This summer I listened to Liz Gilbert’s new podcast Magic Lessons. One week she would talk to a “normal person” and help them through a creative road block. The next week, she would talk to a famous writer/musician/etc. to gain even more insight for that person’s problem.
Each week gave me an “A-Ha!” moment, but the one that has been bouncing around in my brain for a couple months is the idea of creating art for the sake of creating art. Even when no one else will see it. Especially when no one else will see it.
In today’s share-everything culture, this is a radical idea. An idea that goes against every fiber of my social-media-loving being.
When I make something pretty, I want to Instagram it. When I string words together in my mind, I want to post them to Twitter. When I take a stunning photograph, I want to splash it everywhere.
But creating art just for me is intriguing for many reasons.
-How often do I put something out there based on what I think an audience would like?
-How often do I decide not to pursue something because I don’t see it going viral?
-Am I capable of creating art and letting it just be what it is? Without an audience?
-In this share-everything culture is there anything I am holding onto for myself?
So I’m going to try it. Creating art for myself. But you won’t know about it because I won’t share it anywhere.
My own little secret.
Have you ever created art solely for yourself? How do you feel about the amount of sharing we do in our social-media world?
First I wanted to say I love the way you think. My son found your blog while searching for other Celiacs out there. It was your May 24, 2013 post that caught his eye and he passed it on to me, saying ” Here is someone with the same brain foggy symptom and she is tried of repeating herself too. You need to go check it out!” and I did. I have your RSS feed and read every post. I also , do not let CD define me. It is only a part of me, which in many ways has empowered me and given me strength. But I digress, I wanted to comment on this post ……… I have always just created for me. It is very hard to share my Art with anyone. I create with all kinds of medium and I will embrace my failures as much as my wins…. I have only just become a blogger and it is a daily struggle to share some of the things I do. I think in today’s society we OVER share!! Too much, Too often On the flip side it is great to see how many people connect through the Social Medias. Like me finding you:)