My own point of view is "simple and clear", I believe that art makes this scary old world more bearable. A quote from Salvador Dali says it all for me “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.
Of course, many people have little or zero interest in art, I have heard it said on several occasions that they "just do not get it". It often surprises them when asked if they have never: decorated their homes, leaving rooms bare and barren without carpets,curtains, pictures, ornaments or photographs of any kind, been to the theatre or cinema, listened to music or read a book, never thought, wow this is a lovely garden or admired an amazing bit of architecture on their holidays?.
For some reason,they do not consider that all these wonderful aesthetics's we create to make our lives pleasurable, can also come under the umbrella of art and design.
Artist's Viewpoint
From an artist’s point of view, a necessary but sometimes confusing decision is whether to sell your work. If you make your living from your art then the decision if forced upon you, but many artists despite understanding the need to recoup expenses or free storage space, deep down in their soul regret having to part with a piece they have lived with and worked on for some time. It's as though an emotional connection has been made. The Cumbrian artist Percy Kelly, often referred to as Cumbria’s J.S. Lowry, is reputed to have never sold any paintings in his professional life, I can understand that, although how he managed to live as a self-reliant artist heaven knows?
On the flip-side, when you do sell a piece the buzz is very, very real; regret, what regret? the grass is suddenly greener, the sky bluer…. the fact that someone likes what you do so much, they are prepared to make a purchase and hang your creation on their wall gives your soul a lift, this can actually encourage a further creative drive.
Sometimes, the stories behind a sale can leave you feeling warm and gratified. For example, a young man approaching his 21st birthday, so unlike many his age in that he elected for his present to start an “Art Collection” and my work was his first purchase.
Another example, a Solway Firth painting purchased by an American army pilot who likes to visit the places he flies over regularly and just happened to spot my work.
The idea that maybe, just maybe, in the future? a famous art collector may be speaking about his first purchase, the one that started it all was mine. Or that an elderly retired US Army pilot may be showing his grandchildren where he used to fly fast jets over, leaves me feeling very humble in that a little bit of me will live on through my work.
That wonderful American Artist Edward Hopper spoke the truth.
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint”