isn't it VERY tempting to just work not as hard anymore as you used to... nobody is going to check you anyway, and not a soul is even thinking of doing corrections on your work or person. Yóu are the expert after all.

So, imagine you are doing arts. Living in some of the most beautifull places on the Earth. People all over the world buy your paintings, or posters of your paintings. And some chick in The Netherlands is emailing you...

Isn't it COOL to be on that pedestal then???

So, in some weeks I know more, and by March we know how real he is, and his wife too. Maybe they come over to Dordrecht and try our marvellous coffea. (not trying to keep up appearances: our coffea IS marvellous, come over and try)

H'm isn't it lack of trust that we usually need some kind of proof...???

That somebody is genuïne, real, nice, humble, buddhist, christian?? Does being humble really exists by the way? Or is it more a posponed pride...

I'm proud to be humble. About our coffea that is ..