Discover Your ‘Why'
Learn how to differentiate yourself and stand out as an artist.
In a series of letters to writer Sherwood Anderson, Georgia O’Keeffe, one of America’s greatest artists, powerfully explored her inner world, her art, and her views on success. One of her insights stands as a timeless call to action for all creators:
“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant—there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing—and keeping the unknown always beyond you…”
In these lines, O'Keeffe speaks to the core of what it means to be an artist—the journey to shape the unknown, to articulate the unarticulated, to dive deeper into what remains unseen.
This challenge—to make the unknown known—is what we'll tackle this week. As we delve into crafting your personal ‘Why,’ we’ll explore this act of revealing the unseen, of giving voice to the deep motivations, beliefs, and passions that drive you as an artist and shape your art—yet may remain silent.
As O'Keeffe understood, the ‘unknown’ drives our creativity. Identifying and expressing this unknown is our mission. This is a process that changes our art and us as artists.
O'Keeffe worked to understand her own artistic pursuits. In the same way, we'll find our own 'Why' to guide us through the ups and downs of our journey as artists.
Last week, we explored the importance of “The ‘Why’ Factor” for artists, going beyond art creation to include your underlying passions, beliefs, and messages. We discussed how a well-articulated ‘Why,’ as outlined in Simon Sinek's influential book "Start With Why," can serve as a compass for decision-making, nurture authenticity, and draw in an audience. The examples set by Apple and Andy Warhol illustrated the power of a clear ‘Why’ in guiding their creative journeys and resonating with their respective audiences.
As we move from ‘understanding’ to ‘action,’ our focus shifts towards the process of defining your unique ‘Why.’ We'll be outlining steps to identify and effectively communicate your ‘Why.’
Are you ready to craft your own ‘Why’? If so, let’s get started…
Note: If you missed what we covered in last week’s edition, don't worry! You can easily catch up by clicking here.
Discovering Your ‘Why’ as an Artist
Crafting your own 'Why' as an artist is an introspective journey that requires deep reflection and self-discovery. It's important to acknowledge that this process may not be easy or immediate. It requires time, effort, and a willingness to explore the core motivations that drive your artistic expression. However, the rewards of uncovering your 'Why' are profound, as it provides you with a sense of purpose, clarity, and authenticity in your creative endeavors.
The following exercises aim to help you discover and articulate your 'Why' as an artist, providing you with a clearer sense of purpose and direction for your creative endeavors.
These exercises are designed to guide you through the process of self-reflection, introspection, and thoughtful exploration. By engaging in these exercises, you'll embark on a self-guided journey of uncovering the fundamental beliefs, values, and motivations that shape your creativity.
Follow the steps below to begin your self-guided journey:
Step 1: Reflection
Start with deep reflection about your passion for art. Ask yourself the following questions and write down your responses:
What drives your passion for creating art?
Can you remember the moment or series of events that sparked your interest in becoming an artist?
Step 2: Identifying Your Values
Consider your beliefs and values. These can often shape your creative output, even if it's subconscious. Try to answer these questions:
What do you believe in?
What values are important to you?
How do these beliefs and values influence your art?
Step 3: Examine Your Art
Take a look at your artwork objectively. Look for recurring themes, styles, or messages. Ask yourself:
What recurring themes, styles, or messages appear in your work?
What do these elements say about your views on the world, what matters to you, or what you want to communicate?
Step 4: The Impact of Your Art
Reflect on the impact you wish to have through your art. This desired impact can be a powerful part of your 'Why'. Consider these questions:
What kind of change or reaction do you hope to inspire with your art?
Do you aim to provoke thought, inspire change, express emotion, or simply bring beauty to the world?
Step 5: Crafting Your 'Why' Statement
Now it's time to consolidate your reflections from the previous steps into a 'Why' statement. This statement should encapsulate why you create art and what purpose or belief drives your work.
Use the following structure to craft your 'Why' statement:
I create [type of art] because I believe in/am inspired by [core belief or value] and want to [desired impact].
Following are some examples for inspiration:
I create portraits because I believe in the natural beauty of everyday people and want to celebrate their unique stories.
I craft sculptures from recycled materials because I believe in the importance of sustainability and want to demonstrate the potential for transformation and rebirth inherent in discarded objects.
I take photographs to highlight the overlooked details in urban landscapes, aiming to spark curiosity about the stories these structures tell.
My music reflects my belief in community and unity. I hope it brings people together, fostering connection and shared understanding.
Feel free to customize the structure and wording to best reflect your personal creative journey and motivations.
Step 6: Test and Refine Your 'Why'
Share your 'Why' statement with others—trusted friends and fellow artists. Gather feedback and be open to refining your 'Why' statement based on the responses you receive and your evolving understanding of your purpose as an artist.
Step 7: Align Your Artistic Practice With Your 'Why'
Once you've crafted your 'Why' statement, strive to align your art practice with it. Use it to guide your creative process, inform the opportunities you pursue, and shape the way you present your art to the world.
Your 'Why' isn’t just a statement—it's a guiding light for your artistic journey.
Remember, your 'Why' is a reflection of your authentic self. It may not come to you immediately, and that's okay. Give yourself the time and space to reflect and revise. The process of discovering your 'Why' is just as important as the statement itself, and you may find that it evolves over time. That's a part of your creative journey, and it's what makes your art uniquely yours.
That’s it for this edition of The Intentional Artist. I hope you find this type of content inspiring and helpful. I’d love to hear thoughts either way.
Please experiment with writing your ‘Why’, and let me know how it goes!
Artfully yours,
Chris
BTW… If you’re interested in diving deeper into crafting your own 'Why' with my help, and if there is enough interest, I am considering creating a workshop, where we work together to craft your 'Why' statement. If this idea resonates with you, please let me know in the comments below.
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And finally, I’d love your input on how I could make The Intentional Artist even more useful for you! So please leave a comment with:
Ideas you’d like covered in future editions
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I do read and reply to every single one of them!
Thanks for your article. You posed a lot of questions i need to answer. Btw, i'm on the way to become a professional artist and your questions were what I was looking for.
Lots to think about! Thank you for this it really helps me clarify my 'why'.