Art is the Journey of a Free Soul

Before we begin.. I want to define art in terms of paintings, sculptures, digital, something you would frame and hang on your wall, or place on your coffee table.. not music or fashion and the like.. So..

Do you buy art as a statement, to fill a blank space, because you love art, or because it evokes some kind of emotion in you? What ever your reasons, art is a part of life one must full fill..

As children, we are born inquisitive, creative and minds that are gifted full of imagination. As we grow, society punches the creativity out of some of us, stifles us into being 'normal', and the very fact many artists struggle to make a living from their art, highlights how society deems a creative mind useless, because a creative mind is often an open mind, and society doesn't require creative minds thank you very much! But please don't take that statement literally.. I don't mean it in a literal sense. I mean it as the value people place on art, over something like fashion.. I myself would rather have a stunning piece of art over a designer label draped over my back..but I'm not your standard cookie.

I worked in a corporate environment for many years, I often said how my creativity was being killed, and my desire to draw was non existent. Don't get me wrong, creativity is required in the corporate world.. graphic designers, fashion designers, singer/song writers. But, those who create art (paintings), from their imaginations, are often over looked, (ever heard struggling artist?) unless you are one of the lucky ones to sell a painting for £450 000 000.. (yes that happened recently.. and in an art group I'm in the question was asked - was it worth it? My response was, to the person who bought it, yes). I had no idea why this question was being asked by an artist of all people.. it should be celebrated that art can be worth that much to an individual, as, you never know who will happen across your work one day.. Art brings beauty, questions, inquisitiveness, life, meaning, darkness, just as music means something to people. But music seems to be more of an accepted art form in daily life, as in, people will spend more money on music, over wall art? Yet, if I didn't have art on my walls, my house would feel 'empty', just as my life would feel empty without music. The walls would be bare..

Art allows for a personal stamp to be added.. you are saying .. this is me, my tastes and my personality. The art you choose is the art that has evoked some kind of emotion in you. You may not be able to say what it means, because a lot comes from our collective subconscious, and we don't always understand our choices. But, you liked it, so that's ok.

So, why are people reluctant to spend money on art, which, ultimately, will enhance their lives in some way.. One theory, is we live in a throw away society. As one artist pointed out. People are prepared to spend hundreds on a phone that will be out of date in 2 years, than spend money on something that they will have for life. Its easier to engage with a phone, handbag or a video game than a piece of art for some people, and if you were not brought up to appreciate art then you won't value it. The internet also has played a part in lessening the value of art, and this can also include music and film. We have come to expect things for free, or pay a very small price for items.. and included in this is corporations taking art, and making it mass produced to sell to millions at a very cheap price. Again, lessening the value of art. Don't get me wrong, I have been tempted to contact Ikea.. but do I really want my art to be massed produced? Not really.. an essence of who I am has been worked into my art, and I value that. Yes, my work is digital, and yes, it can be printed on a mass produced level. .BUT, I don't want it mass produced as I want people to see value in it.. hence why the large pieces are limited. When I was pricing my art, a friend said to me as she looked swooningly at Reflective.. think about it Jo. This is in no ones home at this time.. that gives it value. On the flip side of that, I wanted to offer A3 small prints so EVERYONE has the opportunity to enjoy my work, and, the realisation that not everyone has my vision for big bold art. And on the upside, I have sold quite a few A3.

It was also suggested that art has become less emotive for people. The online element of advertising art has made it so. There are no means to physically touch and 'engage' with the art. When I had my canvases done for an exhibition, those who had seen the work online were a lot more excited about the pieces than when they saw them online..

I guess ultimately it comes down to mindset..if you are a person who would happily spend £30,000 on a bottle of imported vodka (I know, I couldn't believe it either), yet you wouldn't spend the same on a piece of art, the partying then puking hold more value to you.. We are all on our own journey.

So, which piece would you like to order? :D

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this subject.

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