That’s a simple question, which is asked all the time. I make art for various reasons, primarily because I enjoy the process. It’s almost like I am in the moment creating something not knowing where the process will take me. I can be lost in the oasis of colour losing all track of time.
Secondly, I have no idea why I paint, but I find it very therapeutic. Once I stop worrying about the end result I’m able to just focus on the creative process. The discomfort of not being able to move forward to the next step of the painting is nothing compared to the joy of seeing the finished product. It gives me immense satisfaction looking at a painting that’s completed and often I’ll spend hours looking at it after it’s done!
That is not to say that it is easy to finish a painting. It’s often very difficult to put down the brush and call it a day; there is often this need to keep tweaking endlessly searching for some form of perfection. Oftentimes when I feel like this I remember the quote by Da Vinci – Art is never finished, only abandoned.
Lastly, sometimes I make a painting because I’ve got a commission or a deadline for an exhibition. It can be hard to motivate myself to the timelines of others rather than my own innate need to create. However, meeting these requirements is necessary for my growth as an artist and it motivates me to perform better. From the timing of putting the brush on the canvas to the finished layer of varnish, there are many things I can do differently but the finished product is always what it should be, nothing more, nothing less!