In a capitalist world, a hobby for fun has become nonexistent. Gone are the days of creating something for the pure joy it brings you. Societal pressures have convinced you that the only way your art is valid is if you sell it. And living in a world where we’re so desperate to escape the mundane life of cubicles and bitter office coffee, we easily feed into the thought. Imagine. Being able to make money off of a painting you made. Or something you knit. Or something you wrote. Like me. I, like many others, have fallen victim to the enticing fantasy of being able to profit off of your work. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I get paid to write—I’m living my dream. However, what about those of us who just want to create to…create?
You’ve baked a cake for a friend. Hours of perfecting your recipe, learning how to pipe, and creating the cutest creatures out of fondant. You’ve learned it all. The joy you feel while you put together all of the pieces to create the final result: a beautiful cake for your friend. You bring it over to them and they’re elated. Their joy brings you so much happiness. They cut into the cake, serve you a piece, take a bite, and they’re completely in awe. The cake is absolutely delicious. The best cake they’ve ever eaten. You feel like the proudest baker. Something you’ve created has given someone you love so much joy. Then they say those dreaded words: “You should open a bakery!”
“It would be great! You could sell all of your amazing cakes and go to weddings and events! You’ll make so much money!” Will it be great? Will creating a business plan to convince a bank to give you a loan be great? Finding a location? Getting permits? Inspections? Marketing? Grand openings? Spending 10 hours a day working at your new business? Dealing with deadlines and angry customers? Will all of this be great? Maybe for someone. But for you, why can’t you just bake a cake for a friend?
Does selling your art mean you’ve succumbed to the capitalist mindset? Not necessarily. You can sell your creations for a small profit or even to break even on supplies. You can even have a dream to open your own business based on the art you’ve created and it doesn’t mean you’ve fallen to the pressure. It’s only when you’re creating turns into daunting work. When the joy you once felt has turned into resentment for your new obligation.
In an effort to battle my relentless perfectionism, my therapist suggested I do something for fun; a foreign concept for me. However, I put aside my need for reasoning and painted two little watercolor sceneries of sunsets. They weren’t perfect, but I felt so proud. As I created them, I felt a sense of calm. I wasn’t (too) worried about making it look perfect and didn’t throw them away immediately after a simple mistake. Once I finished them, I did what every normal human does…I shared it on my social media, specifically my Instagram stories. I specify because I wanted it to be a fleeting thought. I didn’t need it to be a permanent image for everyone to see. It’s just something simple I painted that I wanted to share. Still, I received numerous messages from people, encouraging me to sell the prints. I was flattered someone thought my work was good enough to be sold, but I immediately felt the pressure that I couldn’t just create art without an agenda. The worst part of all for me is that…I considered it for a moment. I could sell my art, couldn’t I? Clearly, people wanted to buy it. Or did they? Maybe they just think I should because why wouldn’t I? Isn’t my “talent” going to waste if I don’t profit from it? And to that I say, nay.
So, I respectfully declined and now I look back at my two little paintings and a soft smile creeps up on my face. I can still feel the joy I felt when I looked at my finished work for the first time. The best part? I don’t have to share that with anyone. However, I will share it with you. For nothing more than to just admire. I created art, for the sake of creating art.
