I have a bit of a new artistic credo.
Talent and ability are not requisites for artistry. True artists show up, that’s it.
Say there’s a creative freelance opportunity that’s offered to both an experienced designer and a fresh upstart freelancer. The experienced designer can initially have the better idea and have confidence in the project, but maybe because of that confidence and expectations he holds for himself, he doesn’t complete the project. The fresh upstart however completes the project in less than 24 hours, honored just to be given the opportunity and gets the job. The best art may not be made in this scenario, but that’s the harsh reality of art that I’m getting at.
The best art is the art that’s being made.
Freelance opportunities are not the best illustration for what makes great art, but they paint a good picture for the motivation and consistency that a true artist requires. I’ve been in both of these positions.
I’ve had plenty of personal creative projects and freelance jobs. I’ve established myself as an artist, but I’ve let the expectation of a title and the different perceptions that it brings draw my creative output to a standstill. I make things and fail to share them, lose out on freelance opportunities due to my own self critique, and let concepts of a self image slowly deteriorate my ability to be creative. I wanted to be an artist, so I put myself out there. Then I slowly started to let the fear of losing that title stop me from doing all the things that made me an artist in the first place.
That’s why I’m here. If I’m going to be an artist, it’s not going to be because of my talent or ability to draw. It wont have to do with my eye for style or the creative influences that I’ve been subjected to. These things will help me, but it’s not about the talent or the skill. If I’m going to be an artist again, I need to make art.
Ben Greenman 