Why indeed?
I suppose one could also ask the questions
- Why go to the gym if you are not hoping to be an athlete?
- Why write a journal if no one is going to read it?
- Why write a story if you are not planning on publishing it?
Worthy questions, in a way.
Is it too simplistic to say that it is something we enjoy? These days, a hobby for the sake of enjoyment does not seem to be something the world has time for. It's for those people who have spare time. People who 'have real lives' apparently do not have time to specifically dedicate to pastimes. It becomes a topic of dissention, and in some cases condescension.
"I'd read if I had the time."
"It's so nice for you that you have the time to think about writing. I barely have time to wipe my nose."
We all hear it, right?
So what is the right answer to the above questions?
An answer for the gym question seems easy, right? We work out to remain healthy. We want to maintain physical fitness, we want healthy bodies, we need to release tension in our minds and we want to be perceived as healthy and attractive. Physical, emotional and yes, mental health.
Are the arts any different?
I could dedicate a whole post to why I write, and perhaps I will. I cannot lie and say that I never dream of having works published. But it's not why I write.
And likewise, I would love to have the drive and the skill to say 'yes, I can pursue the visual arts full-time'. I would love nothing more than to be courageous enough to traverse the unpredictable and disheartening road which is that of the struggling artist. Perhaps then the time I spend on my 'hobby' would not seem so pointless. Of course, in that instance people would find other reason to criticise the way artists spend their time
So why? Why do I draw?
Drawing frees my mind. When I'm working on a drawing, when I'm focussed on a form, on beauty, on interpretation, it honestly takes everything else away. I feel frustrated at times, tired at times, frequently dissatisfied with the end product, but I love that the end product is not the point for me. The process is what matters. The journey rather than the destination. The knowledge that if even one person sees some beauty in what I have attempted, it is worth it. It helps me to get my thoughts in order, even momentarily, and that can never be a bad thing.
And even if I do one day fulfil that distant and seemingly impossible dream of making a living from what I love to do in my spare time, I hope I never lose that feeling and fulfilment that comes from doing something for the simple reason of loving it.
I have posted some of my recent pictures in the gallery. Take a peek!
xx Nat
I suppose one could also ask the questions
- Why go to the gym if you are not hoping to be an athlete?
- Why write a journal if no one is going to read it?
- Why write a story if you are not planning on publishing it?
Worthy questions, in a way.
Is it too simplistic to say that it is something we enjoy? These days, a hobby for the sake of enjoyment does not seem to be something the world has time for. It's for those people who have spare time. People who 'have real lives' apparently do not have time to specifically dedicate to pastimes. It becomes a topic of dissention, and in some cases condescension.
"I'd read if I had the time."
"It's so nice for you that you have the time to think about writing. I barely have time to wipe my nose."
We all hear it, right?
So what is the right answer to the above questions?
An answer for the gym question seems easy, right? We work out to remain healthy. We want to maintain physical fitness, we want healthy bodies, we need to release tension in our minds and we want to be perceived as healthy and attractive. Physical, emotional and yes, mental health.
Are the arts any different?
I could dedicate a whole post to why I write, and perhaps I will. I cannot lie and say that I never dream of having works published. But it's not why I write.
And likewise, I would love to have the drive and the skill to say 'yes, I can pursue the visual arts full-time'. I would love nothing more than to be courageous enough to traverse the unpredictable and disheartening road which is that of the struggling artist. Perhaps then the time I spend on my 'hobby' would not seem so pointless. Of course, in that instance people would find other reason to criticise the way artists spend their time
So why? Why do I draw?
Drawing frees my mind. When I'm working on a drawing, when I'm focussed on a form, on beauty, on interpretation, it honestly takes everything else away. I feel frustrated at times, tired at times, frequently dissatisfied with the end product, but I love that the end product is not the point for me. The process is what matters. The journey rather than the destination. The knowledge that if even one person sees some beauty in what I have attempted, it is worth it. It helps me to get my thoughts in order, even momentarily, and that can never be a bad thing.
And even if I do one day fulfil that distant and seemingly impossible dream of making a living from what I love to do in my spare time, I hope I never lose that feeling and fulfilment that comes from doing something for the simple reason of loving it.
I have posted some of my recent pictures in the gallery. Take a peek!
xx Nat