Responses to this idea have been mixed.
It occurs to me that creating "art" that is intended to be a gift - puts the artist into another head space.
It can be the "I'm not worthy" head space. A first response could be, "my art is not good enough to give away - no one would want it",
but I see art sell out of galleries all the time that I don't think is "good enough". What does that even mean?
When someone buys art from a shop or gallery- they have deemed it worthy by spending $$ for it.
When we GIVE art - WE say that it is worthy - but because no $$ has changed hands we don't get the benefit of $$ as an affirmation.
I have been selling "art" in public since I was a kid - with no expectations; it was all gravy, - very anonymous, - but giving art - is not anonymous.
AND creating ART that will become a gift adds pressure to the act of creating.
The simple act of creating a piece of art, then gifting it - is an act of, what. . . ?
Trust? Ego? Generosity? Is giving ART a good thing? Should we do it?
For most student artists the step between creation and GIVING is as wide as the Grand Canyon.
Or worse, we give our work away with so many disclaimers that the recipient wonders why we are unloading it on them - instead of tossing it into the dumpster.
I hope you are not waiting for feelings of "worthiness" to finally catch up to you, because they never will. Share your work with joy and you will be surprised how much joy your gift will bring.
This is not exactly a new idea but something I try to do in life and business, is look for, and think of ways that I can bring art, and crafts, and the joy of creativity, into areas that don't seem to get enough of it.
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