Are the arts selfish? Art is usually linked with attributes like inspirational, innovative, and moving. And while some artists may be self-absorbed, no one wants to be called selfish. Is being an artist selfish? If we choose to create art that is dear to our heart, instead of making art that appeals to the needs of others, does that make us selfish artists? Let’s talk about it!
“Art is the most intense form of individualism the world has ever known.”
This is what Irish novelist Oscar Wilde once said about the arts and selfishness.
Are the arts selfish?
As I am not a writer like Wilde but a digital artist, I want to look at the visual arts in this post and discuss whether making visual art is inherently selfish.
Let’s take an example. If we choose to create art that is dear to our heart, instead of making art that appeals to the needs of others, does that make us selfish artists?
Mh… thought-provoking question. I myself actually never thought about the arts as being selfish. I always thought about art-making as a totally legitimate outlet for our creativity, a passion—or a calling, if you will.
I never saw anything selfish about making paintings, jewelry, or sculptures. But it obviously is something that troubles many creatives, especially when it comes to starting your own art business.
If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that I’m all about self-care for artists, meditation, and other healthy lifestyle habits.
Interestingly, I was just reading the book The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson, when I came across the question whether being an artist is selfish. As you might have guessed, extreme self-care is all about making yourself a priority, setting healthy boundaries, and doing what feels good to you.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not about knocking everyone over and believing you are the center of the universe. No. It’s about catering to our physical, mental and emotional well-being and saying no when we have to—something we all probably don’t do as often as we should. Right?
So, if making art contributes to our well-being, is being an artist selfish?
Let’s get into it!
Why are artists self-absorbed?
Artists are commonly thought of as being self-absorbed. But does that mean that each artist is being selfish?
Let’s have a look at the process of art-making. You usually work alone in your office or studio. Of course, you can also share a studio with other artists, but during the actual creative process you are on your own.
Then, where do artists get their ideas? You can get inspired by looking at other artworks, at nature, architecture, movies, and so on. There may be outside things that you take in and that contribute to forming a new creative idea. But—unless you copy another artwork—the inspiration for creating a new piece are always springs from within yourself.
The stories you are telling through your art—where do they come from? From within yourself. They are your experiences, emotions, and thoughts.
People often see self-absorption as one of the negative things about being an artist. They associate self-absorption with an overly emotional, capricious and egocentric behavior.
I’m not saying that there are no such artists. Everyone is different. What I’m saying is that every artist needs to be self-sustained, to a certain extent. So, if you are serious about making art, some amount of self-absorption is an essential part of the artist’s nature.
From that perspective, being self-absorbed as an artist doesn’t necessarily mean to be selfish. Let me know what you are thinking in the comments!
Are the arts selfish?
When I hear that question, I get the impression that it implies that the arts are inherently selfish. If you are making art, you cannot be anything but selfish. Being an artist means being selfish.
When have you ever heard a question like, is being a doctor selfish? Or like, is being a lawyer selfish? Even though some individuals working in those professions may well be considered greedy, those occupations are not routinely thought of as being selfish.
However, when it comes to the arts, it’s much more commonplace to ask that question.
What is the difference between the arts and other professions?
In my opinion, it all comes down to the fact that being an artist is not considered a real job in our society. You can make art for your leisure, but not for a living. You need a real job that pays the bills and provides you with social status.
The starving artist is still one of the myths about artists that is deeply engrained in our thoughts.
In that context, I also came across the argument that pursuing the arts is selfish because it introduces a lot of uncertainty and risk to your life. Sure, you need to take risks in art.
But I’d argue that opening your own doctor’s or lawyer’s office also involves a risk. And that risk is even much higher, as compared to starting your own art business—just think of all the expenses you need to make and equipment you need to buy to get your own doctor’s or lawyer’s office running.
To create art, on the other hand, all you need to invest in is a drawing tablet—in the best-case scenario… (ᴖ‿ᴖ)
Is being an artist selfish?
It is obvious that people interpret different things into the word selfish. However, one thing we all agree about is that being selfish is something negative. Nobody wants to be called selfish, and when someone does call us selfish, we immediately feel ill at ease, ashamed, and required to justify ourselves.
Society has taught us that selfishness is something fundamentally bad. Being selfish is often linked with being overly concerned with one’s personal profit, at the expense of others.
Let’s come back to the arts. What exactly does it mean—to be selfish as an artist?
What if you replace selfish with another word, such as passionate, dedicated, committed, or driven? You surely notice how the undertone changes instantly. The negative connotation of selfishness has been exchanged with something positive.
Hence, when we make an effort and look past the negative implications of the word, we quickly realize that we all need a healthy portion of selfishness to ensure our mental and emotional well-being. Because, at the end of the day, being selfish means focusing on our own needs, our own priorities, and valuing our unique perspective on the world.
I think it’s about time to let go of the idea that taking care of yourself is selfish.
Why you should be selfish as an artist
First off, becoming an artist is not really a decision. To my mind, it’s more like a calling to be an artist. Something inside of you wants you to make art. You just follow what feels right to and what makes you a happy and more balanced person. Is that selfish?
Many of you might agree it’s not, but I already hear a few people argue that doing what you like, without asking those around you whether they like it, is selfish.
In my opinion, this is a very superficial way of looking at things. Because, when you take a closer look, you will quickly realize that a happy person is a better parent, a better companion, a better colleague, a better problem solver, etc. Your happiness will have a positive impact on your entire environment.
But in order to become that happy person, you will need to learn to become comfortable with disappointing others—because you can’t avoid it!
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I am currently reading the book The Art of Extreme Self-Care—which is an extremely good read that I can recommend to everyone (especially the ladies here, i.e. ‘good-girl syndrome‘, I guess we all know it…).
In her book, Cheryl Richardson teaches us that caring for ourselves requires courage and the willingness to deal with the disappointment and hurt feelings of other people. According to her, self-care means, among others:
- Learning to make choices and decisions that honor and reflect your true nature.
- Learning to weather the feelings of guilt, fear, being judged and criticized that occur when you start to make your needs a priority.
- Learning to accept that people might not like what you do and that you might lose friends along the way.
- Surrounding yourself with people who are smart, self-aware and interested in two-way relationships.
- Getting your financial act together and leave work in the middle of the day to get out into nature. (Yes, you can do that as an artist!)
Now, what happens when you are being selfish as an artist?
Well, some things that can happen when you make your art a priority in your life are the following:
- You honor your unique creative vision and identity so that your art becomes more meaningful and profound.
- You don’t make art in order to please others or fulfill the perceived expectations of fans, gallery owners, and curators.
- You freely express yourself through your art.
- You don’t let the number of Likes and the size of your following determine the true value of your art.
- You don’t trade your passion for what society considers a real job.
- You are feeling happy and fulfilled with the work you do and you are often in the blissful flow state when you are working.
- You connect with other artists and art lovers who share the same interests as you and offer you support.
- You don’t shy away from marketing your art and making money with your art skills. It is your right to get remunerated for what you do!
There is nothing wrong with being a selfish artist, if selfish means realizing your full creative potential!
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Do you find it hard to be a ‘selfish artist‘? Please leave comments and questions below or reach out to me directly. I’d love to hear from you! Make sure to sign up for my email list below so you don’t miss out on new blog posts and other cool stuff. ♥
