Artists are frequently judged as those who have nothing better to do with their lives, those who sit around and just have fun or are too lazy to get a “proper” job. But what most people don’t realize is that regardless of the job’s conditions, there is so much a person learns from art and most take on new attributes from just being artists.
If there’s one thing I’ll always be grateful for, it is having taken up art by pure coincidence. Thank God for art and how it has changed me as well as the way I see life. So no, art isn’t just about splashing colors, here are just a few of the most important things art can teach you.
The experience is what counts
Most artists get bored pretty easily and with that comes the many unfinished art pieces they start, but never actually finish.
With that, art teaches you to learn from the process and to make a piece of art that is what you feel is best. You learn that flaws are what make things beautiful, that unfinished things have a certain vibe to them that make them more mysterious and appealing and that everything you learn from the process adds on to your growth as an artist and person, regardless of the outcome.
To go with the flow
Many times you have no idea where you’re heading or what you want to do, but doing nothing is never the solution. Art teaches you to just go with the flow, take the first step and things will start to formulate and you’ll find yourself building up on it.
Problem solving
Creativity has no boundaries and that’s one of the things I personally love about art. I’m always asked what happens when you make a mistake and my response is that that is always the fun part. The adrenaline rush and being bombarded with a hundred possible solutions to fix the so-called problem are enough to make you certain that every problem has a solution – and most of the time, more than one.
Most times, these so called mistakes make your piece of art even more incredible that you expected. It is what makes it unique and gives it the human touch that makes every art piece stand out.
You can’t please everyone
You’d expect that putting something out there, people would only see what you want them to see. But just like everything else in life, no matter how hard you try, every person will have their own way of judging and relate to different aspects.
Along the way you come to realize that you can’t please everyone and what makes you unique are those small things that discourage or attract the minor few. And realizing that and accepting it is what makes you be true to yourself.
You’ll never be alone
No matter how hard life gets, you’ll always have art. You can speak 100 languages and tell a million stories with every art piece. You’ll never be alone with the ideas in your head and your hands doing their magic. You’ll be transported to a parallel universe where everything in your head comes to life leaving you feeling content.
Take risks
You’ll never know what something can turn into until you actually try. Art teaches you that it’s okay to make mistakes and with every mistake you learn something new. All you really need to do is just take the first step and who knows what to expect?
How to make something out of nothing
Watching an artist work is like watching a magician do magic tricks. To see the first strokes, the first molds or the bits and pieces turn into the final outcome is just miraculous. Art teaches you that everything has a purpose no matter how small it is, and that building on the little things will surely get you somewhere.
Determination is key
It’s not easy being an artist. There comes a time when you run out of ideas or are just not in the mood. Even though we wish we could push a button and we’ll have a million new inspirations and ideas, it doesn’t really work that way. And of course, having to fight everyone around you for doing what you love most can sometimes bring you down.
Having to go through that and still stick to being an artist teaches you the importance of perseverance and how when you’re determined to do something, nothing can stop you.