Why does an Artist feel compelled to make Art? This is one of the questions that came to my mind today while cleaning my art studio. It made me think about what inspires me to make art. Giving me a wonderful opportunity to explore some of the reasons I have been collecting and storing items to use for future art projects. It was a great way for me to get the creative juices flowing and forget that the original goal of what I was really doing was “clean”.

I started to think about why I feel so strongly about making art. Why am I sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by all these “stuff”? What is my motivation? The best explanation I could think of that seemed concise and not a rambling, “I make art to help me make sense of the world I live in.” I take in all the ideas, images, conversations, and everything else I’m exposed to…the good, the bad, and the indifferent, and it’s all processed in my head. The art I create is my response to what has moved through me mentally and emotionally.

It is with this information that I am given the raw material to build a base for the artwork. Often ideas or concepts pass through my mind as a natural progression of word associations that, to an outsider’s perception, would seem like nothing more than chance. These are then mixed with feelings and emotions that are stimulated during the process. The journey of creating art takes me forward on this path. Sometimes this is a road that is organized and goes through the best part of the neighborhoods and other times this road is a little more scary, let’s say a little more primitive and less refined, as I have said many times before, “The brighter the the light, the darker the shadow”. You just need to have a strong conviction and make your way to the other side. All these things mixed together define why I do Art. It is what fills my life with purpose and meaning.

If there is something that I have learned that helps me, as an artist. To be able to make art and maintain a certain level of sanity. I need to be able to adapt and become fluid over the course of the day. At one point, things can seem to fall apart and begin to fall apart. It’s helpful to have the ability to be able to “switch to damage control” and redirect your creative energy.

This is the preferred goal, but I must admit it’s one I can’t always achieve, but it’s part of the creative process.