Patti Smith on Gardening, Donuts, and Creating Out of Chaos
I’m a very poor gardener,” says Patti Smith. “I just like things to grow wild.”
It’s not surprising that Smith favors the unruly. After all, she made a name for herself in the 1970s as a poet and punk rocker, releasing such seminal albums as Horses and Easter, becoming a patron saint to generations of rebels. In recent years Smith has become a best--selling author, having written the National Book Award–winning memoir Just Kids in 2010 and a steady stream of books since; she even appears in an ad campaign for the luggage brand Rimowa. So why is gardening on her mind?
Through June 26, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, in downtown Sarasota, will host “Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith: Flowers, Poetry, and Light,” an exhibition pairing the botanic photographs of Mapplethorpe (the late artist was Smith’s boyfriend and collaborator) with nature-inspired poetry by Smith. Installations inspired by their work will also be on view.
It’s a different type of creative outlet from playing a concert, but it’s one Smith finds intriguing. “It’s interesting when someone finds a way for me to work within their structure, but it has to be something I feel is authentic,” she says. Here, she opens up her process for our peek inside the habits of masterminds.
How do you prepare yourself to be creative?
I tend to be disorganized, and I create out of chaos. Or I cause chaos when I’m creating. Sometimes, if I want to start a new project, I wash my sheets, I mop the floor, and I sit in a nice, clean, orderly space and then make another mess.
What one element is necessary to your process?
I have a special notebook that I like. It’s called MD Notebook by Midori. The one with graph paper is my favorite.
What do you most often do to procrastinate?
Watch reruns of Midsomer Murders. I love British detective shows, and at certain times of day they’ll show back-to-back episodes. I’ve seen them all, so I go, “Oh yeah. I remember this one,” and then I go back to work.
What’s your go-to snack?
A couple of years ago I would have said a donut, but I’ve cut down. Now I’ll have a piece of sourdough toast with olive oil.
How do you take your coffee?
Black coffee, not too strong and very hot.
What place is most conducive for you to work?
On the road. I like writing in cafés or on trains. I like writing in strange cities. It’s an important part of my process.
Who’s your favorite collaborator?
I enjoy collaborating with people, but in truth I favor working on my own.
It’s said that genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. What is that ratio like for you?
I work hard at everything I do, because I don’t have a lot of technical abilities. There’s a lot of sacred labor connected with everything that I do. But I think the secret to a long life is to work every day.
What have you learned from a failure?
It’s wasteful to sit around filled with regret. It’s much better to examine what you’ve done and try to do better.
What’s been your favorite creation thus far?
I like my work. I like my books. I wouldn’t give them to the world if I didn’t.
This story appears in the March 2022 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW
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