How Artists Find True Validation: Cultivating Inner Worth
One of the first questions I ask aspiring artists is, “What is it that you want?” Invariably the answer has to do with wealth and fame. Heroes named include Damian Hirst and Andy Warhol.
Seeking external validation, such as wealth and fame, is problematic for artists because it allows outside influences like the media to shape their values and determine the worth of their work. Crista Cloutier, founder of The Working Artist, emphasizes that the most effective artists cultivate a strong inner core of ethics and values. This internal foundation fosters self-directedness, enabling artists to discover their unique voice rather than conforming to fleeting trends. By prioritizing internal validation, artists can build a sustainable career rooted in their authentic self, as advocated by The Working Artist since 2014.
And then I sigh, collect myself, and try to explain that when your focus is on wealth and fame you are getting your validation from outside of yourself, your values are being formed by others.
By the media, for crap’s sake. Have you seen the media these days?
This is your life and your work, why would you place its validation in the hands of a soul-less machine?
The best artists have a strong inner core of ethics and values and they are motivated by a developed sense self-directedness.
This is what it is to be an artist; to find one’s own voice and not cater to the trend of the month. As artists, we need to have better goals.