Tuesday, January 27, 2015
What motivates artists?
Surely we are not in this business for the money, so what is it that drives artists to make art? You can write about what motivates you as well as what you have observed in others. Are there character traits, experiences, and desires that make us artists and other people not?
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I think what drives an artist to make art is some driving factor from within. I don't mess with other art forms so much anymore, but every once in a while I get an itch to do one of them again and create something with my hands, 3-dimensional or 2. It's sort of magical to watch a blank page get created into a great drawing, or similarly, a boring every day scene turned into a thought-provoking photograph. Or a blank studio space to host some models in some way. Lots of ways. One of my high school art teachers used to say something about how our AP class' goal was to "turn the ordinary into something extraordinary". I think that applies to a lot of art.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that tend to motivate me to make art is creating something which no one has ever seen before. Doing long projects tend to get boring after a while and when something for me becomes boring, there obviously isn't going to be any fun in that project. This makes me think back to a post on Reddit I saw a couple of weeks ago that talked about the more you are good at job, the more you end up starting to hate that job. I haven't felt the same way yet, but hopefully that doesn't happen any time soon.
ReplyDeleteI think that what drives me to be an artist is that art has always allowed me to express my thoughts in ways that I was never able to do with words or any other means. I am always most drawn to creating work that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. This is because when I am photographing, I am making work that is usually a response to direct emotions or circumstances that are currently in my life. The beauty of creating is that the response or concept behind why I am making what I am making can sometimes be much different than what the viewer sees. Everyone brings their entire life into art, whether they are creating it or viewing it. Art allows so many thoughts and worlds to collide in one context. It raises conversations which may not have ever come about otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI guess what drives me to be an artist is that you always have an idea of what you're going to do, but nothing ever works out the way you think it will. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it's not so you just have to start over or make something different. That excitement of not knowing keeps me interested in making art. I also find making art to be very therapeutic. It's easier for me to express myself through my art than to outright say how I'm feeling.
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the main factors in what drives me to be an artist is that I cannot imagine myself doing else with my education/life. Like most if not all people who choose this path for themselves I have been making things since I was a little kid. And in the process of making things i'm able to express my thoughts and ideas in a way that makes sense to me. Then when a piece of work is finished it gives me a sense of fulfillment that only making art and skateboarding can do for me.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think it's the fact that art allows me to express how I am feeling and who I am as an individual. The beauty of art is that you can create anything you want and have no one to stop you. Although there will always be the people who love it and hate it, I think that's also an important factor that pushes me to expand my horizons and create something unique and special to me. I think it's the positive feedback that pushes me forward and the negative feedback that makes want to prove myself in this world. When it comes to Photography, I am able to capture what's on my mind and present it in a specific way that shares my characteristics with my viewers. Coming from someone who doesn’t always put herself out there, Photography becomes my voice and I am able to share my message and thoughts to who ever will listen.
ReplyDeleteObviously this is a subjective question, as everyone finds motivation in their own way. I have never sold a photograph, most group shows I’ve been in were given to me (not worked for), and any recognition of my work has only been through blogs and school. Many believe that success and money motivate people to continue their practice, but this is such a superficial ideology. I’m certain that artists do not live in this philosophy, since most who practice art never see success and money.
ReplyDeleteMy motivation as an artist stems from the transcendent experience I have while making images. To me, there is nothing like making photographs. From the adventure I make to find the images, to the act of taking the exposure, to countless hours spent processing the images, and finally to the even more tedious printing process; every step feels rewarding, fulfilling, and ultimately therapeutic.
During my first semester of thesis, I learned that thinking too much actually held me back from my desire to make art. I can vividly recall an afternoon in February, when I broke down in my dorm room, believing I couldn’t go out an make any images. Overthinking the act of making work overshadowed the process. However, once I got out of my room, the moment I stepped outside with my camera made everything feel better. I was no longer thinking about making work, I was doing it.
If you love something, you will never grow tired of it. You will want it to be a part of you every day. If making art is something you truly believe to be your passion, then there should be little excuse to do so whenever you can. Anecdote: My father once practiced martial arts. Upon having me, he no longer found the time to go and train anymore. After explaining this to his master, he replied “Do you have time to breathe?” meaning if you are truly passionate about something, you will make the time to do it.
Motivation comes from within, and is catalyzed by true passion and love. If one needs to be motivated by anything other than their own consciousness, then I believe that it may not be what they are actually passionate about.
What inspires me, personally is the idea that I may inspire others with my art. I like to think that art makes a difference in people's lives. I often think of the viewer in my work and how it may effect them. Art is therapeutic, and it helps my get out of my head. It is also a lot more important than people make it out to be. Non-artists have a tendency to feel that art isn't important in society when in reality, we would be nowhere without it. Being an artist pushes me to make this more known to people.
ReplyDeleteI think there are character traits that make us artists and not other people. It's who you are as a person, compelling us to make art. I am very motivated by personal experiences, documenting and expressing how I felt during certain times or events. I feel people often don't realize how art is everywhere and surrounds our lives. There are very few places, if anywhere, you can look that doesn't contain art and wanting to be a part of that and express yourself fuels a lot of artists.
ReplyDeleteWhat drives me to be an artist is the personal sense of achievement and the happiness it brings me. Although i want others to enjoy my work, I ultimately do it for me. It is something that brings me a certain kind of happiness that nothing else does and has become a huge part of my life. I love coming up with an idea and making it a reality, and sometimes not even being sure of what im doing and seeing it come together .
ReplyDeleteThis question is subjective to each person but for me personally, my motivation to create art is to speak about topics and issues that are pressing on my mind, and to do so in a way that others may understand my opinion or to help others form their own opinion about an issue. Although I make art for myself as well, I think art is something that is universally enjoyed, whether it is just for the aesthetics of a piece, or if the viewer is able to draw out anything beyond that, I think it is important to recognize the impact that art can have. It allows us (artists) to voice our opinion in a unique way, and it has the power to impact many others beyond just ourselves.
ReplyDeleteAnyone could answer this question in a variety of ways. As for me what motivates me as an artist is making people aware about things that occur in every day life. When my point gets across to people and educates them on certain issues, I know I have succeeded. Viewer's positive reps once to my work also gives me that drive to keep on going. Some issues that I put into my art come from personal experiences or from experiences of those close to me. Also when I find beauty in something I like to share that beauty to everyone around me. When they respond similar to howI I do, I know I did something right and is very satisfying. I feel like some of my best work comes from my own ideas. I work best when I come up with concept or idea by myself because I know I am really passionate about it and will give it 110%.
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