Artists create and express their ideas and emotions through a variety of mediums. They may paint, sculpt, write, compose music or produce a non-narrative video. Creating art is a full-time profession for many and can be quite lucrative. However, it is important for artists to understand that they are also communicators – their artwork is not simply about beauty or the formal aspect of a piece but about an idea or message. The ability to communicate this effectively will help them reach and engage with their audience, thereby increasing the impact of their work.
Creativity comes naturally to some people and for others it is something that they need to nurture. Being creative is an important trait for all careers, but it can be a real challenge for those in artistic occupations who must think of new ways to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and convey complex messages through visual mediums. This can be particularly difficult for those who are self-taught and must rely on themselves to come up with their own solutions.
Being able to see things differently is another important characteristic of artists. They are often able to perceive subtleties in the environment that others may miss, whether this is a person’s expression, the way that light falls on a piece of fruit or the sound of a bird’s call. This heightened sensitivity can be a powerful source of inspiration, but it can also be overstimulating and lead to sensory overload.
Artists are often inquisitive and want to probe deeper than the surface of any given subject. This curiosity may be triggered by their desire to understand why something works, why it doesn’t and how they could improve it. Cultivating curiosity is vital for the creative process, but it can be challenging to balance with the need for focus and discipline.
Being open to collaboration is a great skill for artists. They must be able to collaborate with other professionals, including those in the business world, in order to market their work and find opportunities to show it. This can include working with marketing teams to develop visuals that align with brand messaging, collaborating with R&D to conceptualize product designs, and partnering with customer service to ensure that artist contributions are responsive to user feedback.
Art is a form of communication that can break down cultural and socioeconomic barriers and level the playing field for discussion and debate. Art can inspire foreigners to accept different cultures and make the world a more tolerant place. It is for this reason that Greater Good asked several artists to answer the question: “Why do you make art?” The answers they provided were incredibly personal and varied: entertaining, building bridges between themselves and the rest of humanity, recording fragments of thought and feeling, expressing what they cannot say otherwise, saying things that they feel are essential to the world and their own identity.