Creativity Calls

What is it about being human that makes us want to create beautiful things?
Is it something to do with being human? Does the birds nest, beautiful in construction and lined with soft things to protect, count as a work of art even though it is a necessary part of the bird’s life? Is the bird also an artist?

Do we create just to express ourselves? Do we create to please our own eyes? Or is creation more of an expression of something larger? Is the creation of art an attempt by humans to mimic the gods, who created that amazing work of art known as humans?

I’m meandering on about all this because I was just wondering…why do we create?

You see, my sister spends a good part of her weekend in the garage studio where she makes stained glass. She has yet to find a market for her beautiful art (Don’t give up! Keep looking! You are a great artist!), but she creates anyway. Another friend spends hours beading jewelry that never has sold. She gives her art away as gifts. I know another person, a very talented musician who creates beautiful music, just for fun. I know people who paint landscapes, knit, sew quilts, build birdhouses, draw animals, sing in choir, make clothes, turn wood into bowls and on and on. I know lots of people who can’t help creating!

I’m spending a lot of time working on illustrations for a kids book I wrote that will probably never see the light of day. That just got me wondering- Why do we do it?

I met an artist recently who has spent 30something years creating a collection of photographs depicting life in the ever changing city he resides in. On a TV interview he gave for a local program he said he” had never sold a piece of his art”. I almost thought he was bragging, then I thought- it’s just to darn bad.

I mean, with all this creation flowing out of us, shouldn’t we be able to make a living with art?

If there is anyone reading this that thinks making money for art is demeaning or somehow corrupts the art, well we just have to agree to disagree. I can’t think of anything that makes more sense than for people to be able to make a living doing the thing that just naturally flows from them. What could be better than to make your living making beautiful things that enhance the beauty and energy of the world? Humanity has created a world where we must strive to make money so that we can purchase the things we need, no changing that I guess. So why don’t we create a world were the things we need are the things of beauty that, as humans, we can’t seem to stop creating?

I don’t know, I’m just meandering. Hey, I have an idea, why don’t you post a comment telling everyone what you love to create and why you think you are compelled to do it?
If you make money with your art, tell us that too. Maybe together we can figure this out!