Art is Survival
I'm aware in that saying the above title I might be seen as dramatic or otherwise too dream-like, lost in my own pipedream too much to fully grasp my own words.
But I really mean it when I say: Art is survival. At least for me, anyway.
I've been thinking about it a lot recently. There's a reason why I vehemently refuse to monetise my art, and it's not just because art is one of my main hobbies (though that definitely plays a big role in it too!). I think rather... I view art more as a survival technique than anything else. Let me explain.
Art, for me, is about exploration. In every piece of my art is a piece of me, even if I'm completing an art trade, fanart, or on the odd occasion doing commission work. To make art is such a deeply involved practice for me, something that I explore in my own time to come to conclusions regarding issues or traumas and to make something pretty out of it. Because of this, it is survival for me. I started drawing as a way to express my emotions, and still to this day that is what is about for me first and foremost. Fun— if I'm not having fun, then there's no point in it! I could go months without creating art and part of my understanding of that is that I'm doing better during its absence in my life. I still create when I'm happy, but I tend to lean into other avenues of creation, such as coding or writing. But art is my shoulder to lean on when the going gets tough and I need a little something to help me survive the day to day.
And on the topic of commission artworks, I always work off a pay what you want / pay what you think it's worth basis, and if not that then: a barter system. In exchange for art I'll receive an art piece myself, maybe music, sometimes writing, you get the idea! Part of this is because of my issues monetising my hobbies, in that by doing so all the fun is removed from my hobby if it's done purely for money (work). But also because times are tough, and art is joy, and I don't want to gatekeep my work from others just because they don't have enough money! Doing things this way helps me feel less involved in the art process from a working perspective, which is beneficial for me and the other person involved. I'm a firm believer in the thought that others can tell if I've had fun with an artwork just by looking at it. Maybe it's more true to myself, and not in a way that makes me a harsh critic, but I just get the vibes from looking at artwork I didn't enjoy. It's easy to know when I've been drawing for work versus for fun, and I always dislike my work pieces.
I'm rambling a bit and I worry my thoughts are a bit incoherent, but I hope that maybe something in this entry resonates with you. Let me try some bullet points!
- Art is survival, meaning every artwork I've created holds a piece of me within it— even if that artwork was made for someone else. This is special and requires effort on my part.
- Art is survival in that I use it as a means to express myself and/or to otherwise explore difficult emotions/topics. It is a form of therapy for me.
- Because of the above, I hate monetising my artwork. Doing so sucks all the fun out of the process.
- Above all else, art has to be fun for me. Or at the very least productive in some way, shape, or form.
All of this to say... I enjoy creating for myself only. But that can take on different forms— it's not always a selfish endeavour! Drawing for my friends is a process that also serves me fundamentally, because I enjoy giving gifts and making my friends happy. Does that make sense?
Anyway. Time to draw!