I’m a huge believer in making art for art’s sake. Taking photos that no one is going to pay you for. Shooting films that aren’t commissioned or funded. Writing words that the world may never read. I’ve said before that doing and making always trumps talking about it, but there’s also a difference between the doing and making that pays the bills and the doing and making that brings joy, that hones craft, lights creative fires, and that brings meaning to your life. This is personal work. This is creating simply for the act of creating.
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For some, that creative work may lead to more “work” work. For others it is meant to be given away, shared with the world.
Have you ever seen temporary art? Previously on my blog I’ve featured artists such as Andres Amador and Simon Beck who create beautiful patterns in sand and snow. If you’re not familiar with their work, I highly recommend checking them out.
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These artists’ work speaks to the emphasis placed on process – the act of making, with an acknowledgment of the value we derive from that making and from the ability to appreciate something – even something entirely fleeting. They spend hours on their art, only to have it washed or blown away on mother nature’s time.
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Their approach / attitude / priority toward creating + making for the joy of creating, and having a point of view about that which was so compelling. And I’ve come to believe with great conviction that this is a characteristic shared by all the most creative people I know and the most successful artists – the process alone makes the juice worth the squeeze. Sure there’s other stuff at play, but all great artists take joy / pride / love / appreciate the making process.
Looking back – not all that far – I think this is what’s missing from 90% of the photographers who ask me to review their work. The awareness – through the work or the artists attitude toward his or her work – whether or not the work is for the works’ sake or some other masked reason. I think as art appreciators, we can smell the intention and it’s either authentic and hooks us, or it’s not.
Creating temporary art brings that right to the surface. Carlos Castaneda said:
Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use … One makes for a joyful journey; as long as you follow it, you are one with it. The other will make you curse your life. One makes you strong; the other weakens you.
Find joy in what you do. And if it’s not there, keep playing, experimenting, and making. Create art for art’s sake.
Enjoy!
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