Seeking Some Solitude

Portrait of R. M. Rilke by Helmut Westoff

I have become convinced that creativity flourishes best when one has ample time to spend in solitude. Part of my conviction comes from reading Rainer Marie Rilke's book, Letters to a Young Poet, in which Rilke explores solitude as the foundation for all genuine artistic work. He writes that to develop your unique voice, you must know and trust your own self, and avoid outside influences. All progress "must come form deep within and cannot be forced or hastened." Rilke writes that "What is necessary...is only this: solitude, vast inner solitude. To walk inside yourself and meet no one for hours."

Rilke sees in solitude not a wasteland, but instead a vast and rich territory, just waiting to be explored. Solitude allows each of us to call forth memories, dreams, images, impulses and
reactions which are ours and ours alone. These are the things that form the basis of our work.

"After the Bath"
Pastel on Paper
Edgar Degas, 1893-97

Rilke's thoughts are not unlike those of Edgar Degas. Here are the words of Degas: "It seems to me that today, if the artist wishes to be serious — to cut out a little original niche for himself, or at least preserve his own innocence of personality — he must once more sink himself in solitude. There is too much talk and gossip; pictures are apparently made, like stock-market prices, by competition of people eager for profit... All this traffic sharpens our intelligence and falsifies our judgment."

BBoth Rilke and Degas were writing over a hundred years ago. I wonder what they would think of today's hyper-connected world. With iPhones always at our sides, and social media such as Pinterest and Instagram bombarding us with countless images, is it even possible to avoid outside influences nowadays? To paraphrase the rock song, "Solitude Just Keeps Getting Harder to Find!" 

Solitude comes in many forms. I'll close with a quote from Brenda Ueland, from her book If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit: "Imagination needs moodling--long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering." She makes it sound so easy!