Nadezhda von Meck, Tchaikovsky"s Patron: Influence, Encouragement, and the Quiet People Who Shape History.

The world has always depended upon people who quietly support genius without seeking the spotlight. Michelangelo had the Medici. Samuel Johnson had patrons. C. S. Lewis had friends who encouraged him. Van Gogh had his brother Theo. And Pyotr Tchaikovsky had Nadezhda von Meck.

Tchaikovsky's primary patron was a wealthy railroad magnate's widow. She supported him financially with an annual stipend of 6,000 rubles for 13 years, allowing him to quit teaching and compose full-time, under the unusual condition that they never meet in person.

I'd long known that this great composer had been supported by a wealthy patron, and that they agreed to never met, but it was news to me when I learned (while researching this story) that they had an extensive correspondence. During those 13 years they exchanged more than 1200 letters. That's almost 100 letters a year, or 92 to be more precise. 

Who was this woman? Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck (1831–1894) was one of the wealthiest women in Russia. She married Karl von Meck, who built a fortune developing Russia's expanding railway system. (Russia's equivalent of Cornelius Vanderbilt.) When von Meck died in 1876, she inherited his immense fortune and controlled a vast business empire.

In the mid-1870s Tchaikovsky was becoming recognized in Russian musical circles, but he was hardly wealthy. Von Meck first became acquainted with his music through her resident musicians. She was deeply moved by it and soon commissioned him to arrange several pieces for violin and piano for her household performances.

Another thing I just learned. I'd always believed that it was Tchaikovsky who created the condition that they never meet. It turns out that it was von Meck because she feared that meeting would destroy the idealized friendship they had built through letters.

What did they discuss in their correspondence? Music, of course, but much more. Literature, philosophy, religion, illness, depression, travel, family, artistic struggles and daily life were all recurring themes. He purportedly confessed thoughts to her that he revealed to almost no one else.

One reason this topic interested me this week is that I have many times over the decades thought about how valuable this woman must have been to Tchaikovsky, and how the world for 150 years has been enriched by his incredible catalog that includes The 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker Suite, piano masterpieces, concertos and six symphonies.

The thing is, you don't have to be J.P. Morgan or the Vandebilts or the Rockefellers or Elon, or Bill Gates to make a difference in another life. Even if you can't support artists, authors or musicians as an ongoing subsidy, you can purchase their work or simply give them encouragement. 

Although it's true that we have foundations and grants for the arts, somehow it's the personal human interaction that really adds meaning to the artist-patron relationship. 

Money isn't the only thing aspiring artists may benefit from. Mentors play an invaluable role in many artists' and writers' lives. My career as a writer was greatly advanced by a professional writer, John Prin, who took me under his wing when I was first starting out. Whether in the arts or in business, mentors often play a critical role in getting one's feet on the first rungs of the ladder.

As a writer I've sought to shine a spotlight on local artists whose work I've admired. The impact of Robert Shelton's review of Bob Dylan is legendary. Dylan was doing a two week residency at Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village. Shelton was a reporter for the New York Times whose review appeared in print on September 29, 1961 in which he wrote that a "bright new face in folk music" was in town. 

Bottom Line: You can make a difference. Encouragement is nourishment, and hope is what keeps us going. 

Local Arts Scene: Makers Make A Mark

At one time photography was not respected as an art form. Then, a group of modernist photographers--Arthur Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Edward Weston and others--showed the possibilities and broke through the wall. A similar thing happened with printmaking around the 1940s and the definition of what was an acceptable art form was broadened yet again. The world has been enriched by these ever widening horizons.

This past week I dropped in on an Open House for Creative Makers and Artisans at the Creative Folk School in Lincoln Park. The place was buzzing with activity and enthusiasm.

When I first heard of the Twin Ports Makers, the word "Maker" in mind was tied to recent discussions and reading I had done pertaining to 3-D printing, technology empowerment and a movement to grass roots tool-making. Last week's Maker even was no such thing. It was people from various creative disciplines who have banded together to show and share their work, from basket-making to quilting, rosemaling to Zentangle. It's the art of functional creation, an aesthetic that seems to permeate our various blended cultures here in the North Country.

One of the groups represented was the Duluth Fiber Handcrafters Guild (DFHG). Formed in 1973, the DFHG is under the wing of the DAI and now consists of 125 members. One benefit of banding together with others is that beginners can get connected to mentors, experts who have learned many lessons about their craft-and-art making the hard way, including the business side.

This particular event was not about selling goods. Rather, it was an invitation to the public to come discover the kinds of makers we have actively creating in our community. The event was sponsored by the Needle Art Guild of Duluth, Northern Lights Machine Quilters Guild, Duluth Fiber Handcrafters Guild, and the Duluth Folk School. According to the DFHG website, "Our mission is to strengthen the creative capacity of our regional community by facilitating and encouraging a robust network of makers, artists, and community supporters."

If your creative urges flow in alternative channels, one of these might be worth checking out. The Northern Printmakers Alliance and the Northern Prints Gallery provide the same kind of opportunities for connection, mentoring, personal nurturing and growth. (Shout-out to Cecilia Lieder.) The potters and ceramicists here in the Twin Ports and up the Shore likewise have a decades long thing going. As do our Lake Superior Writers.

Once you get down to the grass roots, you discover how much more is happening here in the Twin Ports than you might have initially realized. It's worth the extra effort to dig down and check it out. 

Reminders 

Ribbon Cutting @ the new Joseph Nease Gallery tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
23 West 1st Street

Kathy McTavish's "Chance" Opening Reception at the Tweed, Thursday evening.

The 2017 Goin' Postal Fall Art Show, Friday 6-9 with afterparty at the Top Hat.

"Three States" Opening Reception at the new Joseph Nease Gallery, Saturday 2-5 p.m.

* * * *

So much to see, so little time. 

Will you join us?

Sunshine & the Blues

In the second year of our marriage, Susie and I served at an orphanage in Mexico (1980-81). Our hearts went out to the kids there in such a big way. At one point we even looked into the process for adoption. In Mexico there are enormous hurdles, we soon learned.

Susie has always had a generous heart, especially when it comes to children. As a result, she was often touched by the pictures of children seeking mentors that appeared regularly in our local paper.

The Mentor Duluth Program is designed to match kids ages 5 to 17 with adults who are committed to building long-term friendships with young people. For years Susie had home schooled our two very cool kids, but as Micah headed off to college, she could see this experience would be coming to an end. And so, she took the first step.

The girl who became a part of our extended family was named Christiana.

Mentor Duluth believes that all young people have the need for a positive adult, outside of their family, to be a friend and a support. Most kids are from single parent families or two parent families with special needs.

According to the Mentor Duluth website, "Our mentors come from all walks of life. If you are dependable, enjoy working with youth and are willing to have some fun, we are looking for you! Mentoring takes place in the community and activities can be anything from sporting events or cooking dinner to hiking up the north shore or participating in activities organized by Mentor Duluth."

In addition to being big-hearted, Susie is also very creative. They painted together, they dressed up, they made masks or pottery, and did whatever spur of the moment thing seemed an adventure at the time. The hamming for the cam at the top of this page was pretty typical. But the story took an unexpected turn.

Christiana was the youngest of five siblings. Her father died unexpectedly a few years previous, hence the family's introduction to Mentor Duluth. Her mother, who was wheelchair-and-bed bound with MS, was a remarkable woman. Four boys and a girl would be a handful for even a healthy mom, so her spirit and strength were impressive. What a shock when she passed off this earth after becoming significant part of our family for a season. Again, unexpected.

Susie's story, Sunshine & the Blues, is a powerful read that captures the flavor of mentoring, the impact of allowing the flavors of one's own family to be intermixed with others. If you don't have time right now, click the link anyways and bookmark it, so you can find it later.

Another Day, Another Dollar

Woke this morning thinking about the transfer of experience from older to younger people... and to some extent what is involved in the harnessing of youthful energy toward productive ends. More specifically, as it pertains to business or career.

As an "idea person" it has always seemed to me that the ideas exceed the time frame allotted to accomplish them. Ideas for articles gurgle up from the subconscious pretty regularly, as well as ideas for businesses and art projects, aong other things. Ideas are also triggered through encounters with daily readings or daily conversation.

I had lunch with a young person yesterday who seems to be taking life by the horns. He is not passively waiting for life to happen to him. He has began mapping the terrain as regards local career options, to see where the good places are to dig a hole and start mining or, to use a garden metaphor, sow seeds.

Simultaneously, there are many young people who see the end of their college experience with trepidation. Uncertainty await all of us, but the one who unflinchingly moves forward into the future with expectation will go further than the one who shrinks back.

Getting fitted for life doesn't happen in four years anyways. It is a lifetime process, with the first stage being, "Who am I, really? What are my strengths? How can I minimize the impact of my liabilities?" And if you are lucky, maybe you will find a mentor, or friend, who can help you through the muddle into the next level of issues with questions like, "How can I best contribute to the success of my company, or community?"

To some extent deadlines and responsibilities dictate how we fill many, if not most, of our hours. But in the free hours outside the confines of these boundaries, what is your passion? Is it cars? Self-improvement? Solving the world's problems? Becoming a virtuoso musician? Becoming a writer? You will not get there simply by drifting.

Mentors

One should never underestimate the role of mentors in helping one's career obtain a good trajectory.

Back in the early eighties I was a beginning writer trying to figure out how the real world works. I had just returned from a year in Mexico working at an orphanage. I felt a certain sense of calling as a writer and therefore worked hard to develop my skills, but could not figure out how to plug them in. Through the process of of participation in a writers group I managed to connect with another writer who, like myself, was searching to move his work to a higher level. This other writer was ten years ahead of me, made his living as a writer in a major corporation, and understood much more than I about the business world.

Ours was a fateful friendship. John Prin helped me navigate those early steps toward publication. A few years down the road my wife and I left the Twin Cities and headed to Duluth. John again helped me in a critical way to present my published work in the most professional manner possible. After a relatively short time pounding the pavement up north I landed a position using my writing, with an opportunity to further develop my skills.

To this day John has played a role in my life, as friend and confidant. At key junctures, he helped me navigate challenging waters.

Perhaps you're a young person with challenges you're not quite sure how to handle. Perhaps your career is floundering. My recommendation is to find a mentor, someone who has been there and understands the terrain your traversing. And someone who will take an active interest in your life and career.

Or maybe you're someone who has accomplished things, have achieved a measure of success, and need to turn around and look back down the ladder. There are many bright and talented young people who could use a helping hand. These are our future leaders, influencers, world changers. We have received much, let's be sure we give back.

Thanks, John, for having been there for me. Good luck as you keep pressing into those dreams to fulfill your purpose for the second half of your life.