Why Do We Do It?
A list of reasons why nonprofessionals do art (including craft)
Why do people do an art who are not likely to become professionals at it, let alone rich and famous? I include in artistic crafts in the word art. Recall that much of art and of craft can be hard work, frustrating, and expensive. So why?
They enjoy the feeling of creating.
The want the art, they are making something to have.
They actually hold out hope that they will sell and/or become rich and famous.
They like learning, struggling, improving.
They would be lost without a project.
They’ve found a community around the art.
They feel like they are supposed to do it; feel guilty if they don’t.
They believe it is good for everyone when anyone creates art.
Curiosity.
They lose themselves when working on their art.
They experience what some call “spiritual,” a poetic sense of grace.
They want to have made something that outlasts them.
They want to rehumanize themselves (away from office work or pain).
Which of these ring true for you? You can just say a number or tell us more!
The above picture is a recent picture of my dog Goldie which I did in pencil, with a bit of yellow oil pastel. It took a lot of concentration and I’m pretty sure 10, losing oneself, is part of why I do it. It takes patience but more than that it takes 9, being curious about how to make each part. I like figuring it out, which is part of 1 and 4. Actually all of these are true for me but I rarely think about 12 and don’t always find community around an art I’m doing as in number 6. The rest I think I can let stand, even the embarrassing number 3, and the true but in a vague way, number 7. I don’t tend to phrase things as number 11, but many do, and I can’t disagree with the idea.