An artist’s love of their own artwork is often assumed but not necessarily explored. Onlookers glance at a piece of art and think that its originator—having released the piece to the public instead of keeping it unseen in their personal archives—sees the final image as one of beauty and pride, and they probably believe the artist holds the work in the highest possible regard. Viewers might assume there is a high level of adoration for the work that has been showcased—no matter the media, the time period or the skill level.
As both artist and art lover, I have found those preconceived ideas to be false in a great number of aspects because many creators find that they do not cherish their artwork as much as the public thinks they do. They often find themselves catching a glimpse of their own artwork and only seeing the facets of it that they believe could be better or wish they could change. This, in turn, prompts these artistic “art lovers” to develop negativity towards their own finished works. At the very least, they just do not find the same amount of joy in their art as the unbiased audience does.
Explaining this conflict to those who do not consider themselves art insiders leaves the question ringing in my ears time and time again: “Why, then, love art if you can never truly be happy with the outcome?” This is a simpler question than one might think with an answer that is effortless to explain when your heart beats in time with the rhythm of your own brush strokes.
A true artist has a unique perspective of art that allows them to find their love in its creation instead of in the final product. Their love comes from the artistic processes and not from the piece of art. They look to the planning, sketching, editing and creating to find their natural high. They hold graciously in their heart and mind the pride they have in the untamed ability to capture their current emotion in a visual format. They find happiness in respect for their art form both from themselves and those around them.
The love of art is not based on just looking at art or carelessly throwing a creation together just so you can deem yourself a member of the exclusive class of true artistry. Instead, it is an understanding that true bliss can only be reached when you are creating and making, designing and sketching. Most of all, it is reached more on a personal level with each artist feeling a greater connection with the medium they are most passionate about when it has a tie to their personality.
Take, for instance, my love of photography. I tend to take photographs that express my love of adventure mixed with my passion for the stylized and melodramatic undertones of storytelling. I enjoy hiking to a remote location to photograph a scene and then design an image in a cinematic style that reflects my personal vision.
The joy I feel and the love I have for my artwork is more in the idea of creating it than it is in seeing it showcased. That is what separates artists from the world of art lovers around us.
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EDITOR’S NOTE _ Thanks for reading A&E’s special Valentine’s Day series. Previous articles from this series are still available online:
Day 1 – Valentine’s Day for singles
Day 2 – Why you shouldn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day
Day 3 – Cheap treats for Valentine’s
Day 4 – Love has no bounds
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