I’ve decided to start talking about making art again. I’ve always been a bit uncomfortable putting my name to an artistic project. This is because I’m a designer in my daytime job. As a designer, my work is commercial and most of the time of corporate nature. The brief is clear cut, I follow the marketing data given and I’m never in danger of emotions interfering with my work.
There is no way to be an artist without having your soul laid bare.
Making art, however, is a can of worms to me. There is no way to be an artist without having your soul laid bare. It’s a scary thing to most people, because it makes them vulnerable. Especially in this digital age where total strangers would troll you on social media – and they don’t even read real books about art! There is also the rational part of my brain, who keep asking how am I going to earn a living while I’m making art. Fortunately so far, I’ve made a decent living through my creativity. I have a sensible business acumen. But that doesn’t make me an artist.
I think calling oneself an artist is a huge responsibility. Maybe I’m not even that, which is fine. What’s important here is that I could tell my story, express myself creatively and explore my own limits.
So, let’s publish and be damned.
