There is something compelling and mysterious about the urge to make art. Those of us that make art today are part of a tradition going back many thousands of years. What is its role in your own life? What basic needs does making art satisfy? Why do so many of us spend so much of our time putting down paint, shaping clay, carving wood or marble, or cranking prints through a press? Today we toss around some ideas about what motivates us to create and the satisfaction it brings.

It's not uncommon for an artist to stop working for a while due to some disruption in their lives and it can be a distressing time. If stopping is the result of a personal upset or trauma, a vicious cycle can develop in which not working can lead to an even lower state of mind, and lead to even more difficulty getting back to it when the overall situation improves. Yet most artists don't truly give up their studio practice when circumstances are negative, and will continue to search for a way back in.

Although artists have always persisted through every era of history and every situation that people experience, it is sometimes seen as a self-centered activity and not essential to society. In fact, it is an extremely personal activity and that connection to self is the source of the passion artists feel. At the same time, art transcends individual experience with its universal appeal, and is a very basic aspect of a fully developed culture.

For artists, art can fulfill many needs, from the desire to explore and be challenged, to spiritual fulfillment. It is a way of processing experience and to find a language for what goes on in an artist's inner life. These aspects lead to the intense drive and passion artists tend to feel for their work.

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Also-- please visit https://www.espacioart.org to learn about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A few booking openings are still available in 2023, so please incquire if you are interested.

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