Jul 30, 2010

What Are You Creating For?

There's an underlying current in any creative venture that's best known as motivation. It's the reason why we're doing something. Treated simply or in the moment it may be of little consequence, but looking back at a history of choices (strictly in the creative sense) you have to be a bit curious as to what motivated you to do some of the things you did.

I've questioned time and time again whether maintaining this blog or uploading videos was worth it. Despite the fact that I enjoy it, there's always been a personal debate about the purpose. I don't want to just be entirely self-indulgent, ultimately I'm also trying to fill a need to be heard and to be expressive. While I've created a variety of projects that I'm happy to have just for myself, this experience would seem flat were it not for the feedback, reviews, reactions, etc. that artistry demands. Without obstacles and differing opinions how does one stand out or improve after all?

On closer examination I'm still at a loss in many ways. I create to be seen, to reaffirm my passions, to escape, to learn, to make a personal statement in a community of statements. While this can be seen as generic or expected, there is something fantastic about the body of work that a single person can create in a lifetime. Many of my individual videos have a small message or point, but it's really when viewed as a collective that you can see a substantial part of my personality, my impressions, and style - this story only grows with each passing year. In the end I'd hate to think that my personal experience could be too easily summed up.

What or why you create is as vague a question as why we decide to move around or why we communicate. We all do it, the real concern is how much we care about the impact we're making on each other - accidentally or on purpose.

What are you creating for? I don't know exactly, but I say do it for all the reasons you can possibly think of.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

I think I create to learn. I really like the idea of learning something about myself through experience. Creativity offers that and if you push yourself you learn. The real gratification in this process is after you work hard and are proud of something you have created if some one says they appreciate it. I have had random incidences of this and that is why I continue to want to learn.