Creative Self Expression - Capitalism vs Creativity: Creating Art Without Selling Out -

Capitalism vs Creativity: Creating Art Without Selling Out

I’ve come to realize that good art isn’t always worth something. When I first started to create, I didn’t realize how quickly capitalism could cloud creativity.

Ashamedly, my first instinct was to bow to capitalism, sacrifice creativity, and make money off of my art. I created multiple things and then opened a shop to see if people would actually buy what I created. It went okay, but I quickly realized that my passion and joy for creating died almost immediately when I tried to create something that would sell.

It was a self-inflicted creative block, but it felt suffocating and like I was only allowed to create if I made something worth selling. That mindset didn’t come out of nowhere. It was shaped by how our culture defines artistic value.

This feeling of “I can only create if I get paid for it”, stems from the fact that it feels like good art is only something I can have if I pay exorbitant amounts of money for. So if I could create something that was worth exorbitant amounts of money, I would be a good artist. However, at the end of the day, to have beautiful and impactful things in your life you don’t always have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Is My Art Worthless?

Are there any other artists out there who feel like they’re only allowed to create if they can sell their creations afterwards? The things I want to create don’t always have value to anyone else. Sometimes they’re more personal to me than they ever will be to someone else.

So what if my art has no value? If it means nothing to anyone else, can I still call it art? If someone isn’t willing to pay for it, but just wants to view it for free, was it still worth creating? Absolutely.

I’ve come to realize that the most impactful art is created without money in mind. When an artist shares a personal or intimate moment that they’ve captured, that is the art that speaks the most to me.

So what is the value of art? Is there value in sharing something personal that an artist has created and finding meaning in those intimate moments.

Art As Therapy, Not Profit

Have you ever looked at a painting and felt the emotion from the artist creating it? Maybe it was created not for you to look at, but for the artist to process an internal emotion that was too difficult to bottle up. Art like that resonates with so many people because powerful emotions like that have always been shamed and misunderstood.

However, what if we pushed people to create using those emotions instead of bottling them up?

The art I’m the most proud of was created when I was in emotional turmoil. It wasn’t created to sell, but to soothe. I was able to take something within my head and display it in the world for myself to understand and appreciate.

I’ve found that when I’ve used art as therapy, the creations that follow are always the clearest expressions of my emotions. Inadvertently, creating art as therapy became my default.

My relationship with art has shifted from chasing financial validation to exploring my own soul. It’s felt like opening a door to my inner world and allowing myself to explore it without the pressure of monetizing it.

A Note for Beginning Artists

For all of the beginning artists out there who feel pushed towards monetizing their work, I encourage you to explore the connections you have to your artwork.

If there was no monetary value associated with it, would you still create it? Is there more to gain from creating for yourself rather than trying to sell it? Personally, I’ve found the answer to be yes.

Leave a comment or share this with someone who needs permission to create just for themselves.