Because it's part of what makes up "me". I've been creating artwork pretty much since the age of 3. At age 4, I was told I couldn't use my crayons on the wall, so I crayoned on one of our family's original oil paintings.

My mom never cleaned off the crayon. It is written in my genes to want this life. It's important that I remember to nurture who I was made to be.

I am driven to create by some unseen force inside of me - like many artists, I've been drawing since I could first hold a crayon. I think as humans we have a need to explore and communicate - I think artists experience that need on a much deeper level than most people.

At the age of 22 while living in Italy, I left my house one day and walked to a store downtown. I found myself in the art department where I bought a canvas, a few brushes and some oil paints. I went home and painted a painting. It was as if someone else was painting. I knew exactly what to do and how to mix. I still have that painting and I have painted ever since. It has taken 30 years to stop trying to fit in a world that has too little understanding and appreciation of artists. When I stopped caring about fitting in, or painting what will sell or who likes or does not like my work I found freedom in creating. I have finally embraced the sheer pleasure of waking up every day feeling the passion of wanting to paint and the utter joy in the endless possibilities of what to paint.

I'm far from the first person to note that making a painting is an act of love. We live for only a short time and yet are all struck by certain experiences or people. How could we not want to tell others as best we can about what means the most to use.

It is funny but I was just ruminating on this same question on my blog, asking what Rembrandt has to say to us living hundreds of years later than he did.

When I was young, I did create, and thanks to my mother, have some of those things I did make as a young teenager during the one and only art class our school provided. But art wasn't 'practical', so I spent a working life in the sciences. In my mid-50s as I was contemplating retirement, I decided to take the chance and try painting again. I also had a dream of a particular workshop in France that I had learned about years before. So when I retired, even though events almost conspired to prevent it, I went, and have been painting ever since. My dear uncle, a professional artist, encouraged me, and even though I still get the 'what, another painting?' from some family members, I just say, yes, another, and there will be more as I learn more and more every day.

For me I love nature.. There are always many images I have been observing in my head, along with adding new ones no matter where I am during the day.

My easel is set up next to some view-out windows in the lower level of my home. One of my neighbors, Jim, sometimes observes me painting on a new creation. Recently, Jim came over and I took him to see my “studio.” As he stood in front of my easel, he passed his hands over my containers of brushes and boxes of paints, and theatrically stated, “I sense addiction.” We both laughed, but his pronouncement made me wonder what drives me to paint.

Thinking way back to my early teens, I vividly remember going through the large size bible in our house that had the lovely color plates of biblical scenes, some painted by Michelangelo and others by Rubens. I was captivated by the colors and skill necessary to create such scenes. Using my limited poster paints, I even copied a few of the paintings in a rather naïve style. My mother saved one of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and wrote on the back, “Painted by Chuck, age 13.” Addicted at age 13? I do not think so. Some people would call that natural talent, but that would still leave the essential question unanswered.

As I grew to an adult, the poster paints gave way to oil painting with its mediums and other wonderful concoctions like dry gesso with rabbit skin glue, a quart bottle of retouching varnish with the price of $3.25 still marked on the label, and many tubes of paints. The box containing these precious art materials has moved with me the past 40 years, only occasionally being opened to create a painting to grace a wall in our house. Although I parted with almost all other possessions that I owned at times, my art box was never even considered. Why?

I can only answer the question by stating that I am compelled to paint and create things. My art box contains tools and materials that allow me to not only create paintings, but to continue the marvelous adventure of self-discovery. This knowledge keeps me painting with a sense of expectation, and although I cannot envision future paintings, I know that the best is yet to come.

Art was often an escape for me. In a turbulent home it gave me stability, in a claustrophobic steel mill town it was a window to the world, in NYC it was a way to make a living, and now it provides the peace that is so elusive in the modern world.

Hi Clint, The pressure an artists feels inside to create could cause one to explode. It is so deep inside and the need grows if you are not painting. Artists want to always be improving and learning new avenues with their work. I assume other people feel the same in their work even if they are not artists. It is the driving force behind all mankind's efforts to contribute with a talent. God gives us talents to perfect and we must do that.

I used to spend a lot of time with speadsheets, too--my present art career was preceded by 33 years in the medical publishing field, where I "climbed the ladder" from copy editor to copy writer to marketing assistant to marketing director to publisher over the years. The good thing is that I could bring all of that business experience--editing, writing, production, marketing, financial--to my present job as an artist. However, I sometimes say, although it isn't strictly true, that the worst day of being an artist is better than the best day of being a publisher. So why do I create? Well, I have always "created," and also have been "creative," whatever the job at hand. But being an artist and "making art" gives me many more opportunities to express that creativity than my old day job did, and it is much more direct. I put in a certain amount of creativity, and out comes a painting, a "creation." I like that.

Wow, what a great question. So why do I create art? It is all about that passion for the creative process, isn't it. So much passion, that it almost becomes consuming. I find I wake up thinking about art and go to sleep dreaming about it. That's when I get some of my best ideas and concepts!

I started painting later in life and now I wonder how I ever lived without it. I want to spread this passion to other people so they can experience their own kind of joy. I find teaching watercolors has given me a wonderful opportunity to share with others and also a way to challenge my development as an artist.

But you are right about the difference between those that have the passion and those that do not. In my classes (and with my colleagues), I can tell which have it and which do not. Usually the "haves" progress more quickly and enjoy the process tremendously. It's more than just knowing techniques and the artistic process, the "passion" is revealed in their paintings.

I create because I have an inner drive, a passion that will not die. Once I have an idea in my mind, it lingers around and pesters me until I am forced to paint it. I MUST create. My inner drive pushes me forward and makes me search out subjects and inspiration that propel me onward.

Yup--Michele makes me think of how many notebooks in middle school, high school, college, and then graduate school had the margins filled with sketches of the instructor, classmates around me, horses, dogs, elephants dancing (no, I can't answer that one)--the margin sketches would spread out into the body of the notebook page, and then, at some point, I would simply stop hearing the instuctor....

Funny this article should appear today just as I'm preparing to present "Created to be Creative" at our church's women's retreat. The premise is that we are created in the image of our great Creator, and as such we are called to join in creation.

Our calling may be in music, visual arts, writing, cooking, , needlework, gardening, creating a loving and beautiful home, desiging websites--any of a myriad of things--but it is our responsibility to follow that calling and share our creations with others. It is not our responsibility to decide if our efforts are worthy or not or how they will be used. Just as VanGogh didn't sell a painting in his lifetime and Guttenburg didn't know how many Bibles would be printed and distributed through the centuries, we may never know how our art is used and how it affects others, but be assured there is a plan for it. That plan may be as simple as providing us with joy in the creation, thereby making us more interesting and pleasant people to those around us, and that is very important.

One of the greatest joys of my career has been to create a scholarship fund for impoverished young people in a village in Honduras so they can continue their education beyond the 6th grade, the time when many of them leave school to work to help support their families. Ten years ago the program started with money from sales of 10 of my paintings of Honduras, along with giclees and note cards. To date, we have provided approximately 300 scholarships. It grew beyond just income from sales of my artwork and now includes sponsorships provided by many people--multiplying the joy of helping a young person. We've had about 20 high school graduates, and several are going to college. The friendships formed with the students are priceless. Had I not answered the call to go to Honduras to help build houses and to paint the beautiful people and places, not only would many of these students had to leave school, but I and many others would have been denied the great pleasure of sh aring our treasures with them and becoming their friends.

Thanks for the article, Clint. It makes us stop and think what a privilege it is to share in creation.

My primary purpose in creating art work is NOT to impress others, have a product to display, or make money. I paint because I MUST in order to feel at peace with the world and myself. I paint to express and share my deepest feelings and emotions and, hopefully, to touch the souls of others.

I feel that two-dimensional art is an essential communication beyond the written word, a piece of music or physical expression. It draws from one’s personal experience, emotion, observation and creativity to present the viewer with a visitation to a place real and unreal energized by the flow and rhythm of form light and color. It is a one-of-a-kind, never before and never again production and good, bad or indifferent it will never be rendered in the same way again. Sophisticated copies of historic originals do not possess the energy of the original Rembrandt, Monet or Sargent.
I create because of a deep need to celebrate and share. I use artistic expression as my vehicle.

I appreciate very much everyones thoughts; know how you feel, I especially like Philip, Hugh, and Chuck's thoughts; just a few male artists and many women. Come on guys I know you are strong and silent most of the time but, this is your life. Chuck rang a bell with the Bible photos of old masters of characters Jesus and so many more. Touched my soul

Taking nothing away from Sarah Lacy or Hugh MacLeod I believe there are as many reasons to create as there are artists, or people. For me, I have a very simple reason, I do it because I can and it makes me happy to do so...

Wow, there are so many great responses to this thread and each person has interesting answers. There's the common "crayon" theme as well, just like me. I used to be crazy obsessed with drawing and coloring from a very early age, and was quite good, better than a child my age should've been. I'd use up so many coloring books, run over to my aunts and use up my cousin's until my aunt would scold me for using up all the coloring books. In the third grade, I got slapped on the hand for not stopping my project when told to in art class. This made me even more stubborn and want to draw more.

In the 8th grade, they made us paint a fall scene and use perspective. The teachers loved my painting so much, they came out with the firt annual art prize, with mine of course, being the very first awarded.

When I was 14 or 15, my mother brought me to her oil painting classes as a way of keeping me out of trouble. Although I loved painting, the classes bored me because all I did was paint from a Walter Foster book. My painting was just as good as the one in the book, and I felt resentment from the women in class. So, I decided to just stay home and paint.

It's clear for me that art and creating has always been an innate part of me, a passion, something that could never be ignored. The times I did put aside my creativity were the worst times of my life. Like most here, I'm driven and passionate. I see images and must get them out on canvas. Jobs have always made me miserable, and the only reason I'm doing okay with my current job is because I'm helping people. But someday, art will be the main focus of my days, once I can make a living from it and replace my job. I live for that day . . .

It just feels like a yearning-an ache in your heart. I feel the same when viewing certain art. Most recently when viewing work of the Wyeth clan at The Farnsworth in Maine. And always when viewing the old Masters.

Why I create?---interesting question because I'm not sure there's an answer. It's something inside me that just is -a yearning, a necessity, a desire so strong I just must create. My mind is always creating something out of something else no matter what subject it might be. Always working on ways to change, make better, re-invent.
Even in jobs I've had that are somewhat mundane (and those jobs didn't last for long)I was creating ways to change.
I feel good abou myself when I'm creating. I feel I'm contributing something to the world.
Why - because I HAVE TO

To Keep my eyes happy

I create to live. Painting is my life.

Why do I create, I honestly don't think I have a choice. if it wasn't painting, In a previous life (a few years ago) I did weaving, I worked in advertising, I did interior design and the list goes on. The creative process is as much a part of me as my breath. Being creative is an adventure that never ends

When I first started getting serious about my artwork a teacher told me to "paint everything".(subject matter). It truly helped me define what I love to paint and what I can paint well.
Fortunately those two have pretty much married themselves. I never feel like I don't know what to paint. It's the opposite...there is so much to be painted and I hope to be painting forever!

Maybe I said this before, but I will say it again. I create art because it's something I am compelled to do. My work is like a journal of my life,I can look at each of my works and know what was going in my life when I made the work.

We artists get to have some immortality by making the art we do.

Me , I just like making stuff, solving an artistic problem.

When one makes art they have a way to account for their time on the planet, in my opinion.

I create because I must.
I can not imagine a life without it!!
It's where I find my peace, my god - Heaven.

Bob, Your comments are very refreshing and yes, we do see the Mona LIsa and love it. I'm happy your like to make stuff; true artistic nature. Keep up the good work. Modesty is a virtue but, combining modesty with cleverness is enduring.
Peace,
Helen

Lori,

I paint because I just have to. It seems when I feel defeated and think may be I should rethink this I sell 3 paintings that day. It encourages me to keep going.Why do I paint the way that I do? Heck if I know it just seems to flow that way. I have tried to change but it is not me, doesn't feel right, I am out of my skin. I paint like I do because I like it.It makes me feel swept away into my own timeless world.