Art lovers and art doers, I’m sure this question has come up in your life as it has in mine.
Now if you’re an artist and you’ve succumbed to asking yourself this question, I’m glad you landed here. Because for most of us, the question isn’t about art in general. It’s about how the question applies to you: Is it pointless for me to be an artist?
Hang with me and we’ll see if that’s the case for you, or not. I’m also excited to share pointers that will stop this question from rearing its nagging head again.
Without further ado, the “Ask Lucky Vetiver” Series continues:
Being an artist is pointless. True or False?
It is not pointless to be an artist if you are extending something of value to others and to the world at large.
Artists play important, purposeful roles in communicating ideas and fundamental truths, such as beauty.
They can also be compensated for their contributions in various ways to meet financial needs, based on the area of application and their own ingenuity.
“Artists are useless” – Dispelling the Stereotype
Now that we’ve covered the quick and pretty answer, we can explore the origins of the query a bit further.
I often find individuals have 1 of 2 reactions to a self-proclaimed artist: Either they are positive and think it’s rad, or they’re your parents. JK but sorry if it rings true.
In seriousness, one camp usually shows positive support for being committed to a creative pursuit, while the other camp firmly believes that being an artist is a waste of your time, your life, and your potential.
That negative assumption portrays us as foolish lollygaggers. I, for one, do not lollygag. Do you? I bet most of you are creatives offering worthwhile content.
Let’s break down this inaccurate view, so you can toss it out once and for all. Then you’ll be free to embrace all the reasons why artists are valuable.
Why do harsh judgments exist?
Artists are stereotyped as pointless because of ignorance, overgeneralization and resentment.
Ignorance:
People who never consider how enriching music, storytelling, and murals can be – tend to dismiss artists as having nothing to offer. Yet, the truth is they just offer something different.
We need lawyers and teachers and electricians. God knows we need nurses. But most of us also need stimulus and enrichment that is artistic, and intellectually acrobatic, and pushes the envelope of creation. That’s where artists come in. And it’s no easy task to accomplish.
Overgeneralization:
In fact, one of the biggest stereotypes to dispel is that artists are aimless and lazy, as a group. Trust me, my friend, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Being an artist in real life is a purposeful endeavor.
We create stuff! That’s what we do. There’s no room for slacking if we wanna make that happen.
Fellow creators: Think about an album you wrote with your band, a dance routine you choreographed, a series of short stories you composed, a digital animation you made, or your last collection of photographs, whatever your calling may be – were you aimless in those endeavors?
No way.
You accomplished those feats because of determination and a clear sense of purpose. Congratulations on being awesome.
Our “generalizations” section wouldn’t be complete without addressing one more thing: naysayers who claim artists don’t make anything practical.
Well, here’s an undeniable counterpoint: the entire field of Applied Arts debunks this notion. This is where artists provide practical solutions to fulfill specific business needs. It’s pretty sweet.
Resentment:
This is the last source of the infamous “artists are pointless” stereotype. Simply put, people can be bitter or jealous and take it out on others. Maybe they always wanted to be an artist like you, but they never tried . . .
Maybe you are insanely talented, popular or successful with your artwork and they’re envious, wishing it was them.
Don’t sweat it. Don’t give it your time of day. If anything, stay positive and lead by example because you know the truth. You know art is a productive pursuit, so keep doing you.
CODA
Remember that each of us has our own purpose in life and your role may be to fulfill needs that are very different than those of your family or friends growing up. There’s no right or wrong way to “be” – the trick is to be yourself and run like the wind with it.
Originally published on 9/29/21. Updated date shown in header.