knowing why

I've written my share of artist's statements as well as read many others.   With few exceptions (including my own) these are often painful and uncomfortable things to read.  They are either nonsensical, pretentious, arrogant or hopelessly naive; the worst are trite banalities about feeling.  What an odd and ridiculous thing to force someone who has chosen to express themselves visually to attempt to explain themselves in writing.

Yet, the larger purpose of these things cannot be overstated; know why it is that you do what you do.  Why do you paint with acrylics?  Why do you collage?  How does your work fit into the historical and cultural strains in which you have been born and raised?  What is important enough to you that you feel compelled (against the better judgement of friends, family and lovers) to dedicate your time, energy and money to this expression?  What is it, exactly, that you hope to achieve?

I think we should ask ourselves these questions as artists; and I think we should ask them frequently.  The answers can be simple (at least in simple language) but they must be authentic.  Art without integrity (notice I didn't say Integrity) will always be empty.  One has to apprehend that sense of what purpose it serves, -even in their own lives alone.  I know the answer isn't the same for everybody; that's not the point.  But the difference between art students, crafters and professionals is that the latter should no longer do things simply because they are provocative or edgy or "now" without having something else behind it.

I think that's how you survive and eventually thrive.  You figure out what's interesting and why, and how you think you can do it and what materials speak to you and you do that and you find out everything about how to do it and when that thing/idea/style becomes interesting to a larger audience you are already doing it and doing with absolute authenticity and integrity and the come-latelys can't hope to compete against that truth.

Maybe, maybe not.