My Need for Art

22^nd October

Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987) once stated that “Art is what you can get away with.” (QuotationsPage.com, 2010). I feel that this relates hugely to my need for art as to me this quote means there are no rules, you can do whatever you like and no one can tell you it is wrong or right. Art meets my needs especially at the moment as it is assessment time, so along with that come essays, referencing and word limits, all so structured with set rules about how things need to be done if you want to pass.

The other day I started doing some paintings for my dad’s new house as I felt that I had earned well deserved break from all of my assessments. Although dad did have a few things he said he would like included he left the rest up to me, no rules. I spent almost a whole day painting old canvases white as my dad had been given them for Christmas and didn’t like the original paintings. This took us so long that by the time I had finished that it was time for me to come back to Dunedin which was quite gutting. Since being back in Dunedin though I have spent a lot of time sketching up ideas that I can play with when I get back to working on the canvases.

My need for art is more than having something I can do that has no rules, it allows me to relax my entire mind from assessments and all the other things going on this time of year. With art I can express my individuality and as Oscar Wilde states Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. With art I am able to spend time doing my own thing without having to talk to anyone it allows me to have my much needed ‘me time’.

I think one of my biggest needs for Art is the feeling of accomplishment, I love completing a painting or drawing and being satisfied with the end product. With this will usually give my paintings away to family and friends as I feel I no longer have a need for it and I want it to hopefully be appreciated by others.

I feel that painting and drawing is a way for me to be entertained when I am by myself. It gives me something to do instead of wasting time blobbed out in front of the television or Facebook and gives me the opportunity to create things and end up with a finished product and gives me a huge sense of satisfaction.

I can’t wait until all these exams are over and I can get back to those paintings for my dad, by then I am sure a will have plenty ideas of what to paint.


References:

BrainyQuote. (2011). Art Quotations. Retrieved October 22, 2011, from BrainyQuote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/art.html

QuotationsPage.com. (2010). Quotation Details. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from The Quotations Page: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34774.html