Artists creating - why?

After many years of not pursuing any artistic endeavor very seriously, I've taken up the paintbrush and canvas and jumped back in. I've had a couple of lovely little blessings fall upon me in that two of my recent small collage pieces have been accepted in two separate Juried Art Show events. A very encouraging start to getting back to the enjoyment of creating.

I do, however, have some thoughts regarding art and artists that I've observed over the years while "not producing" art and in the last few months of the reverse. And, that is -

1. Why do artists create anyway?
Fame, power? Seems unlikely as many artists seldom ever reach even a modicum of fame.

2. Inner peace, contentment - oh my gosh, how frustrating completing some glorious work and never being recognized by an audience, or buyer, or even by ones' self - that can't be inner peace, can it?

3. Daring, fearless - I think those would be long shot descriptions for many artists as seldom do artists have the same confidence outwardly visible in their behavior as that portrayed in their work. Many would rather eat bugs than discuss their work with an inquiring bystander or potential benefactor.

4. Nagging, inner demons crying to be released on a canvas, in a song, or sculpture, a poem, a book?....I hope not demons!

Having recently discussed this, "why do we create, why do others create" topic over lunch with a friend, I believe the closest I can come to understanding why I create, whatever it is I create (that remains a little bit of mystery right now) - I do it because I just NEED to do it right now. I have a yearning in me to create something of lasting value. I have a yearning to be recognized for creativity, I have a yearning to be recognized for intelligence, I have a yearning, yearning,......and for what other reasons do artists - I/you/we create?

Workshops, lectures, books, articles, doctors, learned professors speak of the creativity that is within us all. What do you yearn to create and why do you believe that you MUST and that you will and maybe even that you are already creating everything and more than you ever expected to in your life. I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject....

SS collage photo - Road to Hana

I need help with inserting links into my posts i.e. my last one where I noted two URLs to visit but for the life of me, I could not figure out how to reference them and make them links:( I visited Blogsite's HELP site but no luck. I could use a good example....

The leader in a small spiritual development group with which I study, we're still reading from Dallas Willard's book, The Great Omission - Ch 15 - Jesus the Logician,
gave this assignment yesterday - in what ways do we intellectually downsize Jesus in our every day lives - or do we?

Mr. Willard continues to hold our interest after months of digesting just 15 chapters with quotes such as these below.....

"There is in our culture an uneasy relation between Jesus and intelligence...today we automatically position Him away from (or even in opposition to) the intellect and intellectual life."

"To have understanding of developed logical theory surely could help one to think logically, but it is not sufficient to guarantee logical thinking."

"Logical insight rarely depends upon logical theory, though it does depend upon logical relations."

"In fact, the very idea of hypocrisy implies logical inconsistency." Good night Mr. Willard, wherever you are:)

Mind Sieve - the beginning

Mind Sieve...It seems a descriptive working name for the days when my mind fills with thoughts faster than I can empty it - thoughts I find inventive, funny, entertaining, imaginative; thoughts of craziness, of genius, of artistic yearings for creation of some kind.

Creation - what is it - a story, an article, a book; a sketch, a painting, an image; a nap, yes, that would be good - nap creation!