Musing on Art: Deep Into Why We Create
The desire to be creative can be broken down into three basic categories. The sublime achievement of creating a reflection of oneself. The joyous process of doing. The acquisition of things independent of creating.
The joy of having created something. Moments of peaceful reflection, enjoying your contribution to the collective enlightenment of the planet. It is about feeling an urgent need to say something. To share some perception even though it may be painful.
The process, this has to do with the pleasure of making things. The opportunity for nervous hands to find relief. It is about sitting in the comfort of a den writing or the restlessness of a potter who always wants to have their hands dirty. It seems the process becomes important for people during their unhappy times.
There are many things that are acquired by creating something. Money, prestige, power, and career. Many of these concerns are not important initially, but moving out of the safe haven of college or family, forces these concerns to become more important. The desire of the artist to escape their own mortality is critical.
Bob Deane 9/19/2009