"Do you remember when you started making art, maybe in childhood? When you first picked up a pencil, something made you want to keep doing it. It probably wasn't the thought I want to do this for the money or I want others to recognise my skill at this. Something in the activity itself called you back."
"Because we have to make money somehow, measure things somehow, to be an artist in adult vocabulary means to be someone who makes art for money, with success. But I think it's well worth keeping separate the question of whether you want to make art from the question of whether you can make money from art."
An artist in their 30s struggles with doubt after pandemic disruptions fractured their professional networks and opportunities. Despite evolving their work toward more narrative and accessible styles, they question whether their art can move people. Concerns about social media demands, generative AI, and lack of financial viability compound their uncertainty. They observe that artists lack cultural respect and struggle for recognition. Eleanor's response redirects focus to the original, intrinsic motivation for making art—the pure desire to create that existed before adult concerns about money and success. She suggests distinguishing between childhood artistic impulses and adult definitions of artistic success, proposing that reconnecting with fundamental creative motivation may be more valuable than pursuing external validation.
#artistic-motivation #creative-identity #success-and-validation #intrinsic-vs-extrinsic-rewards #artist-resilience
Read at www.theguardian.com
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