Lili Krakowski on wed 14 dec 05
For reasons I cannot fathom a two school teachers named Thomas named =
their lovely baby girl Caitlin. I was a bit shocked, because THE =
Caitlin Thomas was such a sad figure...However. Recently I gave these =
people "Leftover Life to Kill," and "Not |Quite Posthumous Letters to My =
Daughter" wonderfully written, heartbreaking. I bought them when they =
came out, read them, and never looked at them again. I thought this =
little girl, in 20 or so years, might like them..
Having said that.=20
=20
Donna Nicholas writes: =20
"What we view as 'self destructive behavior' these days was seen then as =
a creative person's norm. Some of the artists and musicians cleaned up =
as society's standards changed, but many didn't (or couldn't)."
No, it was never seen as the norm. There were lots of people around, =
talented, hard-working, creative artists, who stopped in at The White =
Horse Tavern, had a few beers and laughs and went their way. =20
There was a sordid thread in the art world, dating back to Paris, =
absinthe, syphilis, and opium --a very sick thread that =
Toulouse-Lautrec, for one immortalized. The idea was to defy the =
"bourgeoisie", kick over traces, and on and on and on. Unfortunately =
there always are bear-baiters and comprachicos in every crowd....and =
rich twisted people egged these artists and writers on, hailing their =
debauchery as "genius" and laughing behind their backs.
The artists' world did not admire this. No normal person considered it =
the norm. As Caitlin writes others who wanted to make money on Dylan, =
plied him with booze, and in essence killed him...And Brendan =
Behan...and others.
Dolly enough I knew a number of the promising and even prominent artists =
in the mid-50s, because I taught together with one of the Abstract =
Expressionists and frequented her home. There people were sane, sober, =
fun....Sure they might have gotten looped at a party....but it was not =
considered the artist's norm.
I never liked Voulkos's work--which to me seemed huge energy roaring =
down a blind alley. But the self-destruction was his own thing...and if =
people bought him another drink, or flung some woman into his room, or =
offered him drugs...this had nothing to do with the mores of the time, =
but just the evil in some people, who will exploit others' weaknesses =
for their own gain.
=20
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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