Artists and arts involved people can be some of the most inspiring and adventurous people. Their vision can take us places that we would have never imagined, and their ideas can propel us in new directions.

Artists and arts involved people can also be some of the most critical and negative people. Whether it is their overly emotive qualities or their inability to work through their own unfulfilled expectations, some artists seek to cast aspersions on the efforts of others to create.

We have some of both in the Canton Arts District.

There are some artists who take advantage of opportunities and create amazing works of art, regardless of what the circumstances around them may be. There are also others who fail to create much, and to vindicate themselves, they go around blaming others for their lack of success.

You know the type. They want to destroy any signs of success in order to make their own failures make sense.

I have my moments of expressing frustration. I at times complain about how the city administration and arts administrators in Canton make decisions that seem short-sighted to me. But I keep creating, and I keep doing what I can to make my city a better place to live – for artists and for everyone.

I keep working with others, whether I like their choices, and I keep on making my own opportunities, regardless of whether someone or something is standing in my way.

So if you are an artist who wants to convince me that someone or something has ruined your chances, all I can say is, get over yourself.

You can complain about the way things are, or you can change things and transform them into what you want them to be. It is your choice, and nothing anyone does to you can stop you if you really have the drive to create.

It is easy to complain. It is not so easy to find ways to work around obstacles. No one said creativity was easy.

I choose the latter, and I really have no time for those who choose otherwise.