What is your motivation?
I have been working on the Nonsense Society for almost a year now. Every week I receive submissions and see more art than I ever have before. Lately I have been thinking a lot about what makes art meaningful. I find that I am getting better and better at seeing through artists and their motivation. Obviously there are many technical factors that make art professional and pleasing, but that can only get you so far.
Sometimes I look at art that many would consider “amateur,” and I see something more. What is your motivation? Is it to be impress, is it to be popular, is it to make something beautiful, or is it because you truly love your art? Your audience can often tell your motivation, but can you? Shallow motivation leads to shallow satisfaction. This is something I’ve learned along the way.
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Tags: Art, Article, motivation, thoughts
This entry was posted on Sunday, November 29th, 2009 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
6 Responses to “What is your motivation?”
November 29th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Couldnt agree more. I think its hard to find a true motivation nowadays. I mean.. Its a huge competition out there in this world and those who do art for love and fun, end up being more creative than those who have to create art because they must.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
It makes a big difference.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’m gonna say that it’s just fun.
January 18th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
For me, its several reasons. I get such a high off of creativity and beauty and when I’m able to capture it, it just makes me euphoric! I also love the photo community, I love the feeling I get when I realize that a photo that I took makes someone else really feel something. I also love the post-processing (usually), because I love playing with colors, and when I get the colors how I want them, the visual gives me another type of aesthetic high. It’s all around a lot of fun, and it gives me something to center on, it exposes me to so many things I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to, and it constantly helps me challenge myself. That’s why I love it
January 23rd, 2010 at 4:12 am
From my point of view any reason is a good justification behind what motivates you, especially those in the creative community who do it for the love, fun and even self improvement and artistic expression of ones own thoughts, as long as you know the true reason and it isn’t masked behind some other agenda.
A lot of people don’t know why they do what they do, but most do it for the wrong reason, as long as you are aware of that thing that drives you, and you can accept it, then any reason at all is fine.
I agree with Bauni in all respects, it is very difficult, but I guess self appreciation and satisfaction should be a huge drive to motivate any one to do what they love in a competitive industry, an interview with the director of Wall-e stated – you make what you want to see or express, making lots of money and people enjoying your work, is all a bonus.
Those doing it in as a hobby can do marvelous things, as they do not have the pressures of a contract or deadline over their heads, purely for the fun and love of it – is something a lot of creative’s could learn from!
Pat has the right idea!
Emily, sounds as if you are definatly enjoying your work!, looks like you have the right combination of things to drive you or anyone for that matter – the community, love, positive feelings, the process, exploration, fun, exposure and the challenge – is refreshing to hear:)
April 5th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
It is a question which is asked by people already centuries. And many, many meters of paper was filled with possible answers. An artist is somebody creating art because he “has to” without knowing why, and who believes in. You have to have a faith. Art is art only if there is somebody looking at. Art might be considered as nonsense but it is not, however, meaningless. Luckily for al of us who enjoy looking at or creating art. So what is my motivation? I do not know. Is is important? No, It really does not matter. Let’s leave it to the philosophers and art critics .They know……..