Art Matters Because of the Emotion it Evokes
Ultimately, art matters because of the emotion it evokes in us
There’s a whole body of research in psychology about how art evokes emotion. You can read about some of it here on Wikipedia. It’s a real thing.
Leo Tolstoy said, “Art is a human activity, consisting in this, that one man (or woman, of course), consciously...hands-on to others feelings he has lived through, and that other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them.”
There is no other human activity that connects us the way art does
If you’re an artist reading this, I hope you’re seeing that you hold in your hands or your voice or your pen or your brush, the singular ability to make us feel something in a way we’ve not felt before. This is a sacred skill.
If you don’t consider yourself a creative and you’re reading this, go buy some art. It could be music, photography, a painting, print or sculpture, a novel, a book of poetry, even a piece of clothing or craft. Slow down and notice the impact it has on you. You might be surprised.
This is why your work matters. Why art matters.
If you’re interested in getting more of your work out into the world, here are four ways I can help you do this.
#1 Read these posts about how to start handling any trauma you’ve experienced in getting your work into the world.
# 2 If you are ready to start selling your art, Download my cheatsheet: Keep Calm & Sell Something. Follow the directions in there, and tell someone else you’re doing it so you can be accountable to them. While you begin working with your trauma, the best antidote to pain is companionship and connection.
#3 If you want to make yourself a day job (which means starting a business), get a copy of my business plan book for creatives, Passion, Plan, Profit, and find someone, or better, three other someones, and go through the book together. The book tells you how to work in a group or in pairs, and you can download the worksheets in the book here. Companionship and connection again.
#4 If you want guidance, book a free 15 minute chat with me here and I’ll get you pointed in the right direction.