The End of the Tortured Artist?

Benson. Boone.

Benny brings up a lot of emotional juice, doesn't he?

To the cynics, he’s suspect.

To the ones that love him, he's a fantasy.

Either way, he draws a line in the sand, doesn't he?.

Me? I like him.

My husband is bewildered by my fascination with him. But he's not too fond of pop music.

I'm not known as a music aficionado. I discovered Robert Plant in 2007 when he did an album with Allison Krause. Somehow I missed Led Zeppelin.

But I like what I like, and with Benson, I like the whole package.

He didn't have a miserable childhood, yet he is still wildly creative. I believe he works out the melodies on his piano and co-creates the lyrics.

He didn't know he was a singer. His best friend asked him to sing for The Battle of the Bands contest in front of his hometown. That's where he discovered he has some natural talent.

He's courageous and loyal to his friends.

He jumps into experiences with confidence that he'll land on his feet.

Literally! What a talent stack!

He's also innocent in a way that I haven't seen often in a pop performer. It's more of an unspoiled presence. This innocence is demonstrated in his ability to be emotionally vulnerable. He expresses himself without fear of how it makes him look.

His joy and wonder hasn't become jaded by cynicism.

And he's what I believe they used to call a triple threat. He can sing beautifully, is wildly performative, and can probably act based on the video he did for Mr. Electric Blue.

He is who he is naturally, and he's well adjusted.

I get the feeling that when this stops being fun for him, he'll disappear into the sunset. We won't hear from him again.

He doesn't need the world as much as the world needs him, and he seems to know it in a deep way that's hard to describe.

So is he an anomaly, or is he the beginning of something new?

Is his rise in popularity a sign that we are making a shift in what we believe about artists and performers?

If it is, I'm all for it. I want to see more artists that are on board with being joyful, emotionally available and grounded in self-respect.

And his music and lyrics are surprising, not formulaic.

Artistic self-expression isn't one-sided. It doesn't have to be skewed to trauma and self-hatred.

There is beauty in healing and connection, growth and realization. You can be whole with lightness and a sense of belonging and still be creative.

I'm definitely team Benson.

How Stringing Beads Changed My Life at 38

When I was 38, I had to stop working.

Shayne and I were about to move to Singapore due to a job transfer for his business. They are pretty strict about working there if you don't have a work visa.

Nobody in Singapore was going to sponsor me for a real estate work visa, the only career I had any experience in up to that point.

I was facing an existential moment of identity.

I'd been working in the real estate field since college, and I had no clue about where to go next.

I went to see a counselor, and she gave me the best advice.

She asked me, "What do you do when there isn't anything you have to do? You know, when the household chores are done, and you just have free time."

I blurted out, "I string beads and make simple necklaces."

She told me to keep doing that, and it would all work out.

I replied, "But don't you think I'm too old to start learning how to make serious jewelry?"

I don't know why, but 38 seemed long in the tooth to me then.

She said, "Well, if you make it to 58, you'll already have 20 years of experience. And I'm 56 and from where I'm sitting, I still have plenty of years ahead of me to work. I'd rather enjoy what I'm doing now than being stuck in a decision I made 20 years ago that I felt at the time was playing it safe."

She then advised me to do something daily to learn more about making jewelry.

She also stressed to me not to make a big deal out of it.

So I did. One thing led to another. A class here, a workshop there.

Then I started teaching others, and writing articles for magazines and before you know it, I had myself a new career.

Bead stringing guided me to other interests too.

I explored metal working, Human Design, and photography. I started writing articles for jewelry magazines, joined gallery memberships, and opened a few studios. 

I have a small card line in watercolors and gel pens.

Today, I have a studio where I share space with potters.

I'm branching out into using ceramics in my jewelry designs, because I'm taking advantage of my environment to learn something new.

I have a rich life.

I'm turning 58 this year, and yes, I now have 20 years of experience as a jewelry designer under my belt.

Her advice was worth the dough I paid her.

And it's still all working out.