I don’t know a lot about art. Nor do I pretend to know a lot about art. But today when I visited the AGO, one thing became quite apparent. Art is truly a labour of love and most of all passion.Before most art has any value, it’s created entirely from an artist’s vision, talent and passion. The passion to keep on creating and sharing, regardless of whether or not he or she is making any money. Even the artists responsible for some of the most expensive pieces of art today probably weren’t making a living from their art.
Yet, that didn’t stop them. The results of their efforts are works of absolute beauty enjoyed by people around the world. That’s what defines and drives the value of a piece of art, long after an artist is no longer around to realize the impact her vision and creativity had on generations to come. These visual artists weren’t thinking about being rich in monetary terms. They were thinking about self-expression, doing something they loved and sharing with an audience who appreciated their talents – day in and day out. Now that’s passion.
This got me thinking about why so many people are hung up about being paid for pursing their passion today. There are many things I’m passionate about in life that don’t have a monetary value, nor should they, like family and relationships. It’s the relationships I’ve made here that drive my passion to maintain this blog – and if you’re wondering, less posts do not mean I’m any less passionate – so please keep your comments coming.
So why are so many people hung up about making a living from creating personal online content? If you can make a buck or two at it, that’s great. If it’s getting in the way of other things you value, maybe you aren’t as passionate about it as you think.
Oh yeah, and if you’re looking for a way to get a lot of value for your money on a rainy summer day, visit an art gallery.
