Verbal Abuse is Emotional Abuse

I'm not a big fan of Edouard Manet's work or of his philosophy of art (he loved still-lifes) but I can relate to his words in the following quote.

"The attacks of which I have been the object have broken the spring of life in me... People don't realize what it feels like to be constantly insulted."

-Edouard Manet

One can create for sheer pleasure or for a higher cause, or just as therapy or whatever; but a little bit of positive response can definitely boost the energy one has for creating art. At least with me anyways. In the preceding blog entry, take a look at the painting Manet did for writer Emile Zola after he wrote an essay defending Manet's work, (or click here).

Now for a complete change of subject; the quote also indirectly relates to this recent trend of the last couple decades or so of school-shootings here in America. We now realize without a doubt what emotional and verbal abuse can do to a child. You can ignore and laugh off ignorance and insults has much as you want, but on some level it definitely hurts and can be built up over time if left unchecked. That's where I think art can be a positive influence, or having anything that you can channel that emotion into, something to filter it through.